The Manchester journal. [volume] (Manchester, Vt.) 1861-current, 1876-02-10

she used q stand FOR hours shading her
eyes With her band and gazing % over
the water. Il drove me almo.t wild, be
oanss knew What she wss watching tor
A summer aud winter and anolHor
summer bad passed since Charlie Went
away, aud when Christmas came round
again laid my poor mother in the
churchyard, and came back alone with
my children to the cottage
How / got through The next yesr
ma'am, | can never tell When lock
back Il appears IKE an awful dream, bui
do remember the Christmas Eve, The
third without Charlie Minnie pcpla
aud sat huddled around Tie fire, talking
IN low tones about our lost; for We could
bear now to speak Of him sometimes 'and
il soothed me to hear the children talk
aud to see bow much they loved hlm.-
Pepita tried that night to sing one Of the
sailor songs be bud taught her But She
couldn't DO that. Her voice broke down
aud we couldn't one Of us speak another
word
II was sad Christmas Eve, maam -
the first one when all hope had really
gone out, aud when lay down to sleep
that night felt that, except ] must live
for the cbildren's sake, II would be such
blessing TO die,
Christmas morning was very clear, and
| remember how the sunlight danced IN
our little kitchen II fell like blessing
on Minnie's pretty hair, making i
sparkle like gold, aud reflected on The
picture of Charles ship-not the lost
one but the dear old Pepita which hung
on the wall.
The children kept busy preparing our
Christmas dinner, but couldn't do
thing that morning. My heart was like
lead $50 stupid are we sometimes, ma am,
so blind to Gods mercy hanging over
US.
The table was spread, and we sat down
to our sad repast. Minnie folded her
hands to say grace, wheu--oh, ma'am, J
can hardly tell you about II, even after
all these years--Pepita screame l like one
mad with joy. sprang to my feet. !
couldn't tell what had happened to me
saw looking in at the window Charlie
Charlie alive and we'll
don't know how it AN wusi know ]
couldn't move. saw as in dream
Charlie in the room and Pepita's arms
around bis neck; then fell on his
shoulder like one dead
There are no words 10 tell you, maam,
Of the joy and happiness we knew IN our
little cottage that Christmas day. We
couldn't realize il ourselves. | didn't
dare to take my eyes from Charlie for a
moment, lest should look back and fluid
| him gone. Minnie aud repita both cot
clngng to him and caressing him. lie
had long story TO tell us of shipwreck
upon shipwreck, of long waiting upon
lonely islands, watching month after
month for sails which seemed never TO
come-advenlures through which many a
poor sailor has passed, and from which
many one had never come back to tell
the story as Charlie did.
The night, sitting by the fire after The
children had left us alone, ] made Charlie
promise mo that he would never leave
me again, but would give up the sea and
stay with us in the cottage.
didn't realize till long aferward how
hard il had been for him TO promise me
that. / had come to have such terror
of the sea that couldn't realize how .
sailors heart delighted in it. When
years had passed, and Minnie aud Pepits
had married and left us alone, began tC
feel how hungry Charlie was tor the lil,
he had loved so much, lie usec 20 spend
his time wandering about the docks anC
going on board the ships IN from loreigt
ports; and sometimes he would ait %
The cliff Tor hours with his spy-giass
watching the passing vessels, aud NOR
than once | heard him sigh as II his hear
! was bursting; but | would never lister
I when he spoke Of going TO sea again
until al last his health began to fail an
il seemed there was nothing for him bu
10 return to his old lite OF die. Bat
couldn't let him 60 alone, aud he couldn'
J bear TO leave me behind. We were bot
i too old TO begin life over in the lon
! trading voyages; and as Charlie had tt
offer of the place Of first mate on the siii
j the captain is an old friend OF biz
. maam--I got the situation as stewards
I. aud Tor three years Charlie and hav
0 been travelling back and forth iogetht
e aud we will continue 10 do il a. long 3
d God gives Us health aud strength to bei
= the journey.
. The old lady stopped and looked hes
h tatinqIy at me and at some other passeI
Il gers who had gathered near to listen,
.s il she feared we were weatied by b
u long family story.
q FASTENED TO reassure her by than
u for the pleasant way she bad entertaIn'
n u, during the long Christmas Eve
u sea.
j; And so Charlie is really here on boa
y with you? said
Is on yes, ma'am, she replied smi lng
lr would not be here without him. y
/ YOU mind the man who was speaking
10 me- al the cabin door to-nighl-lhe "a
stout man with gray beardf Ye-, y
10 saw bin, did yony That wa Charlie.
,oi
N. How many people with their hands
ay their pockets aud a vacuum 10 their Z
,er machs are going about saying; "Oh'