Gloucester County Democrat. (Woodbury, N.J.) 1878-1932, 1880-03-04
A FORLORN HOPE.

1t was down at the docks by the North
river, New York, where the streets are
diRgy and narrow and wear a perma-
nently blackened look-Where the
houses are curiously jammed together,
clinging to one another like irregular
teeth. Seafaring men stood talking in
groups at the corners of the crossings
and beneath the awnings of the side
walks. Every pair of trousers was more
or less daubed with tar, and the men
bore on their ruddy cheeks he kisses of
the suns of every cline under high
heaven.
Thews and sinews were to be seen
there toiling doggedly and perp tually.
Steam engines of various forms and uses
were toiling also after their fashion
hoisting goods, pumping water, driving
poles. Horses were dragging enormous
loads, calmly, as if they were used to the
engines. and cared less than nothing
about the noise. The workers were
pushing out groins and breastworks and
piles and dams, which must have as
tonished the river as they gradual Y
forced it out of its old landmarks.
Here and there might be observed
Thoughtful looking men standing, watch
ing keenly and with contracted bro WIS
the progress OF things.
Standing apart, with folded arms and
profoundedly discouraged air, a young
man was likewise gazing around him.
He was broad shouIdered, tall and mus
cular. He had full blue eyes, quantity
of hair of a tawny red, large
mouth out of which glittered a superb
set of white teeth. Naturally his smile
was constant, bright and jovial; but
now it was considerably overcast He
walked up to the contractor with the
air of a man who has made up his mind
to last effort.
''Then there's no chance for me on
the job, Mr.. Broadlip?"
81 guess not, Berthfeld."
The other was silent.
Yousee, continued Broadlip, Pod
ford manages it all, and he has the
stamps"
the position would have just suited
me-"
"Down to the ground, but you amt
Podford's nephew. It's not the right
man in the right place, Joe. But
the man is in the place, and right will
not turn him out while might keeps him
in. 1t amt my fault you aint fixed
Joe, and I'm real sorry. fl was boss
I'd fix you right off. "
" I'm obliged, Mr.. Broadlip. I'll see
you at Engledell, Sunday" and Joe
Berthfield turned on his heel:
1t was Sunday in Engledell-on- the.
Hudson-the quaint old town of Engle
dell that overlooks the North river from
a snug little aerie up in the k-ribbed
Palisades. The cracked bell of the
church was changing forth its invitation
to people to enter its open doors. Ii
was an old church. The windows ere
cobwebbed and dirty, with here and
there pane of stained glass in strange
pattern; these were distributed with
perfect irregularity. These window:
looked on the worn gravestones where
the torefathers of those who now stood
there slept. Long, tangled, sickly gras:
twined about the gravestones, and ont
or two were ornamented with rose
bushes and oystershelis. Some trees O
smoked, dried green slowly grew anC
slowly decayed by the side of the ole
church. The bell-rope hung into tn,
body OF the building, and o stove rearec
its unsightly pipe in the center, sup
ported by iron bars that radiated from
it in every direction.
just as the service commenced. ;
pretty, darK-eyed girl gllded down tn
aisle, with a. rather conscious-strickel
air, opened, with some difficulty, one O
the doors and hid herself im.aediatel
In one of the pews, her blushing fac
closely pressed against her hands, whic
lay on the woodwork in front of hel
as she knelt down to say short prayer
Within just as much time as suggeste
the idea that he had fingered outsid
in order not to appear together, 10
Berthield entered and seated himse
= in an adjacent pew.
The two behaved very well durin
the service, taking only stealthily innc
cent glances at each other and even the
at long intervals. But when the servic
was read and the benediction said, th
girl remained a little longer than usua
on her knees, and Joe was waiting fo
her when she arose. They walked 81