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

worst of slaves! But one day this sui
lor saved the life of the chiefs daughter,
who was in the coils of huge snake,
and the chief released him. More than
that, he gave him choice spices and
woods, and sent him aboard the first
passing ship So the sailor landed in a
great city, sold his presents and put the
gold in safe keeping Then he Travelled
till he reached the seaport town where
he was born, and coming there at sunset
heard the story of his life from the lips
of man cutting his tombstone
Not a word spoke Dayy; standing
Ierect be seized an immense sledge. ham
per, aud with powerful blows from strong
Iplifted arms and dashed the marble into
| fragments Then, painting with exer.
tion, he held out his brawny hand to the
|stranger-a stranger no longer.
"I've done no better work in my life
than I've done in the last Eve minutes
Hiram,' he said heartily. $50 home
man, and make Pearls heart glad
"You will prepare her, Davy2'
."She don't need it, Hiram. She dom
need It'll You asked me about the stone
The neiehbors drove her to ordering it
twitting her that now she was rich she
lgrudged the stone to her husbands
memory. So she told me to cut it, but
she says: Don't you put dead upon it
Davy. Put, lost at sea, for Hiram's lost
but he'll be found and come back to me.
She never looked at it, Hiram, never
and there's not an hour, nor hasn't been
in ten years, that she's not looking fol
you to come back. Go to her, man, and
the Lords blessing rest on both of you !!
So, grasping the hard brown hand
Hiram Goldby took the path to the lit
tie white cottage where he was borr
forty five years before. The sun had
set, and darkness was gathering, but {
little CLEAN Of light streamed from the
window OF his cottage. He drew neal
softly, and standing upon the seat in thu
porch looked over the half curtain into
the neat but poor sitting-room.
1t was not the grand house, Pearls
heritage in New York, but Pearl wa.
there. A slender little woman, with {
pale, sweet face, and black hair smooth
ly banded and gathered into rich braid'
at the back of the shapely head. He
dress was plain one, with white rufhes
cuffs and apron. She had been sewing
but her work was put aside, and pres
entity she came to the open window and
drew aside the curtain. She did not see
the tall figure drawn closely against the
wall in the narrow porch, but her large,
dark eyes looked mournfully toward the
sea glimmering in the half light.
"My darling!' she whispered; 'ar,
you dead that you seem so near me to
night? Are you dead, and has YOU
spirit come to take mine where we vii
part no more2'
Only the swash of the waves answered
her. Signing softly she said again:
"Is my darling coming2 | feel hin
so near to me l could almost grasp him
She stretched her arms over the low
window sill, and low voice answered
her:
"Pearl-Pearl p'
The arms that had so long graspet
only empty air were filled then,as Hiram
stood under the low window.
"Do not move, love-" she whispered
pressing her soft lip to his; 81 always
wake when you move"
"But now," he said tenderly, "you ar,
already awake. See, Pearl, your trus
was heaven given! 1t is myself, you
fond, true husband, little one, who will
never leave you again.
She watched him, half fearful yet, al
he stepped over the low window sast
and gathered her in his arms, raining
kisses upon her sweet, patient lips.
SIT is true! You have come!" sh'
cried at last, bursting into passion o
happy tears. 81 knew you were no
dead. You could not be dead and my
heart not tell metz
1t was long before they could think o
anything but the happiness of reunion
after the weary years Of separation, bu
at last, t,drawing Pearl close, Hiram whis
pered:
81 walked from j., love, and an
enormously hungry"
And Pearls merry laugh chased th'
last of the shade VS. from her happy face
and she hustled about the room prepar
ing supper.
"Supper for two" she cried gleeful
Iy.
The grand house in New York is ten
anted by its owners, and Hiram goes tt
sea no more, but in the summer time tive
happy people come for quiet month tt
the white cottage at Monkton, and hay
always to listen to Davy's tale of tn,
evening when he was cutting Hiram
Goldby's tombstone and ended BY
smashing it 10 atoms.
"For," is the iuvariable ending of tn
tale, "Pearl was right.and we was wrong
all of US, for Hiram Goldby was 'lost a
sea- sure enough, but he was not dead
and he came back to her faithful love, a
she always said he would"