The Manchester journal. [volume] (Manchester, Vt.) 1861-current, 1876-01-27

days. How t4I back wskn s1actly oef'
( tlfled. bus sbe had seea them. Better
DAYS hung moaldly sbout heF, liae llse
defacei lbre8s of Aa,iqusted embroidery
The stardy gosslps 81 the seaside SIT.
lage. who Hsal about wllh lheiE skiriA
tucked ap and their barr browa arms
ready snd able for any work, looked AK
snoe 81 The widow Minlon. with her pst y
iai mcAgreuess Of aspect aer fickeriug
black eye, aud her trsillng old gown.
They Judged each other, sod said Better
/ tdays-Lord save u.s.
bot the widow did not trouble the
neighbors much, nor they ber a body
who couldn't do a hesrtSome hands stir.
ring was best leh alone 10 her brooding,
and the widows smoky little cabin, soil-
ariiy apart 'on The kea-sbore, was leii
pretty much 10 herself and her boy Tom
Tom was q sturdy, brow wn-faeed led,
who picked up living By doing odd jobs
for the bostmen, aud now and then taxi
ing day for fishing. Tom bad probably
never seen better days. The widow
shook her head over bim-so stupidity
content, poor Toni SO beamipg aad
good-nsiured over beggArlness and hopes
iessness. A tall, well.grown fellow,
with bare feet, a torn straw hat, aud a
red shirt, Tom took the world easily,
looking with reyerent eyes on his moth
er's by.gone gentiIity, but by no means
seeming to coyet II for himself.
The widow deemed il due TO her past
respectability TO be seen at church OF a
sunday evening, and you. could see the
two walking at twilight aloBgtbe sands
together, she with her clean pocket
handkerchief folded over her old hymn
book and certain doubtful hesilancy Of
gait, as II heaven itself might be locking
down critically on her shabby black
gown and rusty bouilet. Az for Tom,
patient Tom, be went plodding slowly
after her, with bis smiling face, whistling
TO himself as be went. Always patient,
always plodding, poor Toni Patiently
falling asleep during the sermon, and
patiently listening open-rnouthed TO the
closing hymn, his careless bright face
contrasting SO oddly with his mothers
qnerulous and tear-worn visage, won for
him the sobriquet Of the widow Minton's
rainbow.
The minister of the parish, mistaken
soul, deemed itincumbenl to make call
on the widow and, on charity bent, II is
said he unwarily offered TO employ her
services in his household for season
tie deemed IL his duty to rouse the old
woman TO activity,
lie did rouse her; and II is averred
that be never found time to call at the
cabin again. Did be take her for com
mon household drudge, or low-born
field handi She thanked God she had
too much spirit left yet to put herself un-
der anybody's feet. He hadn't far to go
to find scores of drudges and diggers, but
he might go further before he knew a
lady when he saw her.
1t might have been the afternoon after
the good mans visit that the widow sat
idly brooding at her cabin door. Her
eyes had a wandering ,far-away look, and
her face was keener and thinner than
ever. Beyond the bluff which sheltered
her cabin stretched a far line of sea
coast, the white sand cleaning silvery IN
the sun. Far off group Of bathers in
bright dresses frolicked between shore
and water. They came from the grea
hotel down beyond; she could almos
catch the sound of their voices as she sa
slowly rocking in her doorway. Ii wai
quiet afternoon; the air was soft anC
soothing, aud the widows heart SO ful
i of bitterness, felt Itself soften and sweet
en- in the stiffness. This part OF iht
shore sheltered by its overhanging rock
was seldom disturbed by inlruders. bu
presently the watchers eye caught sigh
of young girl splashing aud frolickins
! Ia the water just beyond the rocks. /
was pretty sight, the rounded arms
the curying shoulders, the swaying, float
ing figure. And perhaps the Old womal
recalled with sigh the time when sh
was young and bIithe too, and had a
CHEEKY voice as that with which the fai
swimmer hailed her companions in 10
!. distance
J Gazing absently on the smiling scene
revere fell upon her, aud when sh
looked agaia, the young water-nymp
had disappeared. She had probably swuf
ashore behind the rocks. The wido'
turned away, Rugged her thin shawl Owe
her shoulders, and thought that the sc
wind was chilly. Hsrkl What was that
7 Surely she heard a cry. No merr
shout or ringing laugh this; 1t might b
= the cry Of a wild bird on its way TO il
3 mate.
She couldn't have got beyond ht
depth, that young creature, surely! Bu
2 la what Of II IL she hadi Dying youni
body gets quit Of deal Of troubi
Y And Yes, surely, that was a scream
The widow hooked sharply 'out, wou
Tom never Gomez The tide was risinI
!. ana-and something certainly was 4
matter. she called, she beekoned fra
81 ideally To the balhers beyond; they sect
* ed both bind and deaf
ss No one, not one sonl, at hand, al
- that Young thug IN peril of her lite
81 minute she stood s,iIl, listening ie
g bic old womsn with bAegard, eeau
face, TO whom no one would have dreal
~ ed Of looking for help.
l rAn't slAnd ihls. she kald. Seem.