Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1874-12-16

mere.
The fire was dying down-only few
GOALS s1nouldered among the ashes.
The wind sang dolefully, and shook the
old house till doors, sashes, and blinds
beat in chorus loud tattoo. 1 was
much affected by the old mans story.
His wan face, so deeply furrowed by
age and care, and sunken eyes now
moist with tears, were thrown out in re-
lief by the light of the oil-lamps on the
mantle, ma>ing sad and almost weird
picture. He had fallen into ono of his
thoughtful moods again, his eyes fixed
upon the floor before him. His wife
sat rocking backward and forward, in a
low chair, nervously picking at the
thread in the hem of her apron, while
the mysterious female and the child
slumbered peacefully. Suddenly a
gust, stronger than any which had pre-
coded it, shook the house from founda-
ton to roof, 50 that even the dishes in
the pantry added to the general clatter
of doors, windows and blinds. All at
once, the door through which I had
entered the apartment dashed open, and
the freezing wind, bearing with it a
quantity of drifting snow, rushed madly
in. The sudden change of temperature
awoke the small female. in the corner
with a start Pushing the child from
her lap, she sprang up and rushed
toward the door. For a moment she
stared fxedly out into the darkness,
with a look of terror upon her face, and
then uttering terrific screech, she sank
to the floor
fastening forward, / was confronted
by tall man, with a full shaggy beard,
dressed in half civilian, half sailor
costume. He stepped by me, and
crossing, with extended arms, toward
the old couple, exclaimed Father !
mother! don't you know me?" At the
sound Of his voice they rushed forward
with cry Of JOY, and fell upon his
breast. He he'd returned, as from the
grave, the son they had mourned as
dead, to be the stay of their declining
years. But the wife he had so tenderly
and truly loved Where was she :?
Alas beneath the frozen sod of the
nearby churchyard she lay, wrapped
in that deep sleep that knows no
waking. Sadly, but fondly, he clasped
his motherless child to his breast, and
seated there before the ample hearth,
he told his story. The Starlight had
foundered in the Arctic Sea, but he
and two others succeeded in reaching
an icefoe, upon which for three en-
tire days they drifted over trackless
sea, until Danish bark hove in sight,
and rescued them-his comrades in a
dying state, and he almost. On his
arrival at Copenhagen, he found an
English vessel about to sail for Liver
sage on her. His great desire was to
reach home as soon as possible; but as
he was without means he had no alter
native but to work his passage. Reach
ing an English seaport, he at once went
in quest Of a vessel about sailing for
some American port. The Virginia
was an American ship. She would sail
in few days for New York, and wanted
a few good seamen to complete her
crew, the captain informed him where
he made his application. 1t was not
until the Virginia had been two days
out that he discovered she was a
SLAYER, bound for the coast of Africa.
After a tedious, stormy voyage the ship
put in at Quitta, little town on the
Atlantic coast of Africa He succeeded
in effecting his escape to the interior,
where he remained several months
among the natives. He recounted the
strange things he had seen, and the
danger he had encountered in the jun
gle. At the expiration of two years he
again found himself upon the coast, at
Old Calabar, where he shipped upon a
Brazilian vessel, and in due course of
time arrived at Rio de Jal.eiro. Years
of toll, seeking for gold in the mountain
districts, found him poorer man than
when he left home to seek his for
tunes-at home again, a weary wan
derer, with little pleasure in the sound
of the Christmas bells a-ringing.
The bald space upon my head h'5
increased in circumference since til
Christmas eve I heard that story told ii
the little old house, and now [ am a
very old bachelor. 1t is just two years
ago last New Year since I retired from
active life, leaving my partner, William
Hemphill, to manage and conduct the
business. The wound occasioned by
his wife's death has never entirely healed
over, so he is widower and [ a bach
elor, live together in quiet neighbor-
hood in the suburbs of the town. One
would scarcely recognize in the pretty
and handy little maiden who presides
over our establishment the pale child for
whom made my purchase of toys that
Christmas eve. Together, once or twice
a year, William and I run down to Cliff
vile to look after little homestead,
which is now his property, and visit the
little plot, in the picturesque village
churchyard, where his father, mother
and wife are sleeping. There is a small
upper room in our dwelling, which our
little housekeeper keeps as sort of
sanctum. In one corner of it I have Of
ten noticed small green chest. I had
occasion to pass through the apartment
afew days since, when discovered that
the lid of the chest was left up, and Gu
riosity prompted me to take peep at
it's contents, which I found to consist Of
the remnants of dolls cradle, dolls
wagon, with a solitary red wheel, and
the head, body and one leg of the doll
herself. o la $3.50 @