The Toledo chronicle. [volume] (Toledo, Tama County, Iowa) 1873-1924, 1876-07-27
"Oh, I'll get all that after while

"NOw, 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 l 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 nv
heart left these pretty things, and went
far over the cruel sea hunting for him
Didn't he ever know how l clung to
him-to every prayer for his good that
l 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
after me, and knew that God under
stood they were praying for their poor,
storm-tossed daddy far out at sea, and
that he would listen and have pity ?''
Didn't Bill ever know how
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 piticd the lone
ly men who came to port here without
Il friend in the world but me? For
Eve gone to them and I've said: IIo
lads, I'm Bill Walkers wife, and him
Il sailing far away. Let me help YOU
if | can. And if you're sick or 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 childrcn-for they said
they were a sailors babies andt hey
i'Ntt Iltlll Iol tllc Sdhc VI liltl1
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 Eve 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 of her and the habiesr 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. lie thought
it for Il truth. And now comes the
awful part o my yarn"'
" Yes, sailor
Wcll-now don't cry out, and
don't flop down-Bill will never come
home again.
She never said word. hnt smiled
"Why won cc come home again =
She asked.
because he's drowned," he re-
Piled
Il 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 drowned?'
Well-because | washed ashore,
but poor Bill has gone"
"Well, if that is 50 | might as well
make up my mind to be a widow
"Why don't you get excited Wild
der?" asked the man, aghast.
"Tll get all that after while.'
"But Bill is drOWned"'
Il can't help that, so there. Now,
sailor. [ can't live all alone, SO | must
get married.
married? Why, woman, your hus-
band amt cold yet"
Il can't wait till I'm cold because
he ain t.
"But don't yer love him.
at would be wrong to love a dead
man and marry live one
"Who will have yer for wife, see
ing yer didn't care for Bill ~
"You will, sailor. know you will.
bill Walkers widder-1 won't. |
thought too much o him for to like
the woman as II slight his memory. -
"Sailor, you shall have me.'
"I'll leave the house now.
"Sailor. I'll lock the door. You
shan't leave this room till you say
you'll have me for your lawful wife. y
That I'll never do. And, woman. .
you're a bad lot, that's what ye area
bad ungodly creature: and pity poor
| Bill from the bottom of my heart-that
/ do. And | don't believe as these
babies ever thought of him more than
We did,
"Of course. they, di''''+
course Lney dldn t.
Whose babies are they? Who S
their father?'
" You are, SdjlOr.''
"And then he felt a woman arms
thrown around his neck, and her kisses
and tears pressing on his face, and he
heard woman's voice crying:
Babies, children! wake up and
come to NANNY, for daddy's home
daddv's home. And he tried to make
nanny believe he was some one else
Oh. Bill! oh, Bill! | knew you al
the time, and could hardly keep from
kissing you while you told the yarn
And the children came running III
stockingless, and in their nightgowns
and were caught, together with thel
mother, to Bill Walkers breast.
Why He Didn't.
THERE was a cogent reason why
ten-vear old boy living ON Dutiiel
..oo+ J;In,t boya a stick of gum L