The Manchester journal. [volume] (Manchester, Vt.) 1861-current, 1876-05-04

One inorblng Belc ard hcr father de
parted. Belle Kissed tho withcred cbcel
Of her friend, ana fha, was hl Fo
when msoti0H bad been made ot helrin.
bsr substantially, lhe widow had draw
herself sharply up, al lhe lady shining Il
her eyes,
\ may have seen my best days sh,
said but haven't come down TO tbaI
vet, And II needed any reward, I've
bad 4 now, sc added, as she fclt Che son
blood msn,ling IN The cheek ia, Belle
/ bad kissed.
! Long ufssr the two hal lcfi, Tom went
about wiih 8 eleud on biz face, and in
biz ears weIo ringing those mockipg
words; I'm IN love With Tom A dis.
gust for bis dshiug life and for himself
and FOR an their miserable surroundings
Of poverty dlled the lad's heart With m
unwonted bitterness.
Mothes, said he one day, as he sat
dsrkly breodIng over tae hearth you
said ron were born lady; why didn't
you make gentleman of mc
lhadn't ANY money left when you
came, said tie widow briefly
Then ifs money that makes people
gentlemen and ladlcs2
don't know, said the widow, some
what puzzled; they somehow mostly
have it.
One day Tom came In aud told her he
was going to sea There had been a
man down looking for hands, and hc had
taken Tom gladly, for Tom was a handy
fellow at almost any kind Of sea craft and
would soon make good seaman.
And you must just bide here patiently
till come back, mother; for If there's
better days anyw here, shall bring 'em
with me, be sure.
After that TIE sea looked bluer and
colder than ever, aud the solitary woman
lived a sort Of hermit's life. No cheery
voice of gossiping neighbor lightened the
dreary cabin, no children prattled about
her; and only Belle, the bright, blithe-
hearted lassie, seemed to remember TO
cheer her with letter now and them
Belle was away now visiting some dis.
iant friends, but in her kindly heart she
kept . corner, Il seemed, for the poor old
woman who had saved her life.
Three years -four-passed away, and
daily OF summer afternoon you might
have seen the widow sitting in her door
way, eager and hollow eyed, looking ont
for some possible ship that might be
Eom's. Tom was not q good correspon-
dent, but occasionally up at the little post
Office a wandering epistle waited her
trembling hand. She was growing very
old and feeble now; but Tom was get
ting up in the world, Tom was first mate
of his ship, Tom was success, Tom was
a gentleman, and oh, above all things,
Tom was coming home!
Not every one watches in vain, though |
We may UOL diNdls bO luohlHS III thp
right direction. 1t was so with the wild
ow. AS she sat one day, with straining
eye gazing on far-o1 sun.lit sails, and
seeing how some of them lowered nearer
and nearer, and some, alas took wing
farther and farther away, the doorway
darkened suddenly; there came rushing
upon her, as If dropped from TIE clouds,
a plump, dark-eyed, rosy.cheeked lady,
who flung herself into the arms Of the
watcher with cry of joy.
Oh, mother! she exclaimed, half sob |
bing, half laughing oh, MOTHER don't |
you know meY Why, Pm Toms wife'
and I've brought the captain with me
Mother, said Captain Tom, that night,
you've seen better days, perhaps, but
never have.
For didn't tell you, said Mrs. Tom,
arcbly, that was in love with Tomi-
And father owns half of his ship, you
know, so if Tom Is captain, Pm second
mate, you see. And we're going to take
you away to where we found our better
days.
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