The home journal. (Winchester, Tenn.) 1858-188?, 1878-09-26
HIRAM GOLDBY,
Aged 30.


The lasts six was nearly completed, A
strange palor gathered for a moment
upon the strangers face, and then he
drew long, deep breath, and said;
Is not ten years a long time to be
cutting letters on tombstone, friend p
" Eth, sir?
The stone-cuttcr looked, shaded his
eyes with his brown hand, AZ he turned
his face to the setting sun.
"This is 1876" was the grave reply,
"and Hiram Goldby has been ten years
under the waves"
"Wcll, sir, that's the qucstion-is he
therem
"Is he there? Your stone tells us he
is and has been for ten years.
"Yes sir, so it does-so it does. And
yet she has ordered it. She came over
n week or 50 back with worried look
upon her sweet face that have never
seen any thing but patience in the ten
long years. and she said TO me: You
may cut stone, Davy,, she says, and
put it upin the churchyard, and don't
want to see it. I'll pay you whatever
you choose to ask, Davy,' she says, but
he's not dead, and don't want a tomb
stone LOr, num- says ], he'd a
turned up up all these years if he was
not dead. But she shook her pretty
head, tho prcttiest | ever seen, sir, and
said she: MY heart never told me that
he was dead Davy, and ri never be-
licvc it till my heart tells me So.
"His swccthcartYi questioned the
stranger.
j." His wife, sir--his loving, faithful
wife, that's had property, and loneliness
and misery, her full share, and might
ha' bettercd herself"
How was thatW
"Mr. Miles, sir, the richest shopowncr
hereabouts, he waited patiently for seven
long years, trying to win her. Then he
said that she was free even if Hiram
came back"
Enoch Arden" muttered the stran-
ger.
What did you say, sir"
Nothing, nothing. What answer
did the widow make, Mr.. Miles"
w If Hiram's dead said she, pm his
faithful wife, Maybe you are from
the city, sir, and have heard the story of
our Pearl?'
What story is that"
"Well, sir, it's been told many times
more particularly in the last year, but
you're welcome to what know of it.
There, that six is done, and Pll leave
the Scripture text till morning. If
you'll come to the gateway and take a
seat on some of the stones, ri tell you,
that is, if you care to hear it.
al do care" was the grave reply" |
want very much to hear the story"
Maybe you're some kin to the
Pearl of Monkton-thats what they call
Mrs. Goldby bereabouts. It's a matter
of thirty-three years back, sir, that
there was wreck of Monkton rocks,
that you can see from here, sir, now
tides low. Cruel rocks they are, and
many wreck they've seen, the more
the pity. You see them, sir"'
81 see them"
"Well, sir, with thisone wreck, thirty
three years ago, there was nothing
washed ashore but a bit of Il girl-baby
three or four years old, with skin like
lily ledl, anu SIcdt DidCh eyes. Imam
Goldby found her OH the rocks He was
boy of twelve years, strong and tall,
and he carried the child in his arms to
his mother. You may see the cottage,
sir, the second white one on the side OF
the hill"
II see it."
Well, Hiram took the baby there,
and Mrs. GOldby was the same AS a
mother to it-a good woman, God bless
her soul-the Widow Goldby.'
I" Is she dead, then?'
"Aye, sir, six years agone. The baby
was telling you Of, sir, talked for
eign lingo, and was dressed beautiful in
rich clothes, that must have cost a
power of money. But never would
Hiram or the widow sell them, putting
them up carefully in ease the child wa
ever looked for. She was that pretty
sir, and that dainty, that everybod!
called her Pearl, though she was no
like our girls, but afraid, always deadl.
% afraid Of the sea. I have seen he
clench her mite Of hand and strike a