Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1878-06-07
FOR HIS SAKE.

When the Flying Scud discharged her
cargo and passengers at the London
Dock, there landed among them gen
tleman who had been absent from Eng
land nine years. All that while he had
passed under the burning suns of India.
He had suffered as soldiers do. He had
fought as soldiers fight. He had met
the soldiers fate of scars and wounds,
and one of them had invalided him home
to England.
1t was the first time he trod her shores
for nine years, as we have said, and for
the first time in any year he was going
to see his son, the little boy born after
he left home, and whose birth had been
his mothers death.
Captain Penryn had only been mar
ried year when he was ordered abroad
with his regiment. Six months from that
day letter had reached him, telling
him his wife was dead. The letter was
written by an old nurse, the only friend
who had been with her. 1t ended thus:
"The baby, as fine a child as I ever
saw, is thriving. I've done my best for
it. It's mothers last wish was I should
keep it, and perhaps sir, as some one
must, you'd as leave I as any other. [
shan't be unreasonable in my charges,
and I'm very fond of him already.
With my duty to you in this dreadful
trouble, your servant, ANN GOLDEN"
The poor broken-hearted man almost
sank under the awful news. He had
loved his wife passionately, and when
the baby was old enough to travel she
would have come to him in India, BRAY
ing it's terrible climate and the life of a
soldiers wife abroad. because they
could not live apart. Now he did not
want little baby on his hands, and he
wrote to Ann as soon as he could COM
mand himself to do so, appointing her
his nurse.
Every quarter since that time he had
sent money to her for the child's board
and clothes. A receipt was always re-
turned with "her duty, and the young
gentleman was doing well y and this
was all he knew of his Ellen's boy
the child of love that had been as
strong as it was tender.
Now that his foot was upon Eng
lands shores again and the meeting
was very near Captain Penryn felt new
thrills of father-love through his
soldiers heart and longed for his boys
presence.
"He would take him to himself, "
he said. "They would live together.
sharing each others joys and sorrows.
He would make man of the boy
not soldier, for he knew the trials of
soldiers life too well but something
very honorable and creditable. He
should be proud of him, and he hoped
-ah, how he hoped THAT Ellen's
child would have Ellen's face"
"My beautiful girl" he said to him.
self, with the tears standing in his
eyes, chow little / thought of this
hour when I kissed her good-byep
And then his heart grew even warm
er to the pledge of their mutual love.
He had Il e address that Mrs. Golden
had given him in his pocket. He glanced
at it it now to refresh his memory as
to the number. A plain, respectable
street in one of London's suburbs he
remembered it well.
"But my boy shall see better things
now that 1 am here, he said to him
self. "I am not rich, but I can deny
myself many things to make him happy
Will he love me, L wonderP"
Then he thought how his own hear
had been won by toys and sweetmeats
and coming to a stop where the forme
were sold, paused before the gay win
dow, and began to make q menta
choice between red and gilt stag
coach and horses aud train of brigh
blue carriages. He had discarded botl
for a box of scarlet-coated soldiers
when suddenly he felt tug at hi
coat-tail, and turning round, he foun
grimy little hand half in, half out Q
his pocket. He caught it at once, wit
his handkerchief in it, and gripped
tight,