Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1885-11-07


way was composed of old ships timber, and
The one small window it contained had orig
inally formed the window Of . ships cabin.
Over the door was placed ike . sign, the
wooden figure-head Of young woman, naked
to the waist, holding . mirror in her hand
and regarding herself with remarkable COM
placency, despite the fact that accident had
deprived her of . nose and one eye, and that
the beautiful red complexion and Jet black
hair she bad once possessed had been entirely
washed away by the action Of the elements,
leaving her an over Of leprous pallor. The
rest of the building, as have suggested, was
of sinister blackness though here and there it
was sprin,-led with wet sea sand Sand, too,
lay on every side, covered a small patch,
originally meant for a garden, and drifted
thic.-ly up to the very door.
To this cottage William Jones ran with his
treasure trove, and, entering it without cere-
mony, found himself in almost total dark
ness; for the light which crept through the
blackened panes of the small windows was
only just sufficient to make darkness visible.
But this worthy seaside character, having, in
addition to a cats predatory instincts, some
thing Of a cats power Of vision, clearly dis
cerncd everything in the chamber he Just en-
tered-a rule, stone paved kitchen, with an
open fireplace and no CRATE, black rafters
overhead, from which suspended sundry lean
pieces of bacon; a couple of wooden chairs, a
table, and in one corner q sort Of bed in the
wall, where q human figure was reposing.
Setting down the trunk on the floor, he
marched right over to the bed and uncere-
Inoniously shook the individual lying upon
it, whom he discovered to be a man, mutter
ing in heavy sleep. Finding that he did
not wa,:c with shaking, William Jones bent
down end cried Justify in his ear:
''Wrecki wreck ashorer'
The eject was instantaneous. The figure
rose up in BID disclosing the head and Shout
d3.s Of q very old man, who wore a red cotton
night cap, and whose hair and beard were as
white as snow.
"Ehs Wheerl Wheerf he cried in a shrin
treble, looking vacantly around him.
wake up, old 'un," said W nian, seizing
him and shaking him again. ''It's me- VIII
liam Jones'"
"Williaml Is it my son Williamr' re-
turned the old man, peering out into the
darkness.
eyes, father. Look ye now, you was
a-talking again in your sleep, you was. A
good thing no one heerd you but your son
Nilliar% Some O. these days you'll be letting
sunnat out, you will, if you go on like this. !"
The old man shook his head feebly, then
claspizs his hands together In a kind OF rap
ture, he looked at bis son and said:
Eyes, William, was a-dreamlng. Oh, 1t
was such heavlngly dream! was a-stand-
ing on the shore, William, and it was a-blow-
ing hard from the east, and all at once see
ship as big as an lndlaman come in WI all
sail set, and 60 ashore; and looked round,
William dear, and there was no one nigh but
you and me; and when she broke up see
gold and silver and Jewels come washing
ashore just like floating weeds, and the
drownded, every one Of 'em, had rings on
their fingers and gold watches and cheens,
and, more'n that, that their hands was full
Of shining gold; and one on 'em-a lady,
William-had bright diamond ring, as big
as walnut; but when tried to pull it off it
wouldn't come; and just as pulled out my
leetle knife to cut the finger of, and put it in
my pocket, you shook me. William, and woke
me up Oh, it was heavingly dream~
William Jones had listened with nl-dis-
guised interest to the early part OF this
speech, but, on its conclusion, he gave an
other grunt OF undissembled disgust.
'Well, you're awake now, old 'un; 80 jump
up. I've brought summat home. Look
sharp, and get Light"
Thereupon the old man, who was fully
dressed in pair Of old wooden trousers and q
guernsey, slipped from the bed and began
fumbling about the room. He soon found
what he wanted-a box OF matches and q
rude, homemade candle, fashioned of a long,
coarse reed dipped in sleeps tallow; but
owing to the fact that he was exceedingly
feeble and tremulous, he was SO long in light
ing up that his gentle son grew impatient.
HERE, give IN to mel! said William
You're wasting them matches just as if they
cost nowt. A precious fath2r you are, and
no mistake"
The candle being lighted and burning with
feeble lame, he informed the old man of
what he had found. In moment the latter
was down on his knees, opening the box
and greedily examining its contents. But
William pushed him lmpatlently away and
closed the Id Win Dang.
"Iheer, enough O. that, old uni You hold
the light wniie carry the box In and put it
away:
All right, William dear-ail right" re-
turned the old man, obeylng gleefully. Il
knowd we should nave luck, by that beauti-
ful dream"
The two men-one holding the light and
the other carrying the trunk-passed through
q door at the back OF the kitchen and entered
an inner chamber. This chamber, too, con-
tanned window, which was so blocked up,
however, by lumber OF all kinds that little
or no daylight entered. Piled up in great
confusion were old sacks, some partly full,
some empty; coils Of rope, broken oars,
broken fragments Of ships planks, rotten and
barnae.5d; small boats rudder, dirty sails,
several oiiskln coats, bits OF iron ballast AID