Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1880-03-17
VOL. 75.-3S31. NO. %.

He tried to. lie told her Of a splendid
home he had in New York, for he'd followed
his wife and child, sir, TO city they had
never reached. He was rich and lonely. He
begged his child 10 go, but she would not.
Hiram will come here for me- she said,
and he will find me where he left me-"
"On what has she lived 2"
Sewing sir, mostly. The cottage was
old Mrs. Goldby's, and bless you, Pearl did
not eat much more than bird, and her
dresses cost next to nothing. But there's
no denying she was very poor,--very, and
yet the grand house and big fortune never
tempted her. So her father came on and on
to see her, until April. And he died, sir,
and left our Pearl all his fortune and the
grand house in New York. But she'll not
CO. sir, she'll die here, waiting for Hiram,
who'll never come"
The stranger lifted his face that had been
half hidden in his hand and said
"There was a shipwreck in the Pacific
ocean, Davy, years aud years ago, and one
man only was saved--saved, Davy, by saw
ages, who made him a slave, the worst of
slaves But one day this sailor saved the
life OF the chiefs daughter, who was in the
coils OF huge snake, and the chief released
him. More than that, he gave him choice
spices and woods, and sent him aboard the
first passing ship So the sailor landed in
a great city, sold his presents and put the
gold in safe keeping. Then he travelled till
he reached the seaport town where he was
born, and coming there at sunset, heard the
story of his life from the lips of man
cutting his tombstone"
Not word spoke Davy. Standing erect,
he seized an immense sledge hammer, aud
with powerful blows from strong, upifted
arms, dashed the marble into fragments.
| Then, painting with exertion, he held out
his brawny hand to the stranger-a stranger
| no longer.
"Pve done no better work in my life than
I've done in the last five minutes, Hiram.
| Go home, man, and make PEARLS heart glad.
She don't need it, Hiram-she don't need it.
You asked me about the stone. The neigh
bors drove her to ordering it, twitting her
that now she was rich, she grudged the
stone to her husbands memory. So she told
me to cut it, but says, Don't put dead upon
| it, Davy-put lost at sea for Hiram's lost
but he'll be found and come back to me-
She never looked at it, Hiram, never. And
there's not an hour, nor hasn't been for ten
years, that she hasn't been looking for you
to come back. Go to her, mau, and the
Lords blessing be upon both of you"
So, grasping the hard, brown hand, Hi
ram Goldby took the path to the little VIII To
cottage in which he had been born forty.five
years before. The sun had set aud the
darkness was gathering, but little CLEAN
of light streamed from the window Of his
cottage. He drew near softly, and stand
ing on the seat of the porch, looking over
the half curtain into the neat, but poor sit
ting-room.
at was not the grand house, PEARLS her
itage in New York, but Pearl herself was
there. A slender woman, with pals sweet
face, and bl ,ck hair smoothly banded aud
gathered into rich brads at the back OF her
shapely head. Her dress was plain dark
} one, with white rutilss, cuffs, and an apron.
She had been sewing, but her work was
put aside aud presently she came to the
open window and drew aside the curtain
: She did not see the tall figure drawn closely
! against the wall in the narrow porch but
! her dark eyes looked mournfuly toward the
sea, glimmerng in the half light.
"My darling" she whispered, "are you
dead, and has your spirit come to take mins
, where we shall part no more 2"
Only the wash of the waves b low answered
her. Signing softly, she said: Is my dar
. ling coming? feel him so near me,
, could almost grasp him"
:
window sill, and low voice answer ed her
"Pearl PEARL"
The arms that had so long grasped onl,
r empty air were filled then, as Hiram stooC
! under the low window.
"Do not move, love-" she whispered
y pressing her soft lips to his IL alway
wake when you move"
"But now," he said, "you are alread.
e awake. See, Pearl, your trust was heaven
given. 1t is myself, your fond, true hus
s band little one, who will never leave yo'
again"
n at is truel You have come ~ she crie'
e at last, bursting into torrent of happy tears
81 knew you were not dead. You coul
not be dead, and my heart not tell me-"
), was long before they could think Of anythin
e but the happiness Of reunion after tn
It many years of separation, but at last, draw
It ing Pearl closer, Hiram whispered Z"
y walked from j. love, aud am enormousl
II hungry"
And PEARLS merry laugh chased the la:
l shadows from her happy face, and sh
hustled about the room preparing supper,
IT "Supper for two !" she cried, gleefully.
y The grand house in New York is tenaute
V by its owners, and Hiram goes to sea n
Il more; but in the summer time two happ
=, people come for quiet month to the whit
3, cottage at Monkton, and have always
e listen to Davy's tale of the evening when b
was cutting Hiram Goldby's tombstone, an
ended by smashing it into atoms.
e "For," is the invariable ending Of tn
e tale, Pearl was right, aud we were wroul
3 all of us; for Hiram Godby was lost |
1t sea, sure enough, but he was not dead, an
n he came to her faithful love as she alway
s, said he would. d."-Ssiecied.