The Manitowoc tribune. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1866-1878, 1873-02-20
she MRlB URE.
GRAY EYES.
BY ELLA WILLIAMS THOMPSON.

larger blessings of Providence, that
woman can bear up, year after year, IN
der weight of dullness which would
drive man of the same mental calib-e
to desperation in month.
| L had no idea what heavy burden
mine had been, until one day my brother
asked me to 20 to sea with him on his
nexs voyage. He aud his wife were at
the farm on their wedding tour. and on
II the happiness of bridegroom could
have led him to hold out to me this way
of escape. Christians heart, when he
dropped his pack. was not lighter than
mine. Butter and cheese are good things
in their way-the world would miss them
if all the farmers daughters went sud
denly down to the sea in ships-but it IS
possible to have too much of good
thing, and such has been my feeling for
some years.
There was excitement enough in the
departure, the sea changes, and finally
the memory of it all, to keep my mind
busy for few weeks but when we
settled into the grooves of a tropical
voyage. waited along as easily by the
trade winds as if some gigantic hand,
unseen and steady. had us in its grasp,
my life was wholly changed, and yet it
bore an odd family resemblance to the
days a. the farm.
/ went on deck to look at a passing
ship about as often as | used to run to
the window at the sound of carriage
wheels One can't take very intimate
interest in whales and the other sea mon
sters, unless one is scientific. Time died
with me by slow but by no means e pain
ful death. I used to fold my hands and
look at them by the hour, internally rol
licking over the idea that there was no
milk to skim, or dishes to wash, or an
earthly wheel in motion that required
my shoulder to turn it. | spent much
time in half awake state, in the long,
warm days, out of sheer delight in vast
ing time. after saving it all my life.
So it came about that | slept lightly
o nights. Every morning the steward
came into the cabin with the first dawn
of day, to scour his floors before the cap
tain should appear. He had habit of
talking to himself over this early labor,
and one morning, more awake than
usual, [ found that he was praying.
80 Lord, be good to me | l wasn't to
blame | would have helped her if |
could. 0 Lord be good to me! |" and
other homely entreaties, were repeated,
over and over again.
He was a meek, bowed old negro,
with snowy hair, and SO many wrinkles
that all expression was shrunk out OF his
face. He was an excellent cook, but he
waited on table with mannev so utterly
despairing that it took away ones appe-
tite to look at him.
He brought me a shawl, one cool even
ing. as if it were my death-warrant, and
said. in that sepulchral tone that wins
confidence. Pedro. do you always say
your prayers when you are alone p
''Yes. miss, board th,s ship"
whats the matter with this ship?"
Il s'pose you don't have no faith in
ghosts p
mot much
White folks mostly DON'T" said Ped
70, with aggravating meekness, and turn
ed into his pantry.
followed him to the door, and stood
in it. SO that he had no escape: "What
has that to do with your prayers?"
This cabin has got ghost in it"
| looked over my shoulder into the
dusk, and shiyered a little, which was
not lost on Pedro. He grew more SOL
emn, if possible, than before. Il see
her most every morning, and if my
back is to the door see her all the same.
She don never touch me, but [ keep at
the prayers for fear she will"
DO you never see her; except in the
morning ?"
"Once or twice she has just put
her head out of the door of the middle |
stateroom when / was waitin' on table.
I'm broad Daylight"
"Sartin. Them as sees ghosts
sees EN- any time. Every morn
ing, just at peep O day, she comes out
of that door and makes dive for the |
stairs. She just gives me one look. and
holds up her hand, and | don't see no
more of her till next time
How does she look p
''She's got hair as black as coal,
kind o'opushed back, as if she'd been
running her hands through it; she has
big. shiny eyes, swelled up as if she d
been crying great while; and she's al
ways got on gray dress, silvery-like.
with tear IN one sleeve. There amt
nothin' more, only a handkerchief tied
round her wrist, as if she had been
hurt"
Is she handsome ?"
'Mebbe white folks'd think So
"Why does she show herself to you,
ana to no one else, do you suppose?"
Didn't / tell you the reason before z"
''Of course you didn't"
well. you see. she looked just so the
last time seen her alive, | must go
and put in the biscuit now, miss"
] submitted. knowing that white folks
may be hurried. but black ones never;
and I could not but admire the natural
talent which Pedro shared with the au-
thors of continued stories. of always
dropping the thread at the most thrill
ling moment.
Who was she ?" said I, lying iu wait
for him on his return.
.'She was cap IL wife. miss-a young
woman, and the cap'n was old, with a
blazing kind of temper He was drefful
sweet on her for about month, and
mebby she was happy, mebby she wa MT:
how should know about white folks
feelings All of sudden be said she
was sick, and couldn't go out of the