Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1885-06-12

LeveSQue came In ABOUT nlgHtidl.
They told him about it. He said:
s'Must be some sneak or william.
And he went to bed without feeling |
the least anxiety, while his wife kept |
thinking about the prowler W ho had
stared at her with such queer-looklng |
eyes.
When day came around there was
a big wind, and, seeing that he could |
not take his boat out, the sailor began |
to help his wife to mend the nets
About Q o'clock the eldest girl-a |
Martin-who had been sent for bread,
came running with a frightened face,
and cried out: Mamma, there he is
again"
The mother almost tainted; and,
pale as a ghost, she said to her hus'
Rand: 60 out and talk to hlm,
Levesque, and stop this sneaklng
around-it just worries me out of my
senses"
And Ievesque, a burly seaman,
whose face was tanned to the color OF
brick, with a rough, red beard, blue
eyes with piercing black pupil, and
a strong neck, always enclrcled by a
wooden scarf, to protect him from cold
winds and chilly rains at sea, arose
very quietly and walked directly to
the prowler. And the two began to
talk. The mother and the children
wat ;hed them from distance, shud-
dering with anxiety.
All of a sudden the stranger rose up
and followed Levesque toward the
house.
La Martin snrank back terrified.
Her husband said to her: Give him
bite of bread and glass of cider.
lie hasn't had anything to eat for
two days"
And they both entered the cottage,
followed by the mother and her chill,
dren. The Drowler sat down and
began TO eat, keeping his head down,
as if to avoid being looked at.
The woman, standing near hum,
watched him keenlY, and the two
tall daughters, the Martin girls. lean
ing against the door posts one OF
them carrying the youngest child
stared at him with curious eyes; and
the two little urchirs, squattlng
among the ashes of the Fireplace,
stopped playing with the pot IN order
To contemplate TIC sIFdIlStI.
Levesque took char, and sitting
down, asked him: 80 you come
from a good ways off?'
81 have come from Cette."
"On foot just like you are?"
eyes, on foot When one hasn't
the mears, one has TO walk"
"rhen where are you going tor
"Going here"
'Know any folks herr
Guess so"
They stopped talking. He ate slow
ly, hungry as he was, and drank a
little cider after each mouthful of
bread. lie had worn face wrlnkled,
full of hollows-an seemed to have
suffered great deal.
Levesque roughly asked him:
whats your Nance
lie replied, without lifting his Dyes,
''My names Martin"
A strange shiver passed through
the mother. She took one long step
forward, as if to get closer view OF
the tramp, and remained standing IN
front OF him, her arms hanging life
lessIy by her sides. her mouth opened
as if to cry out Nobody SAID a word.
At last Levesque resumed.
care you from this place."
He answered. | am from this
place"
And as he lifted his head at last, the
eyes of the woman and his own met
and remained fixed, mixed together
in a gaze so motionless that is seemed
to be interlocked.
IL ii, nl
low and trembling asked: us that
you, my husband?'
He articulated slowly: Yes; it's
me-
lie did not move, and continued to
MUNICH his bread.
LcveSque, more surprised than
moved Stammered out. "You are
Martin" The other replied simply:
Eyes, It's me-" And the second hus-
band then asked: "Where on earth
did you come from2" The first replied
From the African coast. We found
cred in n shoal. Three of us were
savcd-Picard, and Natinel, and me.
And then we were taken by the saw
ages, who kept us twelve years. Pi
cards dead and Natinel's dead. 1t
was an English traveller passing
through VINO saved me and took me
with him to Cette. And here l am"
La Martha was crying, with her
apron lifted to her face.
Levesque mutIered: What will
we do now2"
Martin asked: Its you is her hus-
band nowm
Levesque answered; Eyes"
They looked at each other and re
NAMED silent.
Then Martin, looking at the child
rem standing in ring around him,
nodded his head toward the two tall
girls and asked; "Thev are mine2"
l,eveSque replied; Eyes"
He did not get up; did not kiss
them; only observed: Good God
how big they have grown"
l,evesque reiterated: "What am |
to do now2"
Martin, equally puzzled, could not
tell. Finally he said: ma, I'll fix |
matters the way You like. | don't |
want To do YOU no wrong. Still, its |
bad fix anyhow, when one thinks
about the house. I've two children: |
~ 'A NC bbICI ttIil ts1il nave MS Wv liz |
The mother-is she yours or is she |
mine? I'll agree TO anything you
want; but the house that's mine, be-
cause my father left it To ME, and be
cause she's got papers at the notary's
to prove it.
La Martin was still crying with |
little sobs she hid behind the blue
cotton of her apron. The two tall
girls had drawn near and were star
ing anxiously at their father.
lie had finished eating aud exclaim-
ed in his turn: "What am 10 do
now9'
A sudden idea came to Levesque:
Go see the priest-he'll tell.
Martin arose, and as he approached
his wife she flung herself sobbing
upon his breast. my husband, it's
you! Martin, my poor Martin, it's
your"
And she Rugged him tightly, thrill
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