West Virginia argus. [volume] (Kingwood, W. Va.) 1877-1946, 1879-09-13
ncrtha nnd tho nrrnn.


OF her home she could see the ocean shin
ing, darkening and moving rcstlcssly under
the sun, the clouds and the wind
Bertha little knew of the sorrow the
ocean had created. To her il was joyful
mystery Who put the great water there
why did II whirl, dance, trOwu and smile
aloug the beach and never 90 To sleep like
little girls These were questions Bertha
asked herself and could not answer.
IL brought her fine gifts, too, of pcarly
shells and trailing sea weed, and traced
rare curves and delicate markings along the
sand.
Bcrtha's mother used to sit hy the win
dow sewing, and once ian a long while her
hands wonld rest idly in her lap and her
eyes looked tar away over the rolling
waves
Thcu Bertha would leave her play and
nestle close 10y her mothers side and ask
her many questions and chief among them
where her father could bc and why he
never came home but her mother only
answered still looking at the waves, that
father had gone away ian far country, she
thought, aud so it was not long before Bcr-
tina noticed, or rather felt that her mother
ncvct smiled at the sea.
II was a lonely shore where Bertha lived,
aud she used To play about "A great deal,
talking swcctly To herself all the time.
Bertha was "a queer little girl Often she
sat down iua sheltered nook, secure among
the rocks, and wished there was some one
To play with her But there was no one.
Often in the quiet afternoons she had long
dreams about her father, who went away
IN great ship, and whose face she could
| just remember
From her place among the rocks she
could see far away along the sand little
village where there $Jrc white houses and
"A port, and once iu "A while "A sail would
grow slowly out from the silent horizon
and glide gently towards that village Ina
ven.
'All the ships SO in there, said Bertha,
one day. perhaps my father will come
that way. ] must go and see if hc don't
right away this minute.
Without thinking how frightened her
mother would bc or how long it would take
her to reach the village, she ran swiftly
away over the hot and shining sand
For long time she walked, and her feet
! began to ache and her heart to slnk within
her, for the village seemed further away
/ than ever before
The sun went behind u cloud. aud the
/ "''NN iiN''thA w hlANllk llNlNllN NH WHICH
| she started. now seemed to shout as they
rolled inupon the shore, SEQ back, return,
over and over again. but when she looked
back, hcr home was not to be- seen.
She was lost and in her minds eve she
saw her mother running about among the
rocks very white and frightened. calling.
Bertha, where arc youl" The village,
too, was now hidden by "A wall of rock, aud
Bertha sat down Respondent and weeping
| AS she sat there wondering what she
should do, she saw II bearded man ap-
| preaching her. As soon as hc reached her
| lac pnt his great brown hand gently upon
her shoulder, and said, very kindly -
"My little lass, what il the trouble ~
81 am looscd' said Bertha.
Lost, you mcun,' satd the stranger
smiling, ''And how came you 80 What
| Is your namci
why don't you know ~ she said 81
| he Bertha. ! was going to find my papn,
! because ] and mamma be- all alone and
| papa has been away "A dreadful long time,
such long time ] think hc never will know
the way back if | don't find him and show
| him where we livc-Oh look mt that biz
white bird out there But be 'fraid /
cant find my papa now. DO you know
| where 49,
Bertha stopped talking suddenly. The
| stranger was pressing her in his arms 80
80 close she could not speak, and there were
! tears in his eyes
81 will take you home little one, lac
said huskily.
''llas you got coldIn said Bcrtha
90 cause you don't talk right and plain like
! ] do
When Bertha and the stranger entered
! the cottage her mother gave u great cry
| That night the waves upon the beach
| had hushcd Bartha to sleep before she
could believe she had really found her IA
! lhcr at last