Weekly Trinity journal., 1878-12-14

]
nifcance of the letters he was cutting in
white marble. The June sun was nearly
at the end of days journey, sinking
slowly to rest upon the bosom OF The
broad Atlantic, whose waves washed the
shores of the little seaport town of Monk
ton. A stranger handsomely dressed in
gray, with large lustrous brown eyes,
came to the fence that was around the
yard where the stone. cutter worked, and
read the lettering almost completed upon
the tombstone.
HIRAM GOLDBY.
LOST AT SEA, January, 1866.
The last 6 was nearly completed. A
strange pallor gathered for moment up
on the strangers face; and thon he drew
long, deep breath and saidr"
"Is net ten years a long time to be cut
ting letters on tombstone, friend2"
"Eh, sir?"
The stone-cu.ter looked up, shading
his eyes with his brown hand, as he turn
ed his face 10 the setting sun.
"This is 1876" was the grave reply,
"and Hiram Goldby must have been ten
years under the waves"
"Well. sir that's the question-is is he
there9D
"Is he there, YoCr stone tells us he
is, and has been for years"
"Yes, sir; so it does-so it does. And
yet she that has ordered it don't believe
At. She came over week or so back
with worried look upon her sweet face
that never saw but patient IN ten long
years, and she says to me: "You may
cut stone, Davy," said sho, "and have
it put up in the graveyard, and I don't
want to see it. I'll pay you whatever
you choose to ask, Davy," says she, "but
he's not dead, and don't want a tomb
stone" "Lor, num-" says l, he'd
turned up in all these years if ho was not
dead" But sho shook her pretty head
the prettiest ever saw, strand says she
my heart never told me he was dead,
Davy, and I'll never believe it Till my
heart tells me so."
"IIis sweetheart?" questioned the
stranger.
"Is wife, sir; his loving, faithful VIE,
that's had poverty, an loneliness, an
misfortune, her full share, ard might ha'
bettered herself"
"How was that?"
"Mr. M lies, sir; the richest ship owner
hereabouts; he waited patiently for seven
years, trying to win her. Then she was
free, even if Hiram came back"
"Enoch Arden," muttered the stran--
ger.
"What did you say, sirf"
"lf Hrams dead" said shc, "I'm his
faithful wife," May be YOU re from the
city, sir, and have not heard tho story oil
our Pearl2"
"What story is that1"
"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 is done. and III leave tho
Scripture text till morning. If you'll
come to the gateway, sir, and take seat
OH some of the stones, III tell you. That
is, if you care to hear it,"
81 do care" was the grave reply; "I
want very much to hear the story"
MAY be you're some kin to the Pearl
OF Monkton-that's what they call Mrs h.
Goldby hereabou:s. It's matter of
thirty three years back, sir, that there
was a wreck off Monkton rocks, that you
can see from here, sir, now tides low.
Cruel rocks they are, and manya wreck
they We seen; the more tAs pity. You see
them, sir2"
II see them"
"Well, sir, Of this one wreck, thirty
three years ago, there was nothing wash.
ed ashore but bit OF a girl baby, three
or four years old, with skin like a leaf
and great black eyes; Hiram Goldby
found her down in the rocks. He was a
boy Of twelve years, strong and tall, and
he carried the child in his arms to his
mother. You may soc the cottage, sir
the second white one ON the side Of the
hill
II see it,"
"Well, Hiram took the badly there, en-
Mrs. Goldby was the Same as mother to
her good woman, the Widow Gold
by, God bless her soul !"
"Is she dead thenf"
"Aye, sir. six years agone. The baby
l was telling you of, sir, talked foreign
lingo, and was dressed beautiful in rich
clothes, that must have cost power Of
money. But never would Hiram or his
mother sell them, putting them carefully
away, in case the child was ever looked
for. She was that pretty and that dain-
ty that everybody called her Pearl,
though she was christened in the church,
Margaret, six months after Hiram found
her. Well sir, we was as proud Of her,
thou gh she was not like our girls; but
afraid, always deadly afraid Of the sea.
I've seen her clench her mite OF hand
and strike at it. for she had a bit of tenn
per in her, though nothing to harm.
"When Hiram made his first voyage
for they were all seafaring hereabouts,
and there was nothing for lad to do but
ship-the Pearl was just little washed.
out lily, fretting until be came home
again. And it was SO whenever he went
for they we're sweethearts from the time
she nestled her baby face on his breast,
when he picked her up from the wreck.
She was sixteen when they were married f,
50 near as they could guess, and Hiram
was a man of twen ty-four. She prayed