River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1877-11-22
THE WITNESS.
An Ine1dent Of ahs New KDgtand
6bsrs.

runs inland between two rocky promon-
tories. The sea flowed once there, but
long before the memory Of man Ii had
finally barred itself ont by throwing up
sandy barrier against the entrance OF the
gulf No doubt, even after the tide was
stopped from flowing in, some strong
eastern wind had driven the sea. roar
ing over the bar and hespe6 higher the
bulwarks of sand. One could read tb'-
as he stood upon the rocks and looked
down upon the green spot, which, for lis
contrast 10 the gray rocks ana implanted
deep, was named ParadiFe. From the
sea Itself, its green cool depths were yerr
inviting.
The coast at this point was thinly in
/ habited. A few fshermen's houses were
clustered near the shore Just beyond the
rocks that jutted out; but the men were
away for weeks al d time, and the women
were increasingly busy over their in-Dor
/ work. Only the children who played on
4 the beach gave the place happy, human
look. As q group Of them were gathered
on the sand one morning. they saw com
I ing toward them a singular figure, moving
along the shore in the direction Of Para
disc. They stopped their play, wonder
+ ing whether il were a man or a beast, so
/ confused was the outline. LATHE By lit
/ tie, as il moved slowly toward them, they
/ discerned a mans form bending beneath
some burden. They retTeated 9 few steps
and gathered upon fat stone that stood
/ before the doorway Of one Of these
houses. The man made 10 motion 70
come toward the h0uFe and seemed not
F to see the children. as he came opposite
I TO where they were they discovered that
+ he bore upon has back a huge wooden
cross. lie kept on his way, staggering
through the deep sand beneath his bur
+ den, until be was lost 10 sight behind the
rocks which made one Of The walls Of
I Paradise.
Let US tell Nancy. said enc Of the
/ children. And they entered the house
together.
Whatever happened IN or about this
4 little settlement was ssre TO come, sooner
/ or later, 10 the ears Of Nancy Dacre. Re
mote frsm town, thdpeOple had no church,
+ minister or priest; bat they were not 50
very forsaken so long rs they had with
+ them this widow, &Jacy Dacre. II used
/ 70 be said that no secret was safe from Der
4 but every secret was safe with her. There
GiE oV4AlN hVAAANA WV es4N AeA-+N Nfe++AAHfl
ors, and she was one. II was impossible
10 Withhold confidence from her. Silent
herself, she Was the repository Of other
/ peoples talk, and al, whether children
or grown people, vent to her with news
or with perplexities. il would be diff
cult to say 10 Just what consisted the alb
solution she gave when faults were con-
! fessed. as they often were; certainly not
in any formal words. Still certain Gift
Of peace belonged 10 her as surely as the
gift of hearing confessions.
She was at work IN the house wheR the
children entered. and went with them to
the door, although the man had already
disappeared
i" He carried a great cross" said one.
He wore earrings
He was very dark and very bent"
H THAT was the weight Of the cross.
Some Of the bOlder were for following
him, TO see what he was about but Nancy
4 dissuaded them.
1.-the did not speak TO you, II was be-
4 cause be did not wish TO be spoken to.
4 Leave him alone. He may come back
4 this way. You need not be afrsid of
him." she added, as the younger ones
came closer 70 her.
lie did come back at dusk. The chill
dren had scattered 70 their several homes
and ancy sat alone on the doorstep,
when she perceived man coming To-
ward her. From bis appearance she did
not doubt that il was the stranger whom
the children had seen. She rose p he
came 10 the door
1'Good evening" she said
-
given with a certain thickness Of utter
.ance which showed him to be foreigner.
HMay / give you some supper"
aThe man looked up al her quickly
+ and nodded She entered the house
while be took his seat on the fat stone;
and presently she brought him bowl Of
milk and some large ship-biscuit. He
made low bow 10 her as he took bis
supper and placed it before him on his
f knees. She looked at him narrowly, IS
4 he sat IL silence eating and drinking lie
I was q thick-set, somewhat clumsy man,
+ with face bronzed deeply by exposure,
and black, curly hair. His eyes, over
+ hung by thick brows. did not look d.
f rectlv al her. but while ayerted, every
now and then stole 3 look az her. Some
thing about the man, she could not say
what. seemed familiar 10 Der; and she
studied bis face closely, trying TO recall
/ IT, Perhaps the earnestness Of her look
made him uneasy. lie drained the bowl
I dry. placed il en- the stone beside him,
I and then stood silent, With bis hands
moving restlessly by bis side
Il have seen you before. she ssld, a.
nallY. Her voice was kind; but he step
ped hastily aside, then looked al her
1 furfively.
II dent remember be said, slowly.
and turned his face away Not TO
night he muttered; mot tonight"
But. then. as he was about 10 leave, he
stopped and said, Many thanks
But where wild YOU sleep TO nigilts
You may stay ID my shed"
u viii sleep over there, and be point
cd toward the rocks.
In Paradise? There Is no house
there
The man gave groan.
sis that Paradise where the grass
grows greeng"
. So we call il"
He turned and walked hastily away
The woman followed him with her eyes
until she could no longer descry him.
as he was lost IN the shadow Of the rocks.
His face perplezed Der; but sheeould not
remember where she had ever seen Il.
Several days past. and once or twice the
man had been seen ci2mOerlng about the
rocks and apparently gathering berries
Once he hao been seen fishing, and
smoke curled up occasionally from the
rocks. His presence there served to
keep the childTeH away; while yet It