News and citizen. [volume] (Morrisville, Vt. ;) 1881-current, 1886-12-16

Dit MS npS ana snOOk MS head, as
though a struggle were going on within
him and then, in a broken voice, he
said: ''Libbie. I've somethin' to tell you,
but I've been ashamed t open me mouth
about it. There's times now when 1
look back t the days when you was a
bright gal, and poor Ned-yes, poor
Ned-I never called him that before, but
nov must when poor Ned wus maxim
love t you and was maxim brute o.
meself t. him. He was q good lad. but
| | WIS so cussed stuck up with me shop,
and the loafers about it that used t. brag
about me that | wouldn't stand his
marryin' you. When you tuck him,
and hunted him away with me abuse
and me drink, l didn't think the day
would come when I'd be sorry it.
But it has, Libbie, it has. He's gone.
Maybe gone for good"
| The woman was crying again, but she
wiped away her tears at this and raised
/ her pale face again.
!, ''Oh, don't say that father, don't say
that" she cried. Med will come some
time. He will find us yet. 1t seems so
strange this long waiting. But he said
he would come to claim me as his wife
when he was able to support me, and
/ he'll do it. | remember when he went
away. lie said to me: Libbie, your
father forces me to this. Come with
me or stay with him, whichever you
wish, but depend upon it that | shall be
| back soon to claim you, my little wife,
| and when do, I'll come like a man,
willing and able to take care of you and
take odds from no One.' Then he said:
hpv,
and remember that ! will be working
hard to keep my word He went away
then and have tried never to doubt
him. But it is so hard to wait and wait
and hear nothing. He may be dead.
He cannot be untrue. Disappointed and
perplexed as l am, will not believe it.
But no word, no word. 1t is that that
is killing me.n
Old Tom arose and walked the length
of his cabin, then turned about and
came back to the seat on the box. Then
he leaned over to her and said:
I'm agoin' to tell you somethin', Lib
bic. It's somethin' l oughter told you
long ago but didn't have the courage,
me gal, to own up to what scounurel
wusn
The woman dried her tears, and there
was look of interest in the pale face
that encouraged him to go on. But he
still hesitated and said to her with a
trembling voice, "YOu won't cuss me,
Libbie, will you; bad as | may be you'll
forgive me now that I've come around
and mean to do better ~
She remained impassive and only said:
''GO on, father"
II will. will, if it kills me- Libb;e,
don't you worry yourself on account O.
Ned's stickin' by you, He wus true to
you all along. He wrote to you. He
you, poor boy, and II tuck letters,
money and all"
The man grovelled down upon his
upon his hands He was that moment |
the veriest picture of humiliation and !
remorse. But she before whom he |
hunbled himself did not seem to see
him. Her eyes were fixed on vacancy |
and her lips opened and close as though
she were speaking to some one unseen.
Then she -roseESsth-a-or=gF-o of sssIl6l lNaHd- /
my husband, whom l would have
wronged by doubling, come to me;
come, o. l will die and fell on the |
floor in a swOon.
The old man, all in a tremble, crept |!
to her, raised her in his arms, dashed |
water in her face, laid her down again. |
and rushing to shelf felt for bottle |
and held it to the light. Empty A
curse upon the fiery brew that had |
brought ruin and was gone when it |
might do good He knelt again, beat |
her hands, wrung his own, and then |
starting up like a madman, dashed out |
into the air, leaving the woman lying in
the cabin as though she We're dead. |
Over to the pier and across it he hur- |
ried. He ran to the side of the big |
bark. There was no gang plank there, |
but he sprang for the lowest rigging, |
grabbed it and clambered on the deck. !
He saw figure pacing up and down
in the dark, and the yellow light for
ward showed couple of seamen who
had risen from coil of rope. He |
turned towards them, and with hands
stretched entreatingly he called out:
For Gods sake, mates, let me have
a drop of grog, or somethin'. Me gal,
me daughters dyin' over on the boat
there, and I've nothin' to bring her too.
A drop o. somethin' and bite to
strengthen her, eff you're men,
The figure in the dark stopped, and
voice asked: What's all this hubbub
about?''
''Please, sir, > cried one of the sailors,
"a mans come aboard to say woman's
sick in boat lynn off there, and he
wants sOmethin' t help her out.
"Send him to the steward said the
voice, and the form melted in the dark
ness aft.
Up and down, up and down it went
over the smooth deck-a manly figure,
but with STOPPING head and solemn,
face. Once or twice the
latter turned to the big city and the
eyes rOamed over the black profile of
the buildings and the tall brick phan-
toms far off in the air as they would
pierce to the heart of that throbbing
hive and pluck from it some secret hid
den there. A glimpse of the moon
showed overhead for a moment, and
the spars and ropes stood out clearer,
but soon it was yelled, and the figure
went on in the dark up and down, up
and down as before.
''God bless you mates, for this nights
work. GOO bless yOun
The words stole out into the air from
the open companionway, and Old Tom
who had uttered them, came
up with a bottle and pan. Once he
in his haste, but quickly re-
covering himself, he came on to the deck.
The silent figure there had paused and
turned towar the voice. 1t moves to-
ward it, and then with a wild cry
springs forward. The light from the
ships lantern falls on Old Toms face,
haggard and blanched and excited; on
the face of the other, too-young and
hearty, but sad and white with passion.
And in the yellow glow the two men
know each other.
With grand sweep of the hand the
stranger has dashed from the old mans
grasp the bottle, and it lies smashed
upon the timbers, while the young,
manly face is thirst into the others and
4 voice cries in his ears: Course it, Let
It lie there. 1t was that that robbed me
D my wife. 1t was that that drove me
away into the world wanderer in
search of her. Curse the stuff 1t was
-he curse of all )" and the heavily shod-
len foot comes down ON the splintered
glass till it crackles beneath it. Old
Tom has started back aghast at the
young mans vehemence, but in that mo-
nent rises to his lips cry that sweeps
,nmity and passion away
"hy God, Ned, it was for her She
s dying"
The strong hand of the young seaman
s on the others arm, and the face is
wen whittier as he demands:
''What do you mean She is dying.