The tribune. [volume] (Beaufort, S.C.) 1874-1876, 1875-10-20
EDWARD BROWN, sTOKER.

EDWAhD BROWN, STOkER.
"Polly," says, one day after nv
convalescence, and we were taking bit
of walk in the churchyard, "ain't this
heavenly"
"And you feel bettera" says she, lay
ing her hand on mine.
Better !" says, taking long
draught of the soft, sweet-scented air,
and filling my chest; "better, old girl /!
feel as If L were growing backwards
into boy"
"And you fifty last week 70 she says.
Yes" 1 says, smiling, "and you
forty seven next week"
And then we sat thinking for bit.
Polly" I says at last, as sat there
drinking in that soft breeze, and feel
ing it give me strength, "it'sw worth be-
ing i'll to feel as do now. -"
For you see Id been'very, bad, else I
dare say I'm not the man to go hanging
about churchyards and Watching funer-
ais; I'm stoker, and my work lies in
steamers trading to the East. I'd come
home from my last voyage bad with
fever, caught out in one of those nasty,
hot, bad smelling ports-been carried
home to die, as my mates thought; and
it was being like this, and getting better,
that had set me thinking so seriously,
and made me so quiet; not that I was
ever u noisy sort of man, as any one who
knows me will say. And now, after get
ting better, the doctor had said must
go into the country to get strong; sc as
strong, there was nothing for it but to
leave the youngsters under the care of
the eldest girl and neighbor, and come
and take lodgings out in this quiet Sur
rey village. -. r...m ,,a ,s-rsy
Polly never thought I should get bet
ter, and one time no more did 1; for
about month before this time, as I Law
hollow-eycd' and yellow on the bed,
knowing, too, how bad I looked-for I
used to make young Dick bring me tho
looking glass every morning-the doctor
came as usual, and like blunt English
man I put it to him fat.
Doctor" / says, "you don't think
I shall get better2" and I looked him
straight III the face. ,';..,. b, .
"Oh, come, come, my man l' he says,
smiling, "we never look Mt the black
side Like that" - ~ No
None Of that, doctor" says; oout
with it like man. I can stand it; I've
been expecting to be drowned OF. blown
up half my life, SO I shan't be scared at
what YOU say.
"Well, my man." he says, "your
symptoms are. Of o very grave nature.
You see the fever had undermined you
before you came home, and unless.
g. All right, doctor, says CT un-
derstand You mean that unless you can
get new plate in the boiler, she won't
stand another voyage"
"Oh, come we won't look upon it as
L.
ways hope :" and after little more talk.
he shook hands and went away.
Next day when he came, had been
thinking it all over, and was ready for
him. I don't believe I was bit better ;
In fact, know was drifting fast, and
saw it in his eye as well.
waited till he had asked me his diff
ferent questions, and then just as he was
getting up to go, asked him to sit
down again. ..
&" Polly, my DEAR says, 9" just
want few words with the doctor y and
she put her apron up to her eyes and
went out, closing the door after her very
softly, while the doctor looked at me
very. curious like, and waited for me to
'r' "Docsof, y says, & you've 'w about
head, forsI know. Now don't you think
I'm afraid to die, for 7 don't believe I
am, but look here there's seven chill
dren down stairs, and If leave my wife
widow with the few pounds I've been
able to save, what's to become of them :
Can't you pull me through -...
"Mgttdear fellow" he says, hon pestly.
GIVE done everything I can for your
case" stiEF,7|'
"That's what you think, DOCTOR" I
says, "bnt look here: I've been at sea
thirty years, and In seven wrecks. rcIt's
been like lodging death with me score
OF tinaes, Why, I pulled my wife there
regularly out of the hands of death, and
I'm not going to give up now. I've
been II l. - - 81 -
"stop, stop he says, gently.
"You're exciting yourself"
"Not bit, says, though my voice
was quite a whisper. "I've had this
over all night, and I've come to think ]
must be up and doing my duty"
But, my good man"-he began.
"Listen to me, doctor, says. ga
score of times I might have given ur
and been drowned, but I made fight
for it, and was saved. Now mean tc
make fight for it, here, for the sake OF
the wife and BARNS. I don't mean tc
die, doctor, without a struggle. I be-
lieve this here, that ife's given to us all
as treasure to keep; we might throw
oxvax, lao l.,.r cum fnlIu at opu fi,,, n