The Elk County advocate. [volume] (Ridgway, Pa.) 1868-1883, 1878-08-29

loosened the rope, jumped in, and in
few minutes was on board the Minnie,
and soon ont of sight of Fairview.
Then for the first time he realized his
situation and his mothers desolation.
At thought of his mothers tears; he
would have returned at any hazard; but
it was too late.
In the meantime, the physician who
had been summoned hastily entered the
room where Colonel Monkton still lay,
everyone being afraid to move him.
"Just what I expected" said DR..
Lyle, bending over the purple swollen
face. These choleric, stout, drinking
old men generally end in this way.
| Apoplexy, madam, and not the first
attack, This one, fear, is going to be
fatal.
"Then it's not-ohl it's not" And
Mrs. Courtney, unable to finish her SEN
tence, gasped for breath.
"Whet does she iliean?" asked DR..
Lyle of ore of the gentlemen present.
I" Her son Tom had a scuff1e with the
colonel when he fell, and she was afraid
he had hurt him."
DIR. Lyle turned again to the PROSTATE
body and examined it carefully.
"Not bit of it, madam" he said. "I
dare say his fit of passion and the exer-
tion hastened the old mans end. But
it was bound to come. I told him yes =
terday, when he complained of his head,
that unless he threw his liquor out of
the window, and held his temper in
check, he wouldn't live six months.
True prophet, you seel'
| Mrs. Courtney tottered to her room,
and there on her knees offered up a
fervent prayer of thanksgiving that from
blood-guilt at least, her son was free.
But now, alarmed OF his absence, she
searched for him,--in the house, the
garden,-and then, with swift steps, she
went through the village, asking every
one she met if they had seen Tom.
No, he had not been seen that morn
ing.
Old Nathan, q weather-beaten sailor,
who had just brought in load of fish,
heard her question, and answered it.
"tookin' for Tom, mistress? seed
him, about an hour ago, goin' aboard
the Minnie, Jest as she was gettin' under
way. She's jest started on cruise.
But wouldn't take on, mistress. Toms
IA bright boy, and handy one. He'll
most like come back twice the man he
was when he started.
So he had gone, and with fancied
load of guilt on his poor Young shoulders
Mrs. Courtney felt as if her burden was
more than she could bear.
She had faint hope he would write to
her, and for days, weeks and months she
haunted the post-office. At last she
went as if mechanically, and without
asking a question would look at the
nostmasteT. He understood the 'ooA'
"Nothing to day, ma'am."
But about six months after Tom g
departure, she had no sooner entered
the Office than letter was placed in her
hand.
"Come at last, MAJ am, said the CHEEKY
postmaster, "and it's Toms handwrit-
ing. Sit right down here and read it.
You're all in tremble, and you can't t
walk home yet"
Yes, it was from Tom. He was in
Galveston, and had made several trips
on the Minnie to different ports.
"Do you know, mother" he wrote,
"I've been afraid to write to you, fear
ing it might give the clew to my where
abouts. But I've friend here, a young
lawyer, and he tells me I was simple.
ton to run away as I did. Col. Monk
ton made the first attack on me, and no
law could bring me in guilty of murder.
Give often wondered how the one
blow which knocked him up against the
wall could have killed him. 1t was the
first I gave him after got away from
his grasp. Iknow I'm really guilty. I
wanted to kill him, and his blood is
on my hands.
"I'm going for long cruise on the
coast of Africa, in the Albatross, and
when return I'll come back to Fair
view. For I feel that must see you,
whatever the consequences may be.
81 will write when can; but as do
not know the course we are to take, or
the ports we are to touch at, I cannot
tell you where to address your letters.
In two years will be at home"
| Thankful for the letter, Mrs. Courtney
took up the broken threads of her life,
and tried to fill it with the old interests
and the old duties.
But the two years spread to four, and
no further tidings came from Tom.
The mothers hair turned gray, and her
eyes lost their light. 1t was such a
weary work waiting and watching for
! what never came
She knew by heart all the shipwrecks
on the African coast, and the plaques
which desolated it. Where SO many lost
their lives, how could she expect her
boy would escape? Had he been alive,
he would surely have written.
81 shall never seen my boy in this
world" she would think in her hours of
despondency.
The seventh Christmas after Toms
departure found Mrs. Courtney not only
| sick, but without means to defray the
necessary expenses of her illness. 1t
was raining and blowing without, and
the invalid shivered over her wretched
fire of drift-wood, just brought in by a
kind neighbor.
"It's come at last" she murmured,
with her sad, patient smile" the power
ty I've fought against so hard and 80
long. had hoped to die and be with
my boy before this hour came upon me.
But why should 1 murmur? He doeth
all things well? I will trust Him even
if He"-
As she spoke, the door was thrown
open, and figure sprang forward. 1t
was muffied up, and the face was
bronzed and changed, but the mother
knew her son, and lay sobbing in his
arms.
No questions were asked or answered.
1t was enough for them both that they
were together once more. But after a
long time he told of the loss of his ves-
sci. and of q long tedious sickness on