The Redwood gazette. [volume] (Redwood Falls, Minn.) 1873-1940, 1880-06-24
HIRAM GOLDBT,
AGED rs

AVcl M S6As J<ANUAnIs lCUUs
The last six was nearly completed.
A strange pallOr gathered for a mo-
ment upon the strangers face, and
then he drew long, deep breath, and
said
"Isnot ten years a long time to be
cutting letters on atombstone, friend?"
''Eh, sir?''
The stone-cutter looked, shaded his
eyes with his brown hand, as he turned
his face to the setting sun.
'This is 1861 was the grave re-
ply, land Hiram Colby must have
been ten years under the waves.'
"Well, sir, that's the question is he
there?''
''Is he there? Your stone tells us
he is, aud has been there for ten
years."
eyes, sir, so it does--so 1t does. And
yet she has ordered it. She came over
week or SO back with worried look
upon her sweet face that have never
seen anything but patient in ten long
years, and she said to me-syou may
cut stone; Davy,' she says, :and put
it up in the church-yard, and 1 don t
want to seeit. I'll pay you whatever
you choose to ask, Davy,' she says;
but he's not dead, and don't want a
tombstone Lor, mum, says I, he'd
a turned up all these years if he was
not dead But she shook her pretty
head, the prettiest I 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.'"
ellis sweetheart" questioned the
stranger.
''His wife, sir--his loving, faithful
wife, that's had poverty, and loneliness,
and misery, her full share, and might
ha' bettered herself
"How was that?''
Mr.. Miles, sir, the richest ship
owner hereabouts; he waited patiently
for seven long years, trying to win her.
Then he said that she was free even if
Hiram came back
"Enoch Arden" muttered the
stranger.
"What did you say, STRIP 81.
.'Nothing. nothing. What answer
did the widow make, Mr.. Miles?''
.''f Hiram's Dead said she, I'm
his faithful widow while 1 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 that?''
swell, sir, it's been told many times,
more particularly in the last year, but
you're welcome to what I know of it.
There, that v is done, and I'll leave
the Scripture text till morning. If you'll
come to the gateway and take q seat on
some of the stones, I'll tell you. that is,
if you care to hear it."
II do care" was the grave reply;
" want very much to hear the
story"
"Maybe you're some kin to the Pearl
OF Monkton-that's what they call Mrs.
Colby hereabouts. It's matter of
,thirty-three years back, sir, that there
was a wreck off Monkton rocks, that
you can see from here, sir, now tides
low. Cruel rocks they are, and manv
q wreck they've seq, the more the pity.
You see them, sir?''
i see them"
"Well, sir, this one wreck, thirty.
three years ago, there was nothing
washed ashore but q bit of q girl-babv
three or four years old, with skin
like . lily leaf. and great black eyes.
Hiram Colby found her on the rocks.
He, was a 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"
II see IT, ~ 49,
swell, Hiram took the baby there,
and Mrs. Colby was. the same as
mother to her--a good woman--God
bless her soul-the widow Colby"
Is she dead, thenp''
AYE, sir, six years agone. The
baby was telling you Of. sir, talked .
foreign lingo, AMI was dressed in rich
clothes, that must have cost power of
money. But never would Hiram or the
widow sell them, putting them up
carefully in case the child was ever
looked for. She was that pretty, sir,