Saint Mary's beacon. [volume] (Leonard Town, Md.) 1867-1983, 1877-06-28
The Old fisherman's- Story.

ing in the warm aud sultry August
just FIVE years ago tonight. How dis
tinctly and freshly IL comes to nv MEM
ory now. with the recollection Of the
happy and joyous faces around me a.
We stood on the long piazza in front sf
The hotel at W Beach, gazing out
on the gently heaving ocean that mir
rored back the rays Of the full moon.
which had risen out of the eastern wa
tcrs. The day had been sultry, and
now, as the evening breeze sw ept in
from the Atlantic. all who had congre-
gated at that seaside resort, left their
rooms eager b breathe the fresh air.
''!t is sad story" said the old fish,
erman, when ] had gained courage TO
advance to the pillar against which he
leaned. while the wind PLAYED against
the scanty gray locks about his wealth
cr-beaten temples, and the dropping
brim OF his tafpaul;n covered many a
seam in his wrinkled forehead--" sad
story-and you are too young, child, to
listen to an old mans sorrows. But I
love 10 talk Of my poor lost Eddie: he
seems child TO me still though twenty
years have rolled round since lost him
and he would he a man now 10 he had
been spared mel love to talk Of him
and on evenings like this-iu~t such a
night. rs ] came home to find wonder
honse esolate"-and he pointed away
to the little cabin down the beach,
stway OF my poor little Eddie"
81 have not aiwavs lived here, nor
always been Jerry the fisherman" he
went on. after little pause, in which
he strove 20 gather calmne>>, and saw
the convul>ive working OF his mouth
There were wears in my early man
hood. when the world looked fair and
right a IT does now to YOU or anv OF
yon group OF young people chatting 30
gayly together there. And there were
years. too. when | was happy in NV
home. II matters not now that should
speak oi what sent me here, a wrongcd.
disappointed, desola.e man, without faith
in God or love Tor any human being save
my boy, whom had seen worse than
orphaned by the same stroke that lief,
me worse than ltele>s.'
"Was Eddic's mother dead" asked
not comprehendins the meaning of HI,
words.
Dead Worse than that, Ay
would she had dirdr' he ans wered Bit
terly. But why do speak Of this, and
To you. except that your youug heart
accords me The sympathy that read
upon your face No wonder in Your
youth and incxpericnce of the ways of
the wicked world. YOU ask me ii she
died! No, child. she was not dead To
the wicked world, but 10 her child and
to me. The law severed us->he, a di-
vorced wife,, wrongcd husband.
and our boy an innocent child. whom
| was anxious to bear away from the
gotten what was due TO the holy name
of woman. To this wild, de>olate coast
| brought my boy. There were no
other cabins here but my own then
No public house stood here, and no Wis
itors in summer disturbed these soil.
tsdes, save occasionally a chance trav-
eAer, 10 whom my hut gave shelter and
rest. The village yonder. three miles
away, then, a now, | visited 10 buy NV
stores Of provisions, for | had come pen
niiess To this solltude-and the ocean
gave me employment for my weary
hours. Day after day in summer |
used TO row Eddie over the waters. now
dragging nv ne, for fish. now idly float
ing for hours from wave to wave
Three years vent by in this man
ner, and though | had learned TO love
my solitude, | began 20 think Of leaving
th,s coa.s for some inland town in order
10 give my boy, who had began to man
ite>t tondncss for books and To ak
questions about the world. the pri>i-
leges of schools and ASSOCIATION with
children of his wears. when suddenly
the blow was struck which left me old
before my time" And the old man
buried his face in his hands while mem
ory went back INTO the past.
But must tell YOU how Eddie died"
he went on, after recovering himself
That summer a gentleman who had
been travelling through Maine. and found
has way TO this then unirequented beach.
LEFT with me tor few weeks his son, a
pale, delicate boy, ONLY three years Ed
dies senior. in hopes that the bracing
sea air would strengthen his fragile form.
The gentleman, MIR. Eustace, was from
the South. and had taken his boy North
by advice OF physician>--and leaving
him here. he proposed returning for him
when he should have tini he'd the trans
action OF some business which took him