The Universalist. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1884-1897, 1886-07-03

"Come in, Ellen, it is really I. Tom
Lewis, are you glad to see me? Where
is my Silas? Tell me, is he we'll, or
orr"
He's well enough. He's jest started
off on v'y'ge for me, in the Flirt. Ye
see, Ellen an mes only jest gut married,
an ST come to me an sais't he'd go fur me
one or two trips, till Ellen gut sort O
tired O. SEEM of me raound, an I don't
guess he'll be back much fore two weeks.
Where hev ye ben? ST he's ben een-a-
most crazy, an thar amt nary man in
Saltport's he's spoke to for two year till
he come over T. our haouse, last night,
he's so fretted 'baout your bein' dead
mean-well, we all thought you was dead
anyhow. Tell me haow it was you want
dead"
And then Mary told her story-told
how she went on deck that day and
walked up to the bow and back again to
the stern, and sat on the cabin trunk a
moment, and then started to go to the
others, but becoming little dizzy she
lost her balance and fell overheard, and
the schooner sailed on and left her there.
She told how she swan to buoy near by
and chung to it while she watched the re-
ceding vessel until it was out of sight;
how she cried out, but could not make
herself heard; how she could see them
come up on deck, and knew that they
were looking for her; how she held fast
to the buoy until nearly dark, when she
saw steamer heading toward her, and
crying out with all her remaining
strength, knew no more until she came to
herself in. the hospital in Calcutta, and
even then she could remember nothing
OF her past life; but one day, about three
months before, Saltport sailor had met
her on the streets in Calcutta and had
asked her name; she gave him the name
by which she was known in Calcutta
where she acted as nurse in the hospital
The sailor shook his head, and as he went
away Mary asked him what he had
thought her name was, and he said that
be had thought that she was Mary
Frances Haskell; and at that every
thing was clear. She borrowed enough
money from the hospital physician to pay
her passage home, and had but just
arrived.
Then the tears, the laughter, the re-
joicings, that filled that little parlor were
more than hard to tell and it was not mn
til day broke that Mary could be per
suaded to go to bed. Later in the morn
ing Ellen found the boy who had toli
her of some one being in the house and
made him an explanation which effect
ually prevented his repeating the story
| for che wished to break the news gently
| to Silas, lest the suddenness of his Joy bt
too great for even his strength; and sh.
prevailed upon Mary to spend the time
until Silas should come back, with her
so that her presence in Saltport should
not be noised abroad.
When the Flirt was finally anchored IL
the little harbor, Mary went quietly into
her own house and waited for Silas's
home coming, while Ellen sent Tom te
the beach, that he might be sure to bring
Silas back wi him; and when he came
she waited not but kissed him and said:
"Silas, I thank you for the happiesi
kxrro olrco A. 70 +
to have Tom take his own place and dc
his duty, but before you leave I want
your permission to speak out my mind tc
you. Will you listen to me for just this
once? will promise never to trouble you
again."
"Say what ye'.e gut on your mind
Ellen, you wont trouble me none, nc
matter what ye say"
"Well, Silas, only want you to cease
holding yourself away from all men
hush, you said you would listen. II
Mary had died in her bed, you would
have mourned for her loss, but you would
have done your duty like man, and you
do not even know that she is dead, she
may"
"May what? Woman, what do You
mean? Dye know what ye're sayin'?"
"Gently, Silas, l do know what I'm
saying. have often thought that Mary
may have been picked up-she could
swim we'll and"
80 God in heavenl Haven't | been
Twin alone, a murderer in the sight of
heaven for five years, because I know'd
she could swim, an I never went back to
see whether she want swimmin' and SO
let her draown? Their want no vessel in
sight, an no man could swim long enough
ter let one come up after we gut out O.
sight. Oh, God! Oh, God!"
"No; but Silas, Saltport man thought
he saw Mary on the street in Calcutta
three months ago, and asked her name,
but it was not Mary; but the woman
seemed struck by the name of Mary
Frances Haskell, and went away from
him with her hand to her brow"
What more d. ye know, Ellen? Tell
me everythin'. I know from the Joy in
yer eyes that theirs somethin' ye're keep
in back. Iknow!"
And he bounded out of Ellen's house
and in a moment was in his own, and
there, standing in the doorway, was his
60 IL L. xAI I'd h<u o.