Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1878-06-28

| and he pined after the waves and the freedom
of life upon them. How could he know
what hard life it wasY We used to talk it
over every night, his mother and |, sorrow
fully enough. And at last we said If he
goes, let him go with his parents blessing.
Many another good lad has gone secretly
away. Let not our son reproach himself
with that when the waves will be swelling
around him, and he's far from the shore
where fond hearts are mourning over his
flight Then, madam, we blessed him and
let him go. He wns all we had, and he was
dcarer than ourselves so we shut our selfish
grief out of his sight and let him go.
I'VE heard of him sometimes and then he
wrote to us that, discouraged and weary of n
life before the mast, he was coming home to
us,-never to leave us again. He had ship
ped aboard the Hester, and when she sailed
he would write 50 that we could expect him.
1t gave new life to both our hearts, the joy
Of looking for him back again. That had
been n hard year with us. Business was dull,
and my poor wife had sprained her ankle.
She lay abed and laughed at me trying to do
the house-work in my clumsy man-iashion,
for was too poor to get little maid to do
it in my wife's place. One evening when we
heard the cannon firing that told MS the mail
steamer had come in, ! kissed her and told
her not to he lonesome while l was gone, for
l knew Tia, q tier must have come. Aud you
will not be alarmed said 4 will lock the
shop door. and no one will think of breaking
in 10 this poor place while am gone. You'll
be safe up here. And she said that she had
no fear, that She would lie there and wait for
my steps, and she could tell by the sound of
them if | had the letter
1T was wild evening The wind was
rising and threatening II stormy night. l
went down stairs, locked the door after me.
Vlts
miles away. It's bad night for fire,
friend, said some one passing me. Then l
thought | heard the fre-bells ringing. but l
was too busy thinking Of my lad and what he
would say in his letter. to hear what they
were telling. / had to pass newspaper
building on my way. ! saw crowd collected
around the bulletin board. 1t was election
time, and | thought they were reading the
returns What news asked one of auoth-
er who was moving away. Another horror
in.the British Channel said the man. A
ship ran down 10y steamer and all on board
gone to the bottom Madam, my heart sank
like stone in my breast. l forced my way
up to the board, and l knew that we were
childless. The ship was the Hester. 1t was
true, and there was no hope
His voice sank to broken whisper, and
gasping sigh told the agony of the awakened
memory.
Sweet Mary in Heaven :" cried Bridget,
starting forward, her pleasant face glowing
with wondering sort Of ecstasy but a ges-
turc from Mrs. Hewitt who hurriedly rose
from her chair and advanced toward the old
Ciock-maker arrested her.
when came to myself" he continued,
''the crowd hustled me away, for | stood
there paralyzed ran on blindly, ,-madly-
through the streets, away from our home.
How could gohome and tell her what would
break her tender heart to hear heard the
fre-bells changing behind me. Men and en-
gines rushed by me. The whole sky was
glaring red as if it was gloating over my mis-
cry. | ran ON until my limbs failed me aud
fell down. The cold earth touching my fore
head revived me, and then | thought of her
alone in that little room without light wait
ing and fearing on account of my absence.
How could tell her! turned back and be-
| gan the weary walk to my desolate home.
The fire was still raging and as l came on
another deadly fear struck my heart.
Madam, this horror was the worst. Where
my house stood was n smoking ruin, and far
and near the flames were swept that had
| wrecked so many homes. Seven years after
that it all came back to me- for my senses
| left then, and it was only seven years after
! that, in Gods good time, they came back to
me. / found myself an inmate of charita-
| ble institution in Pennsylvania. They told
me | was found in that neighborhood dement,
| ed, with the signs Of long travel and destitu-
| ton upon me and they took ms in. When
they were satisfied with my sanity they let
Inc go | went back to the city where | had
once been so happy. All that l saw was new
| to me. Stately warehouses stood where once
| had been humble dwellings-and no one could
tell me the fate of mine. There had been
| lives lost, they told me, but none could tell of
! . g.. lut 20
l cannot live in the great city. l follow my
calling in the peaceful villages and roadside
dwellings. The hustle of busy life is tor
ture to me it brings me back my loss. my
heavy, heavy loss ~
His head dropped on his breast, his words
came low AMI brokenly
The buggy stopped at the gate. It's occu-
pants alighted, and came up the walk. The
children ran to meet them.
30, papa! o grandmama He is ON the
| piazza. Such n dear old clock maker He
mended all the clocks, and he is going to stay
all night. And, o, isn't it drefIul bad His
little boy was drowndtd, and his wife was
burned up!"
Whittier than the widows cap that told it,
own sad story grew the face beneath it,
civilian! William cried his mother
catching her sons arm, 20, what do the chill
dren mean -
Dear mother" he answered slipping hi,
arm around her God knows. There i,
some one there, and Marion is speaking IL
him. Mother. Mother. can you be brave 2
Terribly agitated he supported his mother
to the house.
My heavy, heavy loss" murmured tn,
old clock-maker. Memory brought his wot
afrcsh to his heart tears coursed down hii
thin checks and bowed his dropping form
He felt two soft hands clasp his own, and h,
looked up to see Mrs Hewitt standing befor,
him, trembling with agitation.
"Oh tell me your name :" I'm heaveni
mercy tell me your name. Is it Francis Hew
itt?"
Dear, kind lady, why are you so agitated
That is my name"
She sank on her knees beside him, anC
winding her arms about him, covered hi
face with tears and kisses.
80 God be thanked! :" she exclaimed
Father dear father, | am your sons wife
and these little ones are our children-you
Williams wife aud children-aud we vii
love you and cherish you forever
His head dropped ON his shoulder, the pal
lor of death stole over his face. The suddel
JOY was more than he could bear. Mr., Hew
lit and his mother, on whose ears Mrs. Hew
: tits words like voice from heaven had fall
en-, were beside him now, bending over hin
| in an agony of solicitude, calling him by tn
: sacred names of husband and father to loo
up and speak TO them.
Back wild all ov ye" cried Bridget. "Ge
back there where he can't see ye. An is
Christians ye are to be moulding up faintin
p mans head like that"
5 She moved them aside without any cert
mony lifted the frail form in her stout arm
r and tenderly laid it PROSTATE on a settee neO
! at hand.
q Get me some water, Master William"
e 1t was brought The toil-hardened hand {
Bridget bathed the white, drawn face wit
tender Kindness, and life began to flicker oyC
0 it again.
1 Hes comm to himself" she Whispered
9 "and now stand where he can't see ye, fC
S the sudden joy can kill one as swift as III
D bitter sorrow does. Aud are you better nov
4 | i,l,a ~,