The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1877-11-15

50 those three went out into the night
The white, panic stricken moon seemed
to be flying through the sky, followed by
great masses of cloud. As these three
came to the shore you could hardly tel
which was louder, the winds voice, or the
seas. The spirit of the ocean and the
storm seemed to be holding some wild
revel. The huge, black, foam crested
waves came with the sound of thunder
against the land, and the Kissing spray
blown up like smoke, dashed in the faces
OF the two men and the woman. When
they were fairly on the beach Mark turned
TO OldWorth, and said in a voice which
was quite audible through the sound o1
wind and waves.
Look here, now; III be frank and
above board with you | loved this girl
long time ago: we We're playmates TO-
gether; and it's rough on me that she
should love you better. Come now, don't
be greedy; let US have five minutes to
ourselves to say g0Od-by in, and then
will never again cross your path or hers.
This | swear
Oldworth turned to his wife.
"Do you wish it " he asked.
She murmured family, eyes, it will be
better, suppose"
SO he held her with his arm for d min
ute while he kissed her lips lovingly
then he let her 60 and walked aside,
turning his back to the sea.
The moon was hurrying through the
heavens, and all around Oldworth the
night shook and clamored. At times he
seemed to hear footsteps coming and 60
ing near him, and at times he seemed 10
hear a sound of singing through the
storm, but these were only sick fancies.
He waited five minutes; he waited ten !;
then he turned and went nearer to the
sea, but his eyes could not discover that
for which they We're looking.
MARY" he called at the top of his
voice. "Mary, my darling, where are
you ?"
But there came no answer to his call.
Wind and sea laughed him to derision,
and overhead the moon fed faster than
ever between the great spaces of black
cloud. OldWorth searched the beach in
all directions; then he went to its eX-
tremity. where two sailors We're lOlnging
together.
pass ND this way ?" he inquired
I'VE saw you and another man 90
down with Il girl some minutes back, "
said one Of the sailors. "They certainly
have not come up this way Now | think
Of it, they can't have got around any
other way, because the tide is high up
over the rocks.
'Why, you must be drunk, Bill, to talk
like that, cried the second sailor. "Don't t
you know the gentleman was married to
her to-day 2" Then he turned to Old
worth 'fNever mind him, sir They've
only gone higher up. I'll be bound We'll
lind them fast enough. What might the
mans name be ?"
help you z" returned Odworth, desper-
ately. "The mans name was Mark Shaw,
and he was a sailor
Mark, Mark Why, that's our mate !"
cried both men together. ''Well, We'll do
all we can" And they went down to the
sea, and while Oldworth stood, feeling
that the horror which he suspected could
not really be, and wondering what he
should do next, the men returned bear
ing something with them.
- It's a Woman's hat, sil," said the
second sailor, and the one who had re-
proved his companion for what he deem
ed his inconsiderate speech. But don't
YOU take on, sir; more hats than one get
blown away this weather"
"Thank YOU. | know the hat" re
turned OldWOrth, with awful quiet i'll lis
voice. Then he turned from them.
'Take my arm, won't you, sir? ~ said
the sailor who had last spoken, observing
that Oldworth seemed hardly able to con
troll his steps. This sailor was known on
the 1RNie as "Jim the pjgeon-hearted." "
"Thank YOU" rejomed Oldworth, tax
ing the mans hand. II know you mean
well, and | shall not forget you. You're
a sailor. Is there any boat, do you think,
that could follow and find them? Can
they be all the way down yet! Down at
the very bottom OF the sea d? Why,
thought Just now | heard her laugh.
Don't you think she might have run past
us shall find her again some day.
Not to night, perhaps, but some day"
He pressed his hand to his forehead as
if trying to collect his thoughts then a
cry which those who heard will never for
get, broke from his Ups and rang through
the storm. High up it went, far away
over the wind. The dead must have
heard it. Then he fell senseless to the
ground. The sailors, good d-hearted mer
both, bore OldWorth back on their should
crs to the inn. Medical aid was procured
but all that night he rayed delriously
Very early the next morning, in the first
)p1y lrht tho bp6ips of n man and wo-
man, elapsed in one another's arms, were
washed ashore. Two sailors identified
the mans body as that Of their first mate
Mark Shaw, of the schooner Anaie. Will
liam Grant, farmer in Kent. swore tC
the woman's body as being that of his
daughter, who had been married only the
day before. The two had decent burial
side by side. Oldworth lived, but reason
never returned to him. ''He IS trouble
some patient, and dangerous one" say
his keepers, ''whenever the wind is high
and westerly" Galaxy for November.