The Carbon advocate. [volume] (Lehighton, Pa.) 1872-1924, 1879-07-05


No answer.
"Not a very warm welcome TO homeless
fellow ten years awayl" he said. The old
lady had crept in,
"Your mothers gone, captain. l hoped
you'd beerd on it afore you got here, Won
derful good woman She was allus oskin'
me to cup of tea. Never had nothn' to
go to my heart SO since my John died -
"And where's Groce7"
"she and her babys lyin' aside her 7"
and then, between her sobs, the kind old
woman told the ptiful story.
George Reeverly's eyes grew very black
and his lips very white. He went straight
way to the new graves, and, with curses in
his heart, he wept like a child. And that
man had been the cause There was much
talk in the village, but the captain kept his
own thoughts.
The Betsey was ready much sooner than
Usual for the next trip. The captain never
seemed SO anxious to he away from the town.
Some lumber was laid in, with extra guam
NlsiC9 VI wi ~ lOLelbOch anu ulBlOulQ uONT,
but why, the men could not divine. The
night for starting came. There was a knock
at the door of the young physician, who was
just preparing to leave the village. You
are to go on journey" said the captain
Take your clothes and books if you want
| en-"
The young man struggled, but sailors arms
were too strong, and he was hurried on to
he ship. From that time on no one spoke
to him save once, when a sailor was com
manded to print in India ink, across his
forehead, so that the world might read.
"This man robs womanhood," >" and on either
hand, that it might be forever in sight, the
word "Grace."
That was an ndeacribable journey. Co
ing away from kindred ,he knew not With
eT, but he had sent another on longer
journey. The days Wore away in bitter,
sitting thoughts. What was their plan for
him? How could he appear before the
world, branded as he was? Would they
bury him in the ocean, where no law could
reach them because the world would saw
his penalty was just? What would life
amount to if he lived? Where would it he
spent? lie slept and ate little. Lines were
growing along his brow aud about his eyes
After weeks Of anguish an island came in
sight. Thither the ship turned her course
and stopped. 1t was desolate place, with
no sign Of habitation for man or beast. Rock
bound, the ocean washed up with the same
sound it used TO have against the clitT,where
Grace and he had SO often sat, and from
whence she went TO her death. There was
a solitary clump Of trees, just like the spot
where they found her body. Must every
thing remind him Of her?
The lumber was taken out Then quick
hands fashioned rude shelter. Sufficient
food was placed in the hut, and seed for
planting. Then, as the Betsy made ready
for starting, the captain said, in a cold hard
way, "This is to be your home! Remember
&" Great God ! Nor gasped the young
man, kill me! Do anything rather than
this death by inches. shall go wildl"
"Another went wild for your and the
Detsey moved out from her barren moorings,
and there was only the Car-oH sky, the limit.
less ocean and the desolate waste whereon
he stood.
Should lie kill himself? A man who roLs
r another oflire usually has not the courage
to rob himself We are creatures of neccs-
= sity. We accept what we must. With lal.
r tering steps he walked around his prison.
: There was not one thing to love, not flow
er or bird, only the monotone of the sea that
had no kinship with joy.
Tired, broken, an cid man in a day, he
r flung himself down in his hut to sleep, Ma.
, ture is kind even to her enemies, and he
5 slept be dreamed that he and Grace sat
again on the headand, and she talked, in
her purity and trust, of her confidence in
J him, her belief that he could do no wrong
) of their peaceful and blessed future, and OF
/ the JOY her brother would feel when he came
home for he SO reverenced a noble man
, How pretty their home should be down
where they could hear the waters as they
heard them on the cliff She was prettier
than ever he thought; her hand so smooth
and white as he held it, aud her checks So
f delcately tnged with red. She trusted in
| him too fully; would that she doubted him
t little, only that he might show her how
true he was Then the scene changed, and
he was away on a far-otf journey, longing Ia
} get 10 her, but an ocean rolled between
Every vessel he essayed to either sank, and
: some were far away or would not come
j though he hailed them ever sn loudly. He
! cried out in agony of despair, when a voice
, Just like that of Grace, said sweety. 81 am
come to you!' and booking up, an angel
stood beside him, and it was Grace. Her
/ hand touched his forehead lie reached
2 out to clasp her in his arms and awoke, He
was alone alone on barren island in the
middle of the ocean, but he never forgot
{ that touch of her hand.
: The hours, and the days, and the mouths
/. and the years crept by witl a snail's pace.
! He planted the corn that burst through the
ground aud took one blade aud tasseled ear
r with no eye to see it save Gods, lie read
and reread his few books, and thoughts but
e oh, the desolateness of such a life! Death
/ would have been mercy, but death did
e not come. Every morning and evening
o were the same. Sabbath aud week days
r were alike to him. No word was heaid
e He forgot the sound OF his own voice. Year
e after year he strained his eyes for a sail but
s there was never one in sight. Oh, TO look
a upon one living thing to see once more one
a human face
- Five years went by, and sail was in
sight. With an intensity almost suicidal
c he watched the ship draw nigh. Fear,
mingled with his hopes. It was no doub
G the Betsey, but what would that bring t.
!. him? She could not bring worse than sh,
5 had brought. She came alongside, dIopp.-,