River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1879-06-12
When the Ship Comes I'm.

A Sweet-faced woman and sweet
faced child are wandering among the
shipping docks of the great city. The
woman is plainly dressed, but evidently
in her best attire, and there is a touch of
gentility in her finery, in the real lace
collar, relics OF better days, perhaps, the
pearl earrings and the neat gloves. The
child is neatly dressed, too, as she clasps
the womans hand, looks love at her guar
dian. But the woman face is not at its
best now; a careworn look, and a faint
wrinkle upon the pale forehead that ages
her and lessons the charm of her features.
She is inquiring of the lockmen, of the
stevedores, of the loungers about the
wharves, whether the brig Good Luck has
come in. She always receives the same
reply to her eager question, for the brig
Good Luck has been lost month ago,
dashed on lee shore, and ground to
pieces by the sea, and will never come in
--never-never more.
If they told her, she wouldn't believe
them, for the woman and her child have
supreme faith that the brig Good Luck
will come in soon with cargo and crew,
though they have been asking the same
question and same prayer for many and
many day.
Then she goes across the street and
winds her way along the bales and boxes
and passing carts, and through all the
hubbub and bluster of the wharf, and
climbs flight of stairs to where the brig
owners have their office. They are used
to seeing her They smile sadly when
she enters with the child, and look signifi-
cantlv at one another, as much as to say
"Poor thing she's mad No wonder, no
wonder!p
Mad? Yes, she is mad with "hope de-
ferred, with anxiety to meet her hls-
band. Caleb Shelter, master of the big
Good Luck; to meet the master of the
brig, her husband and the father of her
child. Why does he stay away from her
so long?
SIS the Good Luck in YETI" she asks of
of a clerk.
.'Not yet ma am"
"She is expected, of course, to-day"
"Of course"
"There's vessel coming in now. see
the tall masts. Look! Look" pointing
out of the office window to the river front.
"Maybe that's it! Ellie, dear, look
there's fathers vessel, with father on
board y
The child clasps her little hands at the
sight.
'sSorry to say that amt it ma am, says
the clerk, relapsing into his calculations
and paying no more attention to the wo-
man.
She stareseout of the open window at
the approaching vessel drawn by Il tug,
and then with blank look upon her face,
and a moan that Is heart rendering, says
"No, Ellie, mo- That is not the Good
Luck. / see the figure head. The figure
head of Good Luck is an angel; white
and gold angel. No, no. that isn't"
1But papa will soon come home, won't
he mammal whispered the child.
Old Mr. Tawman, who is the head of
the establishment here gave her kiss.
"A brlght,pretty little dear, Mrs. Shelter.
"She looks pale said the mother.
sShe is tired; she has been walking too
much'' The old gentleman sits down
and lifts the little girl on his knee and
kisses her.
She winds her arms about his neck and
exclaims
''You tell my papa TO come soon,won't |
your
Yes, dear
It was the habit of this irm TO pay a
sort of pension monthly to the widows of
captains who were lost in their service.
It was not much of stipend, being only |
half-pay, but it was certainly the bless !
ing in very many cases Mrs. Shelter
had always received her husbands money |
here, while he was at sea, or it was sent
to her when she was sick or the weather
was bad.
"Ah, Mr.. Tawman, I'm sure the Good
Luck will be in to-day"
"Certainly it will. What's TO hinder
it?'' he ans Sers.
He puts the child down and goes over
to his desk, and unlos King his drawer he
Ia kes out an account book and begins
writing a receipt. Then goes over into the
cashiers room. While he IS there the
telegraph clerk calls him over.
Click, clickity chick goes the magic
instrument repeating its dot and message.
'Hear thatl says the operator. That's
news for you" The proprietor could
read every word by its sound,
sits ike message from God, says
Mr. Tawman, reverently. II must not
tell her.
He comes back to where the woman is
sitting. his face Is flushed with emotion;
some strange excitement. He throws in
10 her lap bundle of hank notes
There, Mrs. Shelter, now go home.
Take q car at the DOOR
.Oh, I'm not tired. And / shouldilike
to l,c here when the brig comes in. But
| thank you so much, so much" Il
aHere, little one, says the good-hcart-
II rT'.vrp.ar isheratc com afh1ucr for v,,rf IN
buy candies with. He puts into her
tiny outstretched hand fright quarter
Of dollar, and langhs at the wonder and
delight Of the little recipient