The Pulaski citizen. [volume] (Pulaski, Tenn.) 1866-current, 1872-08-15

poor mother, as she paced, wit
locked hands, up and down I'll
room ''my boy that l loved so an
was so proud of, whose little brow
head / have rocked to sleep so man
nights in the cradle yonder."
ooh, don't, don't, wife, groane
the carpenter, and his whole fran
shook like a sobbing childs's, Will
the two girls cried softly in the col
/ ner.
And just at that moment the from
/ gate Of the red house was opened
and a man strobe into the yard, AM
to the front door, a man small an,
somewhat thin, but having the ram
i bling gait of a sailors dress whicl
at once indicated his nautical occu
patton.
His eyes roamed a moment owe
the humble cottage, its messy roo
embroidered with golden devices 0
her sunset; then lifted the heasl
handle Of the brass knocker, anC
gave such a summons that it nnst
have reached the ears Of any living
soul under the low roof.
Minnie put her small, sweet face
out of the front dOor-and looked
up eagerly at the man.
"Can you tell me, little one, if g
man by the name o Strong halls
from this craftY'
The blue eyes dilated with sweet
wonder at the strange language.
81 don't know what you mean"
saint use,l to sailors yarns, Ell,
little seabird? Well, can tell us who
lives insideY' a-#'a
'His names Jason Strong.'' -
"The very man Pm after" ex
claimed the sailor, setting his foot
over the threshold; then as if a sud
den thought struck him, he checked
himself, and looking down earnest
ly on the child he asked: Wont
you tell me your name?'
"Pm Minnie Blake!
He reached out his strong arms,
lifted the small figure, and folded it
closely as a mother her newly found
child, to his heart, and the words
came in a sob to his lips: my
child, I'm your father"
Oh, there was wonder and Joy in
the carpenters house that night,
when it was discovered that Min
MES father had returned to them
he, whose hair they thought had
been draggled by the salt sea waves
for more than three years. He had
a long story to tell Of terrible mis-
by land and sea--of mis-
carried letters and years of sickness
in strange land, and at last of re-
stored health-Of tidings that reach
ed him of the death of his wife, ana
the daughters adoption by their
and his old playmate, Ja-
son Strong.
And the carpenter, IN his turn, had
a mOurnful tale to relate of sickness,
and poverty, and hopes deferred;
but the saddest part Of the story
was its conclusion.
"a hundred dollarsr' growled the
sailor, and he drew out his plethoric
pocket book.
.'Old friend, you took my child
into your craft when the storm came
down hardest. Your boy won't lay
in Jail two hours longer"
There was double joy in the car
penter's house that night. Johnnie
Strong was removed from Jail, for
the sailor was as good as his word,
and lawyer was procured to plead
the ease for the carpenters son, who
did it so ably and eloquently that
the boy was acquitted to the great
astonishment and rage of Squire
Morton.
81 am tired Of sea, old friend y
said the sailor, one evening, q week
after his return, as he sat in Jason
Strong's kitchen, with Minnie on
his knee, and her brown fingers
like the wings OF newly
iedged birds in his iIon gray hair;
'and when / lay out on an old raft
one night at sea, and it seemed as
though every wave would be the last
We could stand, I made a solemn
promise with my own soul, that if ev-
sr God brought me to the land again
I'd never leave it for all the gold in
she East Indies. And I have got a
thousand dollars that the old Gen
,ral gave me, for tying his son to
he raft. and I've concluded to put
t into some acres O. gro%c,nd round
here and turn farmer; for l a.
quite forgot the old trade
vas brought up TO, ncr you either, 1 /
Jason; so, if you are a mind !
70 go into business with me, you
may have half the profits, and it'll
pay you heap better than jinerin,
anyhow"
Jason Strong cleared his throat
twice before answering, but the
thoughts which arose to his heart
ehOked back his words and his wife
spoke for him:
1T has been the dream and the
hope of fathers life, giving up his
trade and getting hold of q few
acres Of land to cultivate. but we'd
given up all hopes Of it long afOre
this" 4
well, my friends, God don't for
get those that remember the widow
and the fatherless," answered the
sailor, and he hugged up Minnie
close to his heart.
That's what I said, father, that
morning, don't you know?' wound
up the soft, eager voice of the little
woman, as she folded up the child's
coat she had just mended.
''Yes, / know, Esther; and / know
too, that unto you belongs all the
praise, for it was God who put it in
to your heart TO take care Of the
child"
Honest Men.
r A contemporary says: ave fell