Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1874-02-11
A REVELATION FROn TIE SEA.

''Imay write to you, Alice, mayn'
I?'
Alice shook her head. "Bedter not,
she said; "much better not" Still
the denial was faint.
But shall write" said the young
man warmly cit is all the comfort
have I don't ask you to write to me-
but will write to you, and
He would be angry" said Alice
shaking her head; mo, you really
mustn't" <
s.All right" said the sailor with .
warm sunny smile; "to your sister,
then-all right. know you'll go and
ask her for a letter sometimes. Good
bye, darling-one kiss"
The kiss was given hurriedly and sur
reptitiously, and the sailor sprang from
the landing-stage into a boat that was
waiting alongside, and presently the
oars were flashing in the sunlight as
she made rapidly for bark lying in
the stream. Alice stood and watched
the receding boat, watched it till it
reached the ship, and was hauled upon
the davits. Presently the CHEEKY song
of the sailors was heard over the water,
the clink of the windlass, as they
hauled the anchor home. Then she
shook out her sails and departed. A
sbore.boat, however, had put off from
the ship at the very last moment, and
came slowlv against the tide towards
the land 1t reached the landing stage,
and wizened, elderly man landed and
came up the stairs. nv s|5 Ass1t.
eWell, Alice" he said, Fswell,
you've waited long time for Dicky-
good girl, good girl Now, my birdie,
we'll go home to our little cage" s
Alice sighed aud put her hand in his
arm, and they went off, he with a
springy, stumbling gait, meant to be
sprightly and juvenile; she with a slow,
ifeless step, that yet kept pace with
him.
Richard loft, the ship. owner, who
had just landed, was seventy years old
or more, and he had married Alice
Graham, who was only nineteen. But
then loft was the richest man in the
port OF Medford Regis, and everybody
said she had done well for herself.
There had been some silly love pas
sages between her and William Black,
the son Of Widow Black, of Woodbine
Cottage, but he was only mate in one
of Richards ships, and could never
have made home for her, to say moth
ing OF the misery of marrying sail
or, and being widow, as it. were, four
years out of five. Now it wasn't in the
course of nature that Dicky loft
should live forever; and then, If she
played her cards we'll, what happy
woman she might be She would have
to play her cards, mind you, for she
was poor girl when she married, and
Dicky had kept all his money at his
own disposal; but then what fool like
an old fool? and pretty girl, like
Alice, ought to be able to wind him
round her little finger.
Certainly Mr.. Tot was wonderfully
proud of his wife, and with good
cause, for she was one of the prettiest
giIls in Melford. To be sure, after
their marriage she seemed to fade a
little, whilst Dicky seemed to grow
young and green again, and responded
to all the raillery of which he was the
subject as archly and wickedly as any
grizzled old monkey on perch.
Nothing was too good for Alice in
Mr.. lofts opinion. He bought her
snswls from the Indies, beautiful mus
Inns nd silks that would stand OH end;
he gay, her jewels, too, and decked her
out With chains and trinkets and ear
rings TIL she grew ashamed of her
splendor
~ ana % Willie Black came home
irom long 7oyage, and one of the
first to welcome him and invite him to
his house was Mr.. loft, the ship
owner. He had heard ali about this
little love affair, bit he had such conf
dence IN his w1fe-sle was such Jew
el, SO devoted TO h1m--he was anxious
that his rival should ses how complete
ly she had forgotten
"You brought him yu1rself,'' said
Alice IN her own heart, Looking rather
hardly at her husband, as sh. toiled up
the steep hill that led to Their house.
painting and shaking, but refusing to
acknowledge that she was tired. 81 had
schoolea myself to be content, bu. with
your own hand you shattered all my
good resolves"
Let ne stay here for moment,''
said Mr.. loft, land admire this pleas
ant view. Oh, I'm not tired--no, nc
not at all I; but see the ship standing
out to sea She's capital saller, eh
ah, yes. !" s.
Her sails were spread out far in the
distance, rosy with the beams of the
setting sun, but chilly mist was creep.
ng up, and presently the glow van
ished and the white sails were blotted
out, disappearing in the great vague
world of mist and sea and shadow.
Why, what's the matter, Alice 81
said Mr.. loft, turning sharply around.
clears All, well, yes, yes, we know