Whig and tribune. [volume] (Jackson, Tenn.) 1870-1877, 1872-03-23

huOOA ilAG sODbluS OuAA0 - WAA4C
the two girls cried softly in the
corner.
And just al that moment the front
/ gate of the red house was opened,
and man strobe into the yard, and
| to the front door, q man small and
somewhat thin, but having the ram
/ bling gait of sailors dress which
at once indicated his nautical occu-
| patton.
His eyes roamOd a moment over
/ the humble cottage, its mossy roof
embroidered with golden devices Of
| her sunset; then lifted the heavy
handle Of the brass knocker, and
gave such q summons that il must
have reached the ears Of any living
soul under the low roof.
Minnie put her small, sweet face
out Of the froAt door-and looked
up eagerly at the man.
"Can you tell me, little one, If
man by the name o. Strong halls
from this craft?"
The blue eyes dilated with sweet
wonder st the strange language.
81 don't know what you mean"
"Ain't used to sailors yarns, eh,
little seabird? Well can you tell us
who lives inside?"
"His names Jason Strong"
"The very man Pm after" ex-
claimed the sailor, setting his foot
over the threshold; then as if sud
den thought struck him, he checked
himself, and locking down earnest
Iy on the child he asked: Won't you
tell me your name3"
''Pm Minnie Blakel'
He reached out his strong arms,
lifted the small figure, and folded it
closely as q mother her newly found
child. to his heart, and the words
came in q sob to his laps: "My child,
I'm your father"
Oh, there was wonder and Joy in
the carpenters house that night,
when it was discovered that Min
nie's father had returned to them
he, whose hair they thought had
been draggled by the salt sea waves
for mere than three years. He had
= long story to tell Of terrible mis-
adventures by land and sea-of mis-
carried letters and years of sickness
in q strange land, and at last of re-
stored health-of tidings that reach
ed him of the death Of his wife, and
the daughters adoption by their
neighbor and his old playmate, Jason
Strong.
And the carpenter, in his turn,
dad q mOurnful tale to relate Of sick
ness, and poverty, and hopes deferr-
ed; but the saddest part OF the story
was its conclusion.
"a hundred dollarsp' groWled the
sailor, and he drew out his plethoric
pocket book.
"Old friend, you took my child in
to 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. Jonnie
Strong was removed from Jail, for
the sailor was as good as his word,
and lawyer was procured to plead
the case 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.
''I'm tired of the sea, old friend"
said the sailor, one evening, a week
after his return, as he sat in Jason
Strong's little Kitchen, with Minnie
on his knee, and her small brown
nj my AAhC AAAC " Ahko Vi
birds in his iron-gray
hair; "and when l lay out on an old
raft one night at sea, and it seemed
as though every wave would be the
last one we could stand, l made q
solemn promise with my own soul,
that if ever God brought me to see
the shore again, I'd never leave it to
take anOter voyage for all the gold
in the East Indies. And I've get =
thousand dollars that the old Gener-
al gave me for tying his -son on the |
raft ana I'VE concluded to put It in
to some acres o. ground round here
and turn farmer; for l amt quite
forgot the old trade was brought
up to, nor you either, reckon, Ja-
son; so, If you're mind to go into
business with me, you shall have
half the profits, and it'll pay you bet
ter than jinerin."
Jason Strong cleared his throat
twice to answer, but the thoughts
which arose to his heart chOked
back the words, and his wife spoke
for him: at has been the dream
and the hope o. fathers life, giving
up his trade and getting hold of a
few acres of land to cultivate, but
we'd given up all hopes OF it long
afore this
"Well, my frienps, the Lord don't
forget them that remember the
widow and the fatherless," answer
ed the sailor, and he hugged up Min
ME close to his heart.
"That's what l 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.
eyes, L know, Esther; and know
too, that unto you belongs all the
praise, for it was God who put it
into your heart to take the child -