American citizen. [volume] (Canton, Miss.) 1864-1890, 1879-09-20
WHEN THE SHIP COMES IN.

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, relic of better days, perhaps, the
pearl earrings and the neat gloves.
The child is neatly dressed, too, and, as
she clasps the woman s hand looks love at
her guardian. But the woman's face is
not at its best now there is an anguish
ed expression upon it, careworn look,
and a faint wrinkle upon the pale fore
head that ages her and lessons the charm
of her features.
She is inquiring of the dock-men, 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, and
that reply is, that the brig Good Luck
has been lost a month ago, dashed on a
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-feel as sure as God rules
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 among the bales and
boxes and passing carts, and through
all the hubbub and hustle of the wharf,
and climbs a 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
significantly at one another, as much as
to say: ''Poor thingl she's mad. No
wonder, no wonderi''
Mad! Yes, she is mad with "hope
deferred" with anxiety to meet her
husband, Caleb Setter, master of the
brig Good Luck; to meet the master of
the brig, her husband and the father of
her child. God of heaven, why does he
stay away from her so longp
as the Good Luck in yetp'' she asks
of a clerk.
Not yet, a'am-"
"She is expected, of course, to-dayP"
"Of course.''
There's vessel coming in now i
see the tall masts Look! Looki',
pointing out of the office window to the
river front. "Maybe that's it! Ellie,
dear, look! there's fathers vessel, with
father on boardi''
The child clasps her little hands at
the sight.
g Sorry to say that amt it, ma'am,''
says the clerk, relapsing into his calcu-
lations and paying no more attention to
the woman.
She stares out of the open window at
the approaching vessel drawn by tug,
and then with blank look upon her
face, and moan that is heart-rending,
says:
''No, Ellie, no, That is not the Good
Luck see the figure-head; the figure
head of the Good Luck is an angel; a
white and gold angel. No, MOI that
isn't it,
.sBut papa will soon come home
won't he, mamma?' whispered the
child.
Old Mr.. Tawman, who is the head of
the establishment here, now comes from
behind the desk, and, approaching the
woman, says in kindly tone:
MRS. Setter, sit down; make your
self as comfortable as you can in din
gy office like this. Here, little one, come
here; give me kiss. A bright, pretty
little dear, Mrs. Setter
''She looks pale said the mother
I" She 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:
90 You'll tell my papa to come soon,
won't you?''
% Yes, dear"
1t was the habit of this firm to pay
sort of pension monthly to the widows
Of captains who were lost in their
service. 1t was not much of stipend,
being only half pay, but it was certainly
u blessing in very many cases. Mrs.