Weekly graphic. [volume] (Kirksville, Adair Co., Missouri) 1880-1949, 1880-06-26
HIRAM GOLDBY.
LOST AT SEA JASraRy 1894

LOST AT SEA, JANUARY, 1880.
The last six was nearly completed
A strange pallor gathered for a mo
ment upon the strangers face, ant
then he drew long, deep breath, and
said
lis not ten years long time to be
cutting letters on atembstone, friend2''
"Eh, sir?"
The stone-cutter looked, shaded his
eyes with his brown hand, as he turned
his face to the setting sun.
This is 1876" was the grave re.
ply, land Hiram Goidby must have
been ten years under the waves"
..Well, sir, that's the question is he
there2'
us he there? Your stone tells us
he is, and has been there for ten
years.
"Ycs. sir, so it does-so 1t does. And
yet she has ordered it. She came over
a week or so back with 4 worried look
upon her sweet face that have never
Seen anything but patient in ten long
years. and she said to me-.you NAV
cut stone; Davy,' she says, .and put
it up in the church-yard, and | don I
want to see it. I'll pay you whatever
you choose to. ask, Davv,' she says;
but he's not dead, and don't want a
tombstone Lor, num- says |, he
a turned up all these years if he was
not dead But she shook her pretty
head, the prettiest ever seen, sir, and
said she: My heart never told me that
he was dead, Davy. and I'll never be-
lieve it till my heart tells me so.'"
His sweetheartp' questioned the
stranger.
His wife. sir--his loving, faithful
wife, that had poverty, and loneliness,
and misery, her full share. and might
ha' bettered herself"
How was that?'
mir. Miles, sir, the richest strip
owner hereabouts; he waited patiently
for seven long years. trying 10 win her.
Then he said that she was free even if
Hiram came back"
"Enoch Arden" muttered the
stranger
w hat did you say, sir?''
"Nothing. nothing. What answer
did the widow make. Mr. Miles?'
".lf Hiram dead said she, I'm
his faithful widow while | live. If Hi
rams living. I'm his faithful wife,
Maybe you are from the city, sir and
have heard the story of our Pearl?''
what story is that9''
"Well, sir. it's been told many times,
more particularly in the last year, but
you're welcome TO what l know of it.
There, that 6 is done, and I'll leave
the Scripture text till morning. If you'll
come to the gateway and take seat on
some of the stones, I'll tell you, that is,
if you care to hear it,
Il do care" was the grave reply;
al want very much to hear the
story"
Maybe you're some kin to the Pearl
of Monkton-t that what they cali Mrs.
Colby hereabouts. It's matter of
thirty-three years back, sir, that there
was !, wreck off Monkton rocks. that
you can see from here, sir, now tides
low. Cruel rocks they are, and many
a wreck they've seen, the more the pity.
You see them. sir.?"
IL see them"
"Well. sir. this one wreck, thirty
three years ago, there was nothing
washed ashore but bit of girl-baby
three or four years old, with a skin
like lily leaf, and great black eyes.
Hiram Gokiby found her on the rocks.
He was boy of twelve years. strong
and tall, and he carried the child in his
arms to his mother. You may see the
cottage, sir. the second white one on the
side of the hill"
IL see it."
"Wel, Hiram took the baby there,
and Mrs. Colby was the same as
mother to her--a good woman-God
bless her soul-the widow Goldby."
lis she dead. thcn?"
"Aye, sir. six years aeone. The
BABY l was telling you Of, sir. talked
'oreign lingo, and was dressed in rich
clothes, that must have cost a power of
money. But never would Hiram or the
widow sell them, putting them up
in case the child was over
ooked for. She was that pretty, sir.