The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1876-04-14
Miscellaneous.
ALMOST TOO LATE.
BY EMMA NJ. JOHNSTON.

This is n simple story of simple folks and
yet find that the truest pathos and some of
the most exquisite passages of feeling are
found in the lives of a lowly class of people
AT least, the human heart is the same the
world over; as much loyalty and self-sacri-
flee may be found in hovel as in palace ;
while love-that oldest legend, that first
song that last and best wine-has The same
absorbing interest, the same full diapasons
and rich chords, and the same rich vintage
flavor in some isolated cottage, as among
the splendors of royal mansion.
Hurst Tregerman was fisherman. He
was giant of a man in size standing taller
than the tallest man in the village. Nature
had taken some pains with him. A royal
nature looked out from his eyes, child's
innocence lay in the smile upon his lips
Every one loved and trusted Hurst he was
little grave and silent, but then it was we'll
to have him q contrast to his lively, noisy
companions,
Many a village girl tremblingly hoped to
| find favor in the eyes of this man, but though
tender and deferential to all women, he
showed no signs Of deep, special interest
in any one until lie was forty years of age,
when his romance came full upon him.
And romance it was a shipwreck one
black night, left upon their shore the usual
| eloquent but strange array of broken timber
household goods, mute little souvenirs and
tokens Of love, pride, ambition and vanity,
and last of all, CHASTITY and staring upward,
as though out of place, several dead bodies
and single one in which life held itself a
| doubtful tenant.
Eunice Ware was carried to Mary Treger-
| mans cottage, where, nursed and watched
by those strong, loving woman, the fisher
mans wives and daughters, she at last opened
her eyes upon her new surroundings.
She had been governcss in an English
| family, all of whom had been cruelty en-
quilted in the sea that had spared her. She
was young and chldlke in appearance, and
| rs Mary Tregerman had never had Il daugh-
ter, she Immediately adopted this homeless
stranger with the ready sanction of her son,
Hurst.
After that, let it storm as it would, the
sun never seemed darkened in the Treger-
man cottage there was presence there
which kept constant brightness and joy.
The young stranger adapted herself with
perfect ease to her new life To see her
assisting Mary Tregerman about her housC :
hold duties one would think she had been
accustomed to such work all her life She
even learned to mend Hurst's nets, which
was wonderful employment for such small
white fingers.
Long before he was conscious of il, Eunice
Ware had completely wound herself about
the fsherman's heart, and that without any
manmuvre or coquetiish art for she was guile
less and transparent as child. But it was
simply impossible to resist the charms of her
looks and ways.
Hurst had great struggle with himself
before he could speak of his love to Eunice
He called himself presumptuous fool even
to think of her, lie tried to avoid her pres
euce, only to seek it again with more per-
sistence than before The little maid, with
her lovely face and pretty foreign ways,
filled the eye of this man until all the rest
of the world was shut out.
When, at last, he spoke to her in his own
simple earnest way, telling her she was the
first and would be the last woman of his
love, he was surprised to find that she did
not scorn him, but that her heart had gone
out naturally to him as its resting place.
There were none to consult, none to wait
for, and so they were married in the old
church, where Tor whole generation the
fishermen had worshipped God.
For six months there was neither shadow
or interruption to their happiness, but at the
end of that time, Satan as ever since EYES
fall, hated their innocence and Joy, and
stirred the young wife's heat to sudden
momentary passion, as, the wind will rufle
blue summer pool into wild, angry circles,
One day there was Il trifing difference of
opinion between them, and then Eunice
spoke an angry word which had no root to
it, but which stung the ear of the man who
heard it. 1t was one of those thoughtless
speeches which are but from the lip out
but which, alas, do their dreadful mission
before recalled. Eunice had said, in her
wrath, that it would have been better had
Hurst married one of his own class and
then there fell great silence between them
while both suffered.
To do Hurst justice, he tried hard, after a
time, to overcome this difficulty and made
many advances to this poor little child wife
and was at any moment only ready to for,
get all and take her to his arms; but she,
wOman-iike, was indulging to the full in a
] it ofpettishness, and would not be won over,