The Lexington dispatch. [volume] (Lexington, South Carolina) 1870-1917, 1880-09-22
From the Depths.

From the Depths.
a sweet-face woman and a sweet
faced child are wondering among the
shipping-docks of the great city. The
woman is plainly dressed, but evident
! lyin her best attire, and there is a touch
of gentility in her fnery, in the real
lace collar, relics of better days, per-
APPS, the pearl earrings and neat
owes. The child is neatly dressed,
and she clasps the woman's hand
looks love at her guardian. But
woman's face is not at its best now;
ie-worn look, and a faint wrinkle
the pale forehead that ages her
kssens the charms of her features.
is inquiring of the dockmeri,
res, and loungers about the
khether the brig Good Luck has
She always receives thesame
her eager question, for the
Luck has been lost a month
on a lee shore, and ground
TS1the sea, and will never
6t-neyer more.
rs across the street and
of stairs to where the
I've their office. They
When she enters with the
look significantly at one
ii, as much as to say:
Poor thing! she's mad. No Won
no wonderp
lad! Yes, she is mad with "hope
o ~ VITA
husband, Caleb Shelter, master of tn
brig Good Luck; to meet the master o
the brig, her husband and the father o
her child. Why does he stay ava,
from her so long?
SIS the Good Luck in yet?" sh'
asks of a clerk.
"Not yet, ma'am."
"She is expected, of course, to-day"
"Of course"
There's a vessel coming in now.
see the tall masts. Look J" pointing
out of the office window to the rive
front. MAYBE that's it. Efhe, dear
look! there's fathers vessel, with fathe,
on board"
The child Chaps her little hands a
the sight.
"Sorry to say that it amt, ma'am,'
says the clerk, relapsing into his cal
aticulons and paying no more attention
to the woman.
She stares out of the open window a
the approaching vessel drawn by tug
and then with a blank look upon be-
face and a moan that is heart-rending
says:
mo, Efie, no! That is not the Coco
Luck. / can see the figure-head. The
fgure-head of the Good Luck is ar
angel; a white and gold angel. No
no, that isn't it,"
"But papa will oon come home
won't he, mammal" said the child.
Old MIR. Tawman, who is the head O
the establishment, here came from be
hind his desk, and, approaching the
woman, said, in a kind tone:
MRS. Shelter, sit down; make your
self as comfortable as you can in 8
dingy Office like this Here, little one
come here and give me kiss. A bright
pretty little dear, Mrs. Shelter"
"She looks PALE" said the mother
"she is very tired; she has been walk
ing too much"
The old gentleman sits down and
lifts the little girl on his knee and kis
ses her.
She winds her arms around his neck
and says:
"You will tell my papa to come soon,
won't YOU"
eyes, dear"
It was a habit of this firm to pay s
sort of pension monthly to the widows
of captains who were lost in their ser
vice. It was not much of a stipend
only hali-pay, but it was certainly g
blessing in very many cases. Mrs
Shelter had always received her hus
money here, while he was al
or it was sent to her when she was
aor the weather was bad.
III, Mr.. Tawman, Pm sure the Coco
( will be in to-day"
ertainly it will. What's to hinder
he answers.
puts the child down and goes
tn his desk. and unlocking his