The spirit of democracy. [volume] (Woodsfield, Ohio) 1844-1994, 1877-07-31

uedTt tellS lne
"His sweetheart2' questioned the
stranger.
"His wife, sir-his loving, faithful
wife, that's had poverty, an loneliness,
and misery, her full share, an might O.
bettered herself"
"How was that ?"
"Mr. Miles sir, the richest ship-owner
hereabout. he waited patient, sir, for
seven years, trying to win her; then he
told her she was free, even if Hiram
come back"
"Enoch Arden" muttered the stran
ger.
"What did you say, sir ?"
"Nothing-nothing; what answer did
the widow make Mr.. Miles ?"
"If -Hiram's dead, says she, I'm his
faithful widow while I live; if Hiram 8
living, I'm his faithful wife, Maybe,
sir, you're from the city. and have heard
the story of our Pearl 2
"What story is that2''
"Well, sir, it's been told many times,
more particular in the last year, but
you're welcome to hear what l know OF
it. There! that is done, and I'll leave
the Scripture text till morning. If you
will come to the gateway, sir, aud take
seat on some of the stones, I'll tell
you; that is, if you care to hear
81 do care was the grave reply; 81
want very much to hear the story
"Maybe you're some kin to the Pearl
of Monkton-that's what they call Mrs.
Colby hereabout. It's matter OF
thirty-three years back, sir, that there
was a wreck off Monkton rocks.th you
can see from here, now that the tide
low. Cruel rocks they are, and many
a wreck they've seen. the more's the
pity; you soc them, sir 9''
81 see them"
swell, sir, of this one wreck, thirty
three years ago, there was nothing wash
ed ashore but a bit of girl baby, three
or four years old, with a skin like lily
leaf, and great black eyes; Hiram Gold
by found her down there iu the rocks
he was boy of twelve years strong and
tall, and carried the child home to his
mother. You may see the cottage, the
second white one on the side Of the hill.
s 81 see it,"
"Well Hiram took the baby there, and
Mrs Goldby was the same as mother
to her-a good woman, the Widow
Goldby-God rest her soulr
"Is she dead then !?
"Aye, sir, six years agone! The baby
| was telling you of, sir, talked foreign
lingo, and was dressed beautiful in rich
clothes that must cost power of mon.
ey; but never would Hiram or the widow
sell them, putting them by careful in case
the chill was ever looked for; she was
that pretty and that dainty that every
body called her Pearl, though she was
christened in the church, Margaret, six
months after Hiram found her. Well,
sir, we was all proud of her, though she
was not like our girls, but afraid, always
deadly afraid of the sea; I've seen her
clench her mite of hand and strike a,
it,for she'd bit of temper in her, though
nothing to harm.
"When Hiram made his first voyage,
for they are all seafaring men hereabout,
and there was nothing for a lad to dc
but ship, the Pearl was just little wash.
ed out lily fre,ting till he came again
And it was so whenever he went, t,for they
were sweethear:s from the time she mes
tied her baby face on his breast. when ht
picked her up from the wreck; she was
sixteen when they were married, as neal
as we could guess, s,and Hiram was mar
nearly twenty-four. She prayed him to
stay at home then, and he stayed year
but he fretted for the sea, and wen
again and again, thinking, I s'pose, hi:
wife'd get used to it, as all the wives
hereahouts must do; but she never did
never. 1t was just pitifal to see bel
going about white as corpse. when Hi
ram was away, never looking at the ses
without shudder like death chill. All
through the war it was just awful, fol
Hiram listed board man. of-war, anG
Pearl was shadow when he come home
the last time
"After the war 2
eyes, sir; but he never made no mon.
ey of any account, and so he went again
after staying at home long SPELL
Well, he never come back; twasn't nc
manner of use telling Pearl he was lost
she'd just shake her pretty head and say
Hell come back Not mite of mourn
ing would she wear, even after his owr
mother gave him up and put on black
for, sir, it stands to reason he's dead
years ago. l'
sit looks so'.
"Course it does. Nobody else doubts
it excepting Mrs. Goldby. Old Mrs
Goldby's last words were: 'Pm going te
meet Hiram,' and they say the dying
knows. But even that didn't make Pear
think so. She wore mourning for hel
that had been the only mother she know
ed of, but not weeds. Weeds was fol
widows, she said, and she wasn't wild
ow.'
"But the stone
swell, sir, I'm a coming to that A
year ago, sir, fine gentleman from
France came here hunting for a chile
lost on this coast. He'd heard of Pear
by happenstance, if there is such, ant
came here When he saw the clothes b.
jest tainted like woman
sShe was related, then ?"
The strangers voice was husky, bu
the sea Dir was growing chill.
"Her father, sir
HE took her away?
"He tried to. He told her of splen
did home he had in New York, for he,
followed his wife and child, sir, to tn
city they'd never reached. He was ric
very rich and lonely; he begged hi
! child to 60. but she would not Hiram
will come here for me- she said, 'and b
must find me where be left me-
"On what had she lived ?
"Sewing, sir, mostly. The cottag
was old Mrs Golaby's, and bless you
Pearl don't eat much more than bird
and her dresses cost next to nothing :
But there's no DENYING she was YER
poor-very, and yet the grand home an
the big fortune never tempted her. S
her father came off and on to see her, til
April; and he died, sir, and left ou
Pearl all his fortune and the grand hous
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