The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1877-12-22

from one Vi Ine IOuF brown houses, q
woman looked up and down and out,
far out, oceanward, and found nothing
to reward her search.
Catching up from wooden cradle a
sleeping babe, she covered it with a
little shawl and ran across to the little
house where Daisy Downs was eating
her supper.
Isn't it time, Mrs. Downs, they
ought to be coming imp she questioned.
not regarding Daisy, who moved her
chair a little out from the wing of the
table, the better to display her fine
dress.
Eyes, it is" returned Mrs. Downs:
50 but when you have been fisherman
wife as many years as l have you will
learn to wait
Il can't wait! I must know where
he is. l mustr' cried the little soul,
depositing her baby, scarcely three
months old, on her lap and wringing
her hands over it in a helpless way.
"NOw | wouldn't cry if was you,"
said Daisy. "All the folks around here
always come in safe, and the wind dom t
blow very hard tonight"
Mrs. Downs had been looking
through the spy-glass, but had found
nothing in sight that could mean the
tishing-boats. She felt uneasy always
on the first day the boats went out after
spring repairs, and her husband had
promised not to go very far on the trial
trip with the new mast.
Don't worry, Mrs. Rose" she said,
simply, returning from the door aid
depositing the glass in its place.
Its easy for you to say don't wor-
ry,' but can't help it" said Mrs. Rose,
catching up the baby and rushing out
as though she meant to start directly on
trip into the sea.
"She's silly" said Daisy,
Poor thing! dare say l used to
act just so when Dave was a baby" re-
marked Mrs. Downs. "Folks hare to
get used to waiting that live by the
ocean, and she WASH brought up to it. ="
(Which way did father go?" ques-
toned Daisy, as she heard an ominous
roar coming in with the breakers.
"To the eastward. About nine
O'Clock | saw the boats out, and after
that | was working to get the carpet
down before you came, and when |
looked again there wasn't one in sight. ="
Mrs Rose with her baby went the
round of the four brown houses, and
just as it was growing dark returned to
the Downs cabin.
The night grew darker and darker
The wind came heavier out of the south
west, and the breakers dashed nightly
on the sands, and not fshing-boat had
entered the little harbor between the
village and the ocean.
Midnight came. There were lights in
every one of the cottages and in every
cottage window that faced the ocean, but
no news from the men in the fishing
| boats.
Upstairs in her own room, thrown
across her bed, lay Daisy Downs new
dress and hat and parasol.
Down on the sands with her mother,
watching for father and Dave and Sam
uel, Daisy waited. Overhead the stars
shone at midnight, but the ocean was
throwing in on the shore great black
uplifts of waves that made one shrink
and tremble.
so mother!'' cried Daisy out of the
roar and the tumult.
The cry of distress reached her moth
er. She clasped her child's hand and
held it.
I'm so sorry l felt ashamed of
father and my home to-day" said poor
Daisy. "Oh, if he comes back again |
will never, never wish again that |
wasn't a fisherman daughter. l don't
care another thing for my new clothes.
I'll give them all if he'll only come, and
I'll be so glad and happyto see the boys
once more. They're great deal nicer
for mig brothers than the Van Looms
would be-
Mrs. Downs put her arms around
Daisy and held her close and said: 81
am thankful that this night has given
me back my own little daughter again.
Do you know, Daisy, that | was a great
deal more ashamed of my child than
she was of her own parents and home?
God never makes mistakes. He puts us
just where we belong, and you belong
nowhere else in the whole world except
in that little house up yonder where the
lights burn. Let us 90 up and see if
there is any news from the harbor."
They went up; but the brown house
told them no secret from the ocean.
At break of day the four households
(from every one of which the husband
and father had gone either in the
Daisy or some of its attendant boats)
stood a silent, Watching group on the
silver sands, and saw the boats come
safely in.
Father will be hungryr' cried Daisy
Downs when she had seen with her own
eyes that the daisy was safe and
sound. Lets hurry home now and
get breakfast
Up from the harbor hurried the Cap
tain and his boys toward the little
brown house.
"Well, wife, here l am" he said as
soon as he could speak. 81 was awful
sorry to make you anxious, but what
with the loads of fish and the new mast
| was afraid to venture so far in the
wind. Daisy, girl and his strong,
brown hands patted the warm cheeks
of his daughter, while her arms clasped
his neck, 81 am glad to see that New
York hasn't stolen my daughter from
me. was half afraid when you came
back you wouldn't care so much for
things around here"