The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1882-11-25

asked me to; but l alters said once was
enough. hadn't no pleasant recollec-
tons of the state O. matrimony and |
WANT a-goin' to try it no more. |
could take care of myself, an so could
eff my eyes hadn't ha' give out a spell
ago"
Mrs. Seymour looked at her with
infinite pity, Not even a blessed past,
q taste Of earthly felicity to look back
on, but life all bitter disappointment
and grinding work; while she had the
dearmemory fyears underlying herloss.
- You don't none of We hev lest my
trial" said Aunt Hannah Bromtield.
g Jeems Bromfeld was fust mate to a
whalin' ship when we was married. NV
sakes! what Teller he was to joke an
to carry on! He had means. too. We
was real well off Twas kinder harrow
in to hev him up an offfor three-years'
voyage right away, and then he didn't
stay to home no time when he did come:
but | had twins for to show him when he
come back fust and you never see a man
so pleased, Well, them boys was com
pany for me, you d better believe. They
was always a-talkin' about Pa, an where
he went to an what he did, and a-tellin'
about whales and harpoOners, and he'd
their little ships a-sailim in the tide-pools,
rugged as material as life; and declare
fort, they trapped a young rat one day.
The trap killed it, and smelt the awful
est smell afore long out n the yard, an
they was a-strippin' an tieusin' an try
in up that rat, a-pretendin' twas a
whale. Makes me laa,sh now"
And Aunt Hannah drew her yellow
silk handkerchief across her eyes, not as
if she were laughing.
''Well, twas part my fault. let EN-.
1t fetched Jeems to mind, somehow, and
| didn't banker after him half so bad
when them little fellers was a-chirrupin'
and a-carryin' on all the time But, fust
| knowed, they was eighteen year old,
and they hadn't seen their Pa moren
five times; but he came back then, and
there they was as likely men as you'd
see; and he he'd money in the bank, and
he and Jehiel Styles they dubbed and
built a whaler O their own, and Jeems
was cap'en and 'Hiel fust mate, and
llpLAAlil NOltlNl SCI VIC Dlll lllcIl1 DONS IluSt
go along fust voy ge. Well, it's thirty
year ago. I'm gOin' on siXty-eight now;
but | don't like to talk ont. The upshot
is, sea and waves roarin' day an light,
and night and day; winds a-blowin' an
tempests howlin', and no more boys, nor
husband, nor nothin', and here | be. |
do know so much as where their bones
do lie, nor | haven't this thirty year"
There was dead silence. Nobody
felt like breaking it; but little Rachel
who had listened, with her sweet brown
eyes wide opened and her lips apart. put
both her arms about Aunt Hannah's
neck and, with a child's quick wisdom.
gave her a resounding kiss.
The old lady laughed.
That done me real good, pussy" she
said.
Il KEEP school for children twenty
odd year to Gloucester. | do know
but what | should ha' died but for them.
Waitin' is work now, | tell We; but /
hain't got nothin' to wait for now
only for the sea to give EN- up, and
that S pretty fur ahead.
The others said nothing. Doubtless,
they too had their sorrows. but they
would sound tame after Aunt Hannah's;
and when tea had been sent in to them,
as they gathered round the open fire,
and they at last went off in relays in the
carriage Eleanor Seymour had sent for
them, she sat down in the library and
hid her face in her hands What had she
not to be thankful for? Living, loving
a long, sweet memory of love
and care laviShed on her, of honest hap
piness, an ample provision left not only
for her needs. but her comforts, and the
certainty that her husband was in a bet
ter home than the earthly one he had
left. He had not persisted on the desc
late, rainy seas" with beloved children.
helpless to rescue or be rescued beside
him; she had been with him to the last,
and his grave was made in the
ungrateful, how unthinking, how
sinful she had been. Only one cry
could burst from her lips: 81 do thank
Thee! Lord, be merciful to me sin
ner.'" And it seemed to her, as she
lifted her streaming eyes, that she could
see her husbands face smiling at her
across the fireplace; but it was an i'm
agination, not dream.
She had, at last, found that her grief
did not exceed all other sorrow, that her
loss was not unique or unreasonable,
that life had still abundant gifts for her
and Heaven an Frightening prom
Use. Not that she forgot her husband or
ceased to mourn for him; but his mem
DRY became a sacred treasure, instead of
a sharp regret, and her mourning wore
the face of yelled joy, as it led her into
the hearts of her fellow-Suffierers and
taught her how to console them with the
comfort wherewith she herself was COM
forted of God. And neither she nor her
guests of that occasion ever forgot her
first, but not her last, widowed Thanks
giving. Terry Cooke, IN n. y.
hdepCHdem.
ScObeICff'S Test OF the Sentry.