Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1876-07-27

"Of course not, sailor [ don't
think anything like that. Coon now"
Well, there come a storm one day.
The skipper comes to us and saws he:
Lads, it's all up WI us unless we git
out in ten minutes. But saws Bill.
where will we gO?"
Anywhere we can, says the skip
per, says he
Ye see / can't talk like book, and
I jist tell We how it were. The ship
had sprung leak. In fact, the whole
side were stove in on rock, and the
pumps was no use, and we was gOin'
down, and oh.-Bill Walkers wife
yer husband wouldn't forsake that
shipr'
"That's right in him. she said, 81
WOuldn't have man who would for
sake his work when it got trouble
some"
Well-but lass, Bill was aboard,
till the very last. He wouldn't go. He
got all the others off, and there he
staid looking toward home, and think
in o we and the babies"
"Good for Billp' her pleasant eyes
sparkling with tears.
"But why don't We get excited?
Didn't We care for Bill?''
"Oh, I'll get all that after a while"
But didn't We care for Bill?"
CHOW, look here, sailor! You knew
Bill, you say, so well, and you don't
know that? Didn't Bill ever know Of
the many weary times when [ sat here
alone in the night-When the snow was
falling and the wind screaming, and
the little ones tucked in bed? Didn't
Bill ever know that at such times my
heart left these pretty things, and went
far over the cruel sea hunting for him I?
Didn't he ever know how [ chung to
him-tO every prayer for his good that
| learned over and over again? And
how | used to go to the little children'S
crib when the wind grew stronger and
stronger, and the waves became wild
and awful, and how | walked them up
from their happy sleep, crying: 'Ba-
bies! babIeS wake with nanny, and
pray for daddy on the wild, wild seasr
And how ] have fixed their little hands
together, and we four would kneel
down, and, though they only knew one
prayer, Our Father yet they said it
off I i
stood they were praying for their poor,
stOrm-tOssed daddy far out at sea, and
that he would listen and have pity %
g Didn't Bill ever know how I
counted days, then weeks, then
months and at last years, longing for
him, waiting for him-always true to
him in word and thought? And how
| loved all sailors and pitied the lone
ly men who came to port here without
a friend in the world but me? For
I've gone to them and I've said: HO
lads I'm Bill Walkers wife, and him
a sailing far away. Let me help you
if | can. And if you're sick OF lone
some, come to me- And how often
and often this little room has been
filled with seafaring men, who came
! for comfort and the little kindnesses
/ could do them? And how they
| kissed the children-fOr they said
they were a sailors babies, andt hey
loved them for the sake of their
own little ones many miles off? And
how often have | got tears from these
men, and blessings, till I've gone down
! to the wharf, and taken the children
with me, 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 Wifer and God take
care of her and the babiesp And, oh
sailor, I've done all this for love of
Bill! And don't you think he would
have liked to know it" and she wiped
her eyes on the little frock she was
mending.
The man looked at her, was silent
for moment, and then went on:
Yes, he knew it, lass. He thought
it for a truth. And now comes the
awful part o my yarnr'
6 Yes, Sailorr'
"Wen-now don't cry out, and
don't flop dOwn-Bill will never come
home again.
She never said word, but smiled
up into his face.
Why won't ee come home again ."
she asked.
Because he's drowned" he re-
piled.
:" / don't believe it, sailorr'
but [ was with him all O the
time
"Then why wasn't you drowned,
too? If you were so much with him.
why was not you drownedy ~
Well-because | washed ashore.
but poor Bill has gomez
"WeI, if that is 50 [ might as well
make up my mind to be widow