Helena weekly herald. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1867-1900, 1875-12-02
Helena, Montana, Thursday, December 2, 1875.

and stronger, and the storm became wild aud
awful, and how walked them up from their
happy sleep, crying, Babies, babies! wake
with NANNY, and pray for daddy on the
wild, wild seas?' And how have fixed their
little hands together, and we four would
kneel down, and, though they only knew the
one prayer, Our Father vet thew said it
after me, and I knew that God understood
they were praying for their poor storm-tossed
daddy for out at sea, and that he would listen
and have pity?
''Didn7t Bill ever know how counted days.
then weeks, then months, and at last wears.
longing for him, waiting for him-always
true to him, in word aud thought? And how
loved all sailors, and pitied the lonely men
that csa,e to port here without friend in the
world but me? For I've gone to chem, and
Eye sad, 'Ho, lads! Tn Bill Walkers wife,
and hin sailing far away. Let nae help you
if can. And if you're sick or lonesome,
come to me. And how often ant often has
this Ettle room been filled with seafaring
men, who came for comfort and the little
kindnesses l could do for theme And how
they kissed the children-for they said they
were sailors babies, and they loved them
for the sake of their own little ones many
miles off I? And how often have [ got tears
from tilesc men, and blessings, t5ll I've gone
down SO the wharf, and taken the children
witha12e, and we've stood and seen them off,
and I've made the little ones wave their hands
to the men, and the men have called, Three
cheers for Bill Walkers wife, and God take
care"cf her and the babies!' And, O, sailor,
rve-done all this for love of Ball. And don't
you think he would have liked to know it?''
and SIZE wiped her ewes on the little frOck she
was mending.
The man looked at her, was silent for a
moment, and then went on:
@4A~es, he knew It, lass. He thought it for
truth. And now comes the awful part O.
my yern!"
'AIes. sailor
4'N ell-now don't cry out, and don't flop
down-Bill will never come home again.
She never said a word, but smiled up into
his face.
''Why won't he come home again: 2" she
asked
Because he's drownded," +" he replied.
'I>dOn't believe it, sailor
1'Rut | was with him all O the time.
1'Then, why wasn't you drownded, too :
If you were SO much with him, why wasn't t
you~drownded:"
1-Well, because [ washed ashore But,
poor Bill, he's gone
"Well, ii that's SO, might as well make
up my mind to be widow
''Why don't you get excited, widder:"
asked the man, agh hast.
''TE get all that after awhile"
''But, Bills drownded,''
II can't help that, SO there! NOW, sailor,
can't live here all alone, so MIST get mar
ried."
'.Mscried? Why, woman, yer husband
amt cold YETI
Il can't wait till I'm cold because he amt. y
''But, don't yer love him?"
lit would be wrong to love dead man,
and stiR marry live one"
.'Wbo will have ye for wife, seeing yer
didn't care for Bill?"
''Yox will, sailor! know you will
''Bnl Walkers widder-I won't. tho't
too mach O him for to like the woman as II
slight his mem'ry."
''Sailor, I'll lock the door. You shan't
leave this room till you say you'll have me
for your lawful wife"
bad lot, that's what We are-a bad, ungodly
creature an I pity poor Bill from the bot
tom o my heart-that do. An l don't be-
licve as these babies ever thought O him more
than ye did,
''Of course they didn't, sailor--of course
they didn't
''Whose babbies are they? Who's their
father?"
you are, suilor!"
And then he felt Woman's arm thrown
around his neck, and her kisses and tears
pressing on his face, and he heard woman's
voice crying:
'sBabbies! children! wake up and come
to nanny, for daddy's home daddy home!
And he tried to make nanny believe he was
some one else. 0, Bill! 0, Bill! l knew
you all the time, and could hardly keep from
kissing you while you told the yarn!'
And the children came running in, stock
ingless, and in their nightgowns, and were
caught together with their mother to Bill
Walkers breast. and-That's all!