Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1877-10-29
her heart was crushed.

That letter would have been so much
She could have been patient with that
in her bosom but the fates had not spun
it into their web for her.
Perpetual waiting and watching was
her portion. She was always looking
out of the window for William, always
fancying mis- figure in that of any one at
all near his height or shape. and always
being disappointed.
If anything might make us doubt the
truth of those tales of clairvoyance that
we hear, it is that no such power ever
comes to one in such anxiety as that
which oppressed Katie.
Could she have had vision of that
ship in the northern seas, and of the face
of her husband as he paced the deck and
thought of her, it might have saved her,
for the discipline of the vessel had been
good thing for William Muller, and
he was in fair way to be sober ma n
for life.
There had been no chance to write to
the poor woman again.
When they parted from the ship by
which the lost letter had been sent. they
went alone into the wilderness of water,
and the world might have been empty
of all human beings save the crew of
that one black vessel. for all that they
could see or hear to the contrary.
He also was sad and remorseful but
how much happier was the mans fate
than the woman's.
Action sustained him and he knew the
limit of his anxiety.
She had but that window with the
sun falling through it by day and the
candle burning in it by night, the dull
routine of her daily life, and an illimit-
able anxiety.
1t William never came back, she knew
that all her life would only be watching
for him. And thus born, not so much
of privation, though her life was hard,
as of sorrow and yearning, the doom of
her race fixed itself upon her.
Her eyes shone brighter, her skin was
clearer, her teeth more pearly. She grew
thinner and thinner. and her face fixed
itself into an expression that seemed a
smile, but was not-the deadliest omen
of all.
By consumption had her father died,
her mother, who was his own cousin, her
The disease seemed to shun her until
now, and even now she had not guessed
her fate. She was weak but she had
never been very strong. She did not
feel we'll but how could she, with Will
liam away?
The year had passed. The ship was
coming home. With glass the captain
could see the shores. Once William beg.
ged that he might look through it.
"My wife is there, captain" he said
sand I'm anxious about her"
But what did the shore line tell him
Nothing.
The seabirds flying about the vesse
were not the kind of birds that whispel
news.
He hoped-as men will hope and be
lieve-that he would find the woman h
had left as he had left her-the light o
life in the sweet eyes, the heart beatini
as living hearts beat-Katie just as sh
was year before.
Hew good he would be to her; b
would never cause her heart pan
again.
As he stepped ashore. with his wage
in his pocket he could hardly walk fas
enough, he was SO anxious to reach hel
O. had he but the wings to fly to hel
The sun was setting, the sky was du
and gray, as it had been that evenin
when he had kissed her and promised
be back soon.
Well, it was overt was all rigl
now.
He strobe out of the town and throug
the village. He passed the inn with
shudder. He turned into the long cou
try road, dotted here and there vii
farm houses and barns-a low-lyiI
country, fat and uninteresting as Ian
> scape.
e There was neither moon nor star b
e he knew his way we'll, and at last, ju
e where he knew his home stood, he saw
blur of yellow light. Nearer. and near
/ to it, as he now began to run, he saw
n candle--a candle set in his own windo
d Katie's hand had set it there, and i
IS deed it had.
All day long Katie had been We
weak and i'll. She could not sew as s
e usually did.
W A neighbor had dropped in with
h gift of some delicacy, and she tried
W vain to eat it. but her appetite was gol
On the hearth she had kindled
?, tie fire, and, when night fell she had
ID candle, and wondering at her o.
d weakness-for she had staggered as s
d. crossed the room-had set it in the W
at dow.
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