The Cincinnati daily star. [volume] ([Cincinnati, Ohio]) 1875-1880, 1877-08-06
"coD'S MERCY"
JESSIE PIERoON.

He stands upon the deck of his own
ship-this hero of mine, bold, stalwart
aud strong. It's midday, and the sun
of cloudless sky is shining down on
mis- bronzed and weather-beat en-
face, on the face that has nothing TO
mark it as beautiful, save the honest,
rank soul shining out of his gray eyes.
There is written upon it none of the
! soft, feminine contour of the Greciau
I beauty, nor yet is it cniseled in the firm,
terse lines OF the Roman; but somehow,
despite this lack, it is face which
would attract you amid throng; tor in
| lieu of the graces which critical taste
has translated into manly beauty, ma
ture has written with bold pencil the
distinct outlines of sturdy inner
strength and calm equipoise, begotten
OF an lncorruptible and self-reliant man
hood.
Five years ago he had been only
''Bob," only u farm hand on Leighton
farm.
"Freckled Bob' they som times
called him. Lillias leighton said That
he reminded her of Guinea pig!
| He overheard her saying SO as he
came UP the lane with the milk pals.
1 Well, what did it matter? He was
only a cowboy. But when he was out
of sight he drew his sleeve roughly
across his eyes.
1t was little thing, only girps
thougutless speech, repented of in a mo-
ment, Tor LillIas was tender hearted, but
upon what small events our lives are
balanced-a chance smile, chance
| frown-God knows if they be "chance ~
But the boy had been restless and dis
contented i'll a vague way for months,
| w - Waa O O M ri T..
| ing under the wound her words had in
1tcted a sudden and definite resolve
| lormed itsell in his mind. He would 20
| to sea.
| Aud thus it came about that when the
| 'EAisace" sailed his name was num-
| bered among those OF her crew.
The sailors liked nlm; he was always
ready, willing TO do either of them a
good turn. lie was jolly too, told num-
| berless jokes and laughed at those the
others tod.
| But sometimes, on some watch, in the
| loneliness Of Night, lie Looked up at tue
stars with dumb longing that he had
not been born "Freckled Bob"
He hat no rctint nent nor learning.
way snUuli he have? His mUlher mad
| dIed wnen he was born; mis- lathel-w eli, ,
ne Dad never knOWn muCu Gl his father,
Il 9 grew up ike The rest OF the street
| boys. WANDERING about by day, doing any
! M tle od0 JOB That came to his hanu, y
! ing down at night in the
| g&rret OF some crazy tenement
Hcuse, when he was 80 fortunate as to
have ANY ioOi 10 sDieid him trom the
| rain au, snow or shuC out from his vision
Jhe cold fal-awtY SKY.
| lie was e,guteen when Re went to
! Leighton tafm
His lI.e'was so different here.
| He looked Win suCh wonder on the
white lives OF lhese people, WHO had al
| ways lived under kludly influences.
| Some innate purl,y Ill The Boys soul
awakened i'll this new tmospLere-
some longing to be purer, betLer-to
| leave the old life behind.
HG went about his duties so cheerfllly.
he performed his ta SKIS SO faitulllIy thai
The farmer had more than once spoken
| III nis praise, and even Llllias mad given
| him many u kind little uud ana smile,
$40 Wa an only CIiid, loved and
! petleu, pfeJty blooming girl OF six
| teen,
| TO the boy, unused as be was to
! Eenllenoss or graIe. she seemed like
| -oW9 si.iniDE star, some rare, sweet
| loYeline5s tal above anything save ador-
aI0u.
| No thought of loving her with human
! love ever came TO the boy, YET some
! tim es " en- she had passed he had lelt
down win some quick impulse and
! kissed the print of ner little Ieet.
SO a!ear had passed by, and he had
crown away from the old life-thc va
rant wandering hte.
But a vague discohtent had come to
him in the Time, an undetined Wsn that
| he had been born something better than
! \ farmers boy.
And So at last these wishes, longings,
/ zones, had eliminated in The deCIsIvll
| aC that June afternoon wnen the Alsa &c
| ii ttted from the harDor like some great
write-winged bird, bound lor strange
lands across The sea-.
\ feeling OF sadness oppressed the
bo,'s Deart as the land gan to fade
into misty lile Of ue against the
uOrit )n.
Should he ever sec those shores again
--ane l0W or when?
Herhaps-some sudden hope made his
heart thrub-if he tiieJ-i! Goo lga3 goUa
~ hat? should he ever come back ana
be not AFRAID to touch hei iaBu!
Five years have passeQ away. For
tune LAS smued upon TIE poor BOY OF
other days, and Oh the June morning OF
which / write he sVands upon the deck
OF his own vessel, captain, and bound
tor nome.
IL al these years he has not once
leHrd from leighton farm. How fast
his heart beats as his feet once again
| TIE I'd the old familiar road. 1t ID nigat,
aud the stars are shining, the same star,
that looked down on LIS dumb despair
that night five years before, tnat shine
down now on his grateful heart and the
tears in his eyes "a, he turns them to
the slitLerlng heaYens-sears Of thanks
giving and joy.
But suddenly hc stands still in the
road, the ligut IN the skies paling before
another 1iercer glow that ilguts up the
| western horizon, and slmul aneousIy he
| hears the cry Fire! nrr!"
The danes leap up through the dark
ness. Tue sweeS June nIgnt is filled
| giGu the clamor and c!angor OF bells
the shouting Of voices.
He hurrles on WiJh some sudden ter
rOr growing in his breast.
| NeaGt.-ne ller-le caA see the crowds
OF people he can see tho building
wrapped III flames, the red light shIuin 8
on lhe upturned 1aces. "My God" ne
gasps; sit is Leighton farm"
He increases his speed. He is lying
now along the road.