Springfield globe-republic. (Springfield, Ohio) 1884-1887, 1886-08-08

with one halt for bait At nine o'clocl
the chaise wheels took the stones of tn,
High street
In Greystone at Iasti And as in the Higl
street he stood, the smooth sea stretching il
gray luster to the sky from under the front
ing houses, and the keen wind whitening tn,
roadways-uunotic'h, for the cold, by tn,
few persons abroad who hurried past, hug
ging themselves in folds of frieze-a passion
ate fear came upon him and held him to tn
pavement
For right in his light, looking now through
bare tendrils OF creepers, was the ship
wright's wooden house; and that il might
Oe desolate placs for the want of his wife
and n tomb for the echoes Of memory only tc
sound in, was a dread OF the awful kind that
repels the heart with horror from the de
termination of it
He took courage presently and went for
ward slowly, with his eyes fixed upon the
house, until he was at the gate of it, and
then he walked quietly to the door He
knocked and fell back a pace, that every
window might be visible to him; and while
he stood, looking first here and then there,
the door was opened, and a respectfully
dressed woman stood forth
He could barely speak for the construction
in his throat, and in quite faint voica
asked il Mrs. Strangfeld was within
"Oh, dear no, sir Mrs Strangfeld has
been gone these three months" ans swered the
woman, looking at him with surprise.
"Whereip
"Why, to house in Winston Do not
you know her husband be dead, and the
business sold to Mr.. McAndrewr
~They were friends of mine, and am Just
returned from long journey" And in a
wild quick way, like cry overlapping de
cision, he said: "And what of her daughterf'' r
Mrs Shawl She lives along wi her
mother. Her husband be dead too, We
know"
~She lives with her mother, AMI is WELL
hopeP he said, the flush brought to his face
by the violence his question did him yielding
to deadly white.
"Quite well, | believe, sir. She's niver /
Greystone. They say she's known deal o
sorrow, and there's some shame in il that
keeps her hiding. Poor heart! A sweeter
woman there is not; truly there is not
She looked at him hard as she said this
the gaze growing keener and keener. the
eyebrows lifting 10 it, and something like an
expression of CONSERVATION coming into her
face
Il am Mr.. Shaw" he said, anticipating
the question that was already parting her
lips
-You!-an' she thinks ye deadl" the
woman shrieked.
With toss of the hands he turned his
head TO look up the High street
ais it known" he said, confronting her,
"that was impressed in error by a gang Of
sailorsi What did my father thinkl Do you
know himf'
"Dr. Shaw. of the school housel Well by
name, sir. Ye know. of course, that he be
well, and is giving up teachin'l A man hath
come from some city i the north to buy the
school from hm-so l heerd but week
since" said the woman, so fascinated, not
alone by the romance of Cuthbert's return,
but by the beauty of his face, that she could
not lift her eyes from him.
"Is it known that l was impressedn he
asked again
Il cannot tell We for sure sir. Some talk
there was, l think; but them as it went
among were but little known to me. And
before my husband bought this business we
lived at the white houss. away down by
Callow bay, which kept me out o gossip"
"ls Mr. Franklin alivei or, where can
hire a coach"
"Oh, Mr.. Franklin is nicely, sir Will We
not come in and sit downi And my gel
shall fetch you coach as quick as liver it'll
come for thee "
He thanked her for her offer and entered
the little parlor never before beheld by him
and even unfamiliar to us, now that the
quaint furniture Of the Strangfelds was
gone and the simple old sea pieces
He breathei quickly as he stood alone
looking around him This had been his
darling's home. Through the window, into
which Mr.. McAndrew had let clarified glass,
he saw the old bay tree and the shrubbery
and green stuff, amid which he used to slip
his letters to his sweetheart after dark, ap-
pointing meetings for the morrow. The
walls around him had echoed to her voice
Her feet had trodden the ground on which
he stood Yonder was the scene of street
and market place which her timid eyes had
swept again and again that night when she
waited tor him to come and tell her father
that she was his wife.
Mrs. McAndrew returned with a tray of
wine and biscuit, and pulled a chair to the
table that he should sit
I'm all of tremble with astonishment,
sir, truly. 'Tis the wonderfullest thing that
We should be there looking at me. and your
pretty wife thinking herself widow, not
five miles away. I've sent the gel for a
carriage Yen have patience for five
minutes sir; and if this wines not to your
relish, l can draw proper head o beer"
He seated himself, looking vacantly at the
woman under his lowering brow
"You cannot tell me that my wife knep
that was carried away to sea by a press
gangi" he said presently
Il can't own as iver | heard say she knew
it, sir. But can tell you that some trouble
came upon the sweetheart after ye Were
missing; her father was cruel, and that she
were married he would not believe That's
what were said Then afterward it werg
proved by DR.. Shaw she was your wife, sir.
And that broke her fathers heart, they said
One thing reckon sure, howiver wrong be
all else l say, your wife ran away from
Greystone for the shame that evil thinking
gossips put upon her: and her mother, as
she now lives with, told me herself that her
reason for sellin' the business was because
Mistress Shaw had vowed niver TO come to
Greystone again, after she had kissel her
father, lying de I'd on his bed for grief"
MAY God forgive them all for wronging
herl Poor little one, Could her father look
at her and doubt her! Oh, madam, the
carriage is a long while coming. This delay
is heavy trial to me,'
He went quickly from his chair to the
window, where he stood while. tapping the
ground with his foot
"How did my father treat her, do you
knowi" he asked
"Why, sir, very honorably, believe, from
all reports. An old Mrs Mead, whom some
call mother, was telling me a while back.
that your father asked Mistress Shaw to go
and live with him, promising to pack the boys
home and give up the trade if she'd come
But your lady had a proper spirit, ard Mrs
Mead, who loves her, said: How should she