The Worthington advance. [volume] (Worthington, Minn.) 1874-1908, 1877-10-11
When the Shin Comes In.

1879. Il shipping docks. great city: me
woman is plainly dressed, but evidently
r in her best attire, aid there Is a touch Of
W 9eltility in her fnery, ins tho real lace
II 4 collar, relic of better days perhaps, the
pearl earrings and the neat gloves. The
- child is neatly dressed, toe, and as she
II Ss1Sps tie woman'sz hand; looks love at
her guardian. But the woman's face is
jc9onot at its best now; there Is an anguished
:, =. expression upon II, care-worn look, and
faint wrinkle upon the pale forehead
that ages her and lessons the charm OF
her features. -. rr @'>1:.
ri Il. :'she is inquairiing Of the dock men, of
the stevedores, of the loungers about the
wharvcs, whether the brig "Good Luck"
el-9e al cone i: ; she ee!X.ys receives the
that reply is, that the brig :'Good Luck"
./h9 R{l lost d month ago, dashed on a
lee shore and ground to pieces by the sea,
2.A and will never come n-never-nevcr
= ,4tM0Fo.:a. ,is.:i.i tss:i = ~ *'&,iii".',
If they told her, she wouldn't believe
them, for this woman and her child have
supfeme faitfl-feel as sure as God rules,
~. that ,thelbrig 'Good Luck'' will come in
+ soon with cargo and crew, though they
-. have been asking the same question and
breathing the same prayer for many and
7f! many day.
~ Then she goes across the street and
REQ winds her way among the bales and
boxes and passing carts, and through all
the hubbub and hustle Of the wharf, and
climbs a flight Of stairs to where the
briggs owners have their Office. They are
used to seeing her. They smile sadly
when she enters with the child, and look
i, significantly at one another, as much as
to say, "Poor thing! she's mad. No
wonder"
Mad! Yes, she is mad with "hope de-
ferred, with anxiety to meet her husband,
Caleb Setter, master of the brig Good
Luck, her husband and the father of this
child. God of heaven! why docs he stay
II i 4 t, the Good Luck in: YETI" she asks of
aclerk. =.
H., "Not yet, ma'am."
She !expected, Of course, to day."
: "Of course"
"Thorc's vessel coming in now. I
see the tall masts. Look! look!" point
ing out of the office window to the river
front. "Maybe that is it, Ellie dear,
:. look! there is fathers vessel, with father
on board"
The child clasps her little hands at the
sight: ~ -.
"sorry to say that is not it, ma'am,"
---~ says the clerk, relaxing into his calcula-
tons, and paying no more attention to the
.~s~Shestares out of the open window at
the approaching vessel drawn by tug,
and then with blank look upon her face
and moan that is heart-rending says:
"No, Ellie, no! That is not the Good
Luck. L see the fgurehead; the figure
head of the Good Luck is an angel; a
white and gold angel. No, no! that is
mot it.n; T.:
u j Il: But: papa will come home soon, won't
he, mammal" whispers the child.
Eyes, yes, yes. To-day, my darling.
to-day"
Old Mr.. Tawman, who is the head of
the establishment here, now comes from
behind his desk, and approaching the
woman, says in a kindly tone:
"Mrs. Setter, sit down; make yourself
as comfortable as you can in dingy Of
flee like this. Here little one, come here;
give me kiss. A bright, pretty little
dear, Mrs. Setter"
"She is tired; she has been walking too
much"
*Mamma, don't mind walking to
find father. I'm not tired"
The old gentleman sits down and lifts
the little girl on his knee and kisses her.
She winds her arm about his neck and
cxclaims:
"You'll tell My papa to come soon,
won't <you?"
"Yes, dear"
It was tho habit of this firm to pay
sort of a pension monthly to the widows
of captains who were lost in their service,
It was not much of stipend, being only
half pay, but it was certainly blessing
in very many cases. Mrs Setter had al
ways received her husbands money here,
while he was at sea, or it was sent to her
* when she was sick or the weather bad.
"Ah, Mr.. Tawman, I'm sure the Good
Luck will be in to-day!"
Certainly it will What's to hinder
it," he answers.
He puts the child down and goes over
Ito his desk, and unlocking a drawer he
takes out an account book and begins
writing receipt. Then goes over into
the cashiers room. While he is there
the telegraph clerk calls him over.
eClic1, 1clickety click! goes the magic
instrument repeating its dot and dash
message. -
s"Her that r. says the operator. .sThat's
AAS"o IVA JO"' Wiz ACAoA NOO1O Acdu
every word by its sound.
'1t 'slike message from God," says
Mr.. Tawman, reverently. must not tell
her."
He comes back to where the woman is
sitting, his lace flushed with emotion;
some strange excitement. He throws in
to her lap asbundle of bank notes..
" 'There, Mrs. Setter, now 90 home.
Take q car at the door,"
!s;"Oh I'm not tired. And I should
like to be here when the brig comes in
But thank you 50 much, so much"
"ncre little" one," says the good-heart-
ed Tawman, "here's something for you to
buy candies with" He puts into her
tiny, outstretched palm a bright quarter
of dollar, and laughs at the wonder and
delight of the little recipient.
"1l keep this for my papa"
Poor little thing, she is weary unto
sleep. She .cuddles herself in the big
chair and, goes to sleep in an instant. Q
'~"Now, Mrs. Setter you've had no din
ner," says Tawman.
"Oh, yes sir"
yesterday, perhaps; but I mean to-
day. Go down with Mr.. Pelton here, our
young man, and get something to eat