Mower County transcript. [volume] (Lansing, Minn.) 1868-1915, 1877-04-26
THE FISHERMAN's WIFE.

fortunates who never rest or take to their
beds, as Montague says, but to die-or in
other words, seaman-would rise from
his seat every now and then, go to the
window to examine the state of the
weather, and then return to his place as if
in dispair.
The woman who was young and pretty
still, in spite Of the whitening ef-
fects Of poverty, looked anxiously from
her husband to her infant. She cndcav-
ored to smile to conceal her suferings,
and to inspire degree Of hope which she
felt not.
II must be oil, after ALL" said the poor
seaman; " though the wind doesn' t change,
and it blows hard enough to capsize flag
ship"
%'You had better wait bit,' urged the
wife.
"But you haventa crust of bread to
eat" he returned.
II am not hungry" she said, as boldly
as she could.
"But there's our infant"
"Oh, he will not feel want, though we
might" said the mother.
At this moment loud knock was heard
at the door.
"Who is thcrel" said the wife start
ling.
The infant was reused out of its
sleep, and expressed its hunger by low
vail.
ut must bc our landlord" answered
her husband;"it is only a master who
would knock in that fashion. He has
come to remind US that our rent will be
due in three days."
And the seaman went and opened the
door.
Sure enough it was the landlord-a
landlord cut upon pattern unhappily far
too common-one of those modern feudal
lords, who have replaced the feudality of
the sword by the feudality of money,
and who are quite as pitiless towards the
serfs.
"Halloa, there ~ said he; I've come to
see whether you are going to pay me q
little more exactly than usual.'
"Alas! sir" said the young mother,
1--WE have neither money nor work. You
see what weather it is?'
"That no business Of minc," remarked
the landlord.
"But SIR" said the seaman, timidly,
"givc us weeks delay, that may have
time to go a-fishing. should have set
off three days ago, but the sea has been
too rough"
II can't help that replied the immov-
able landlord. Then, seeing the wife cry,
he condescended to explain his reasons
for being thus infexible: "You should
not have waited till the foul weather came
on. You should work in the right season,
and lay by, in the year sufficient SUM to
%But, sir" said the tenant, " you know
we work as hard as ever we can, and live
from hand to mouth; and the weeks
earnings are swallowed up in downright
necessities"
"Be that as it may, I must have my mon
ey, or I shall give you fair warning"
And he walked off in passion, calling
the poor people good -for-nothing drunk
ards and idlers. And he went to calm his
rage by drinking a few glasses Of liquor
at the nearest cafe.
It would be impossible to describe the
scene of despair that took place in the
seaman's dwelling.
The poor man rose, and embracing
his wife and baby, left the cottage, and
having knocked at the doors of several
neighbors he had soon recruited half-a-
dozen determined fellows as poor as
himself, who were half surprised at his
boldness, yet willing to follow his ex-
ample, however fraught with danger,
provided it offered single chance Of
success against twenty chances Of death.
They now embark in one of those
little nut shells called fishing boats,
hired for the purpose, and about as i'll
put together as their house, and letting
In as much water Is the latter let in
wind; and off they set, impelled by that
heroic sense Of duty and Of the sacrednesl
of q debt, which must surprise many q
banker who has failed, but which in
duces these poor people to risk for others
the dangers they would not have faced fol
their own profit.
The poor woman had likewise left the
cottage, and watched the few planks that
were holding her whole happiness.
The boat Was soon out ct sea. It VI,
lust ct the moment and in the season .
Fthose fearful equinoctial tides, when ths
sea seems TO threaten TO swallow up th.
earth. The waves wers tossing about u
Il IN fury, md dalhinz against eacl
other like the onset Of two contending ar
mics.