The Republican journal., 1880-11-04
A Benevolent Ola Salt.

On q certain winters day. not many wears since
IN uncommuuIy cold nOrthwcster blistercd the At
lanuc coast Over toward the sand dunes which
protect particular bay from the sea d man is
tlEhtlng bis way across the frozen surface in the
face Of the bitter gale His objective is 4 house
on the MARYLAND near the shore The contrast
between the luxurious warmth and colutss Of tic
interior of this house and the cold lcSolatiou
which prevails without would furnish ample ma
terlal for the modern artistic "symph0ny" i'll color
After hard struggle the man reaches the shore
under his arm tlutterS paper parcel
lie enters IL kitchen Of this particular house,
and With merely i nod to the cook seats L msef
IN silence by the tire. He is perhaps sixty ears
Of age-an ancient mariner whom many battles
with the elements have rendered unc0mmonlv
retlcent and mcommunicatIve His head is bald
but an enormous tntt upon the chin makes amends
Tor tins deficiency and adds to the grim solcmuity
OF ms appearance. At a recent revival after fifty
wears practical contemplation of life in various
portions Of the globe, he experienced religion
Friends and his dead wite's mother had hoped
that under this soothing influence he might leye
op more genial methods of expression but he was
d man. have said in whom experience had
confirmed a natural reticence When the moment
arrived in which by soma sign or word of mouth
he was, before the assembled multitude. to show
his rlpeneSs tor grace. great silence fell on the
congregation With no change Of counteuance lie
arose IN his place, faced to the northeast the
point from which he had always encountered the
hardest gales, and roared out as if addressing a
man at the mast head, Look here | want re
hglon, and I'm bound to have 1t !" This said he
dropped back into his seat silent and grim 40
change was observed in his department he had
satisfied the exigences of the conventional village
life Under no influence could he be induced to
alter OF soften the angles Of his bref but emphat
lc vocabulary, On the particularly cold day which
| have mentioned he was moved by anott er senti
ment for snugly tucked in blankets on tie upper
floor Of the house in which he was then seated
newly born infant lay sleeping From the mother
surrounded by every attanable luxury and com
fort, this ancient mariner had once accepted sig
nal service, for which, up to this time he had
never gwen any sign of apprecatve recognition.
On tins occasion for twenty minutes or more he
sat by the tire grmy eliminating Finally he
started up, and taking from under his arm the
package which he had thus jealousy guarded dur
ing the entire session, he advanced and placed 1t
the table.
Look here he said to the cook, Il ondcr
stand l-'s woman" (1ngiice, wife) rs hove to
with baby'-here he paused. and nodded assent
to his own statement i'll the direction of the north
east; Look here" (confdentialy), "wimmiu is
mighty onsartan at them times, so | fetched this
ere Oft the beach, thinkln' she might like suthiu'
sorter tasty. This said he reseated himself in
solemn silence by the fire, An examination of
the "suthin' sorer tasty, which was enveoped in
thoroughly thumbed copy of the county paper
revealed well sanded salt mackerel-a waf wash
ed on the beach from a recent wreck Oft the coast
lGaston Fay, IN larpers Magazine for November