The Republican journal., 1876-08-17

ter 10 her, for she was not a girl to TAXI
liberties with.
Susan bore it pretty well, to all appear
ance She grew Il little thinner ant
paler, but she kept about her work al
the time. attending to the house. waiting
on her mother, who was delicate wo
man, and making things pleasant tc
everybody, except to my brother Dave
who was fool enough to try to make uI
to her, and got sent off with a flea in hi;
ear. She had always been a serious
minded young woman, and about thi;
time she began to exercise in meeting
mostly in the way of prayer Friend:
found her very acceptable, and she got to
be uncommonly useful, especially among
the young
Folks naturally coupled Susan's name
and mine together, and Uncle Jehiel
thought he was going to get matters his
own way, and crowcd a good deal about
it, lie found out his mistake some six
months atterward, when | stood up i'll
meeting with Lois Macy, whom | had
been waiting on for whole year. The
old man was mad enough, but | cared
very little about that | didn't want any
OF his money
'Of course. having wife to support, |
couldn't afford to stay long at home, how
ever | might have liked it, 50, after two
or three months. Uncle Jethro Macy
gave me good berth on his whaler
The place was full | Of whalers in those
days The big ships lay in the harbor as
thick as clans in a sand bank, and the
old red and gray warehouses and try
houses, that are SO empty and silent now,
were full Of business and hustle. There
was plenty of fun, too They used to
give New Years balls in that warehouse
you see yonder and there my own father
danced with poor Elizabeth Swayne not
ten minutes before she was summoned
home in her pink brocade and with the
mask on her face, to her aunt's death bed. ,
Poor thing, she paid heavy price for
her frolc. if all tales are truen remarked
Captain Burton; but 90 on, Asa
I'm afraid I'm making a long yarn of
it, said Asa so III hurry up u little
Of course went down to Aunt Esther's to
say good-by, and Susan said she guessed
she would walk back with me AS far as
old Hudahs For Huldah was breaking
up at last, and Susan was rs good as an
angel to her She heaped Goals of fire on
her head if any one ever did, but IIuldah's s
skull was pretty thick. and don't believe
they burned her much, alter all. just as
we parted at the gate, ventured to say
something that had been on my mind all
the evening.
Susan, supposing | meet ED out there
anywhere; shall | say anything to him p
Thee may tell him how it was, says
she, after thinking minute Il don't
know as | ought to say any more than
that
That's more than he deserves, said |.
We won't talk about deserts, ASA, says
Susan. The best of us cant afford to do
that. But thee can tell him just how it
was, and say that | asked thee to DO So
Well, | sailed the next day, leaving
Lois at home with her mother. We had
been out 4 year and little over, and by
great good luck we had had letters once
during the time. Often Il whaier would
he out three or four Years and never hear
from home once in all that time
Yes. | know said |. When | first
came here we had a mail only every
other day, but as sure us | said Il word
about il, some old gentleman would tell
me how he used to 90 out whaling, and
not get u letter in five years
Just 81. We'll. we ll,u put into Ce,ll.,o
tor some repairs, and had found a long
letter from my wife, SO Twas feeling very
nice indeed was going along the street,
whistling. when | stumbled on u kanaka
used to sail with, a good-hearted, hon
est little fellow as ever lived and Il first
rate sailor. SO we naturally stopped for
a bit Of yarnin', and says he to me pres
emily, There's Il man from your place in
the little hospital here, very sick
Who is it?' ! asked.
!! don't know his name says he. He
was picked up at sea in Il whale-boat, the
only one left alive Of the crew, and
brought in here by Portuguese brig
The place isn't far off, if You like to 90
and sec him | heard say he wouldn't
live long
We'll, Of course wanted to 90, and he
took me to u hospital. 1t was Il comfort
able place for the kind, not very large
and was under the care Of some sisters or
nuns could speak the language enough
to be understood, and the lady in charge
was very polite, and took me at once to
see the patient, only cautioning me that
he was very weak. lie was lying in n
ward by himself on il decent, clean bed.
He was ieartully worn and wasted, but
the minute | set eyes on him knew it
was Ed Swayne | had been angry and
unforoiying toward him for good while
but tie feeling all went away the minute
| saw him. 1t is Il fearful sight, 4 man
wasted to skin and bone by famine
There is no sickness which gives such n
look
just so. Well, Ed didn't seem to no.
tice me ut first. He was asleep or in Il
stupor | couldn't tell which, so sat
down by the bed and got out my witt's
letter again. | had read it over for the
tenth time, trying to realize that had Il
baby Of my own, when poor Ed moaned
and opened his eyes
Drink said he family.
There was Il jug OF cool stuff made of
lemons or something standing by, and |
raised his head and gave him drink
AS | laid him down he looked at me ear
nestly, and | saw at once that he knew
me.
Asa" said he in a whisper. and trying
to put out his hand to me- Is it Asa, or
am dreaming again?'
IL ID IAotI 1iiio lliilC, tttit Iio iHloutthC
said |, trying to speak as cheerful as
could. How are you, old icllow?'
Pm not long for this world says he.
I've seen about the last of it, and don't
know that Pm very sorry either
Il didn't contradict him. for | never
found much use in that. so | said | was
glad he had such Il comfortable place, or
words to that effect,
'Yes, they are very kind he answered
in detected sort of way; but it seems
dreary to die without having any one to
make a prayer or say verse of Scripture
to comfort one. The ladies are very
good, but they are not our sort, you
know and | can't understand, nor they
me. Can't you stay with me. Asa
shan't keep you long, | know haven't
used you very well, but'-and here he
stopped for weakness, but he held my
hand with his wasted fingers and looked
into my face with great, hollow, hungry
eyes. That look went to my heart, | can
tell you. didn't answer for about a min
ute, and during that minute | thought OF
thiprS than ,,,on nftnO docs in a N