The Camden journal. [volume] (Camden, S.C.) 1866-1891, 1878-10-10
rs she dead; then p

AYE, Sir, Six years agone. Inc DaoJ
I was telling you of, sir, talked a for
eigu lingo, and was dressed beautiful il
rich clothes. that must have cost power
of money. But never would Hiram OIL
tue widow sell them, putting them uf
carefully in case the child was ever
looked for: She was that pretty, sir,
and that dainty, that everybody called
her Pearl, though she was not like our
girls, but afraid, always deadly afraid of
the sea. T have seen her clench her
mite of hand and strike at it, for she
had bit of temper in her though motifs
ing to harm. .s
when Hiram made his first vvyai y,
for they were all seafaring men : ,rc
abouts, and there was nothing for =
to do but ship, the Pearl was justsso4,.fts:. ,f:.
tie washed-out lily, frettiug suntli 81
came home again. And it wasso wher
ever he went, for they were sweethearts
from the FIRST time he nestled her baby
face to his breast, when he picked her
up from the wreck. She was sixteen
when they were married, as near as we
could guess Hiram was a man OF
twenty-four. She prayed him stay at
home then, and he stayed year, but
be tretted for the sea, and he went
again. thinking, I s'pose. that his wife
would get used to it, as well as all wives
hereabounts must do. But she never
1t was just pitiable to see
her go about, white as a corpse, when
Hiram went away, never looking at the
sea without q shudder like death chill.
All through the war it was just awful,
for Hiram enlisted on board man>o'-
war, and Pearl was just shadow when
be came home she last time
after the war;
Yes, sir; but he made no money OF
any account, and so went again, after
staying at home long spell. Well, he
never came back. Twasn't no manner
of use telling Pearl he was lost she'd
Just shake her pretty head and say ::
He'll come bnck.' Not q mite Of
mourning would she wear even after
bis mother gave him up and went in
black; for, sir, it stands to reason he's
dead years ago.
1T looks So
OF course it does ; nobody else
doubts it but Mrs. Goldby. Old Mrs.
last words were-'I'm going
to meet Hiram and they say the dying
know. But even then that didn't
make Pearl think so. She wore mourn.
ing for her who had been the only
mother she knowed Of, but not weeds.
Weeds was for widows, she said, and
she wasu-C wIdowT,--- -----
Aud the stone
We'll, sir, I'm coming to that. A
year ago sir; q fine gentleman from
France came here hunting for child
lost on this coast. He'd heard of Pearl
by happen>chances, if there is such,
and came here. When he saw the clothes
he just tainted like woman.'
'She was related then ?
The strangers voice was husky, but
the sea air was growing chill.
: Her father, SIR
HE took her away p
He tried to. He told her Of a splen-
did home he had in New York, for he'd
followed his wife and child, sir, to che
city they had never reached. He was
rich and lonely. He begged his child
to 20, but she would not. Hiram will
come here for me- she said, 'and he
must find me where he left me-
oh, how has she lived p
Sewing, sir, mostly. The cottage
was old Mrs. Goldby's, and bless you,
Pearl did not eat much more than a
bird, and her dresses cost next to moth
ing. But there's no denying she was
very poor-very, and yet the grand
home and big fortune never tempted
her. So her father come off and on tc
see her, until April. An be died, sir
and left our Pearl all his fortune and
the grand house in New York. But
she'll not 20, sir; she'll die here, waiting
for Hiram who'll never come
The stranger lifted his face that had
been half hidden in bis hand and
said
There was q shipwreck in the Pacif,
Ocean, Davy, years and years ago. ant
one man only was saved-saved; Davy
by savages who made him slave, tn
worst of slaves! But one day this sailo
saved the life Of the chiefs daughter
who was in the coils of a huge snake
and the chief released him. More thai
that, he gave him choice spices an
woods, and sent him abroad on the frs
passing ship. So the sailor landed in
great city, sold bis presents and put tn
gold in safe keeping. Then be Travelled
till be reached the seaport town wher
he was born. and coming there at sun
set, heard the story of bis life from th
lips of man cutting his tombstone
Not a word spoke Davy. Standing
erect. he seized an immense sledge ham
mer, and with powerful blows frou
strong. uplifted arms, dashed the mar
Bile into fragments. Then, pantln
with exertiou, he held out his Drawn.
bands to the stranger-a stranger n
longer.
I've done no better work in my life
than I've done in the last five minutes
Hiram. Go home, man, and max
Pearls heart glad. She don't need it
u;.om -ebo don't naed - You aske