The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1875-09-16

knew the harbor we'll enough to cut it up
into patchwork and sew it together again
lie and Frank talked; and Jill, some
but | didn't. l didn't feel like it.
Then there was Aunt John Then there
was another thing -sonebody had to be
responsible for the ''Sandpiper"
They were all out, when we got there,
looking for US 1t seemed to me as if all
the Point out-all our house, and every
body from the pretty little brown cottage,
where tue hammocks are, and the tent.
Tony Guest was there, Frank said, way
out on slippery rock, looking and look
ing, in her little sailor hat | didn't see
her for some time | didn't notice any
body in particular. don't think | could
see very clearly. | couldn't see Aunt
John anywhere
When we got out We found we were
used mp, and staggered along on the
rocks. And Frank was white as chow
der saw spots on Jill's face. as if he'd
rubbed it, and his hands were dirty. But
couldn't see Aunt John.
80 they all crowded round, and we
didn't know what to say and then | saw
her She was coming over the rocks with
great shawls. She put one on me and one
on Jill, and led US up to the house away
from everybody. When she got us into
her room she kissed us-but not before.
She was very pale. thought she'd cry !;
| thought she'd scold But she didn't do
either one. She only flew around and got
rs to bed, and got blankets and bottles
and hot coffee and things She didn't even
ask 4 question till she saw me choke then
she just said, "Oh, boys, how could YOU ?n
That was all. Now she never scolded nor
crowed; upon my word, she didn't.
The more frightened some people are
about YOU. the more they abuse YOU But
Aunt John is different. She knew we telt
bad enough; and when spoke up about
the "Sandplper,' though she looked trou-
blca, she only told me to 90 to sleep, aud
we'd see tomorrow.
So the next day we felt pretty tired. and
we all went over to see the ''Sandpipern
We could see her through the boarding.
house window. She lay on the rock much
rs we had left her, only the tide was low
er. She looked like the COW the cars ran
over-Very much 'sliscouraged SO we
got the ight-keeper and another man that
knew about the boats, and Aunt John
and rowed over to the Island. The "Sand-
piper lay between her anchor and rope
the light-keeper'd set to the rock Her
mast was snapped in two. We thought
there seemed to be y bad leak, but
couldn't tell very well at first
A lot OF men had collected around
men always 90 to wrecks in Gloucester
just as you'd 90 to fires anywhere else
and some Of 'em set to work and tried to
haul her off the rocks. But they hauled
an hour, and gave it up. They said she
looked to them pretty badly jammed.
The fellow that owned her had got back
for some reason, and he came over He
looked very black. He said she was worth
two hundred dollars
Frank and Jill and looked at each
other | don't think ever lelt SO in my
life
She's bad smash,n said the fellow
that owned her. land somebody will be
ont Of pocket on her. 1t can't be expected
to be me, | suppose
''SheIl come Off when the tide serves,n
said the light-keeper. We'll see then
how much she's damaged. Perhaps it
isn't such bad job, after all
But It was bad job--very bad
When the "Sandpiper" got off the rect
at last, She looked like a sandpiper that
had been shot upon the wing. rutfled and
struggling and half dead Her mast was
broken all to nothing, and there was q
great gouge in har bows. Tho follow
that owned her had her toWcd into town.
and said he'd have the damages estimated
and let US know. In the afternoon he
came over and said 1t would take about
seventy-liye or eighty dollars TO set her
trim again.
Now, our people aren't very well off.
50 they couldn't afford eighty dollars to
pay for a sail-boat, no way in the world.
| didn't know what on earth to do OF say.
| lust walked around and thought fittings.
| had an awful headache. | could not 90
to dinner. wondered il should have to
90 into n store and earn the money. | Won
dered if the fellow who owned her would
arrest us, if we didn't pay. thought what
father and mother would think, and how
dsgraced we were. | was the most mis-
cradle boy You ever knew, unless it was
Jill.
was out on the rocks in cubby there
where nobody sees you, when heard a
step behind.
You'd know Aunt Johns step in reg
iment, if you'd ever heard it. 1t springs
along and strikes down broad. she wears
great low boot-heels like Il mans, and
her dresses don't drag.
Coming in to supper?n asked Aunt
John.
said no didn't want any supper
Il am up such Il tree about that boat I"
said L.
"1'he boat said Aunt John quietly,
"is paid for. You'd better come to sup
per-
paid for. The 'Sandpiper p" said |.
"Who paid for her?'
But | knew | knew when she shook
her head and said ''No matter p smiling.
| knew she couldn't afford it, and how it
came out of what she'd laid up felt so
ashamed that could not speak. and made
up my mind we'd pay her back, if it took
ten years to do it. But | felt as if all
Eastern Point had jumped up and rolled
away off my heart. And still she never
scolded nor crowed at us. Never!
And Frank Starkweather and Tony and
Guest said there weren't many like her,
and they said if we didn't behave our
selves to pay her for it. we'd be poor stuff,
and think so too.
Men seldom think of the great event of
death until the shadow tails across their
own path, hiding from their eyes the
traces Of the loved ones whose smile was
the sunlight of their existence. Death is
the great antagonist of life, and the cold
thought of the tomb is the skeleton OF all
breasts. We do not want to 60 through
the dark valley, although the passage
lead to paradise; and with Charles Lamb,
we do not want to lie down in the muddy
grave even with kings and princes for
bed fellows Rut the fiat of Nature is in