Rock Island daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1886-1893, 1888-11-23
The AVENGING FINGER.

"A devlllsh nightn cried Master WON
shliifuily bringing his boat to anchor; mot
even sardine for my painsl But the wind
and the fishing, too, will be so much the hat.
ter tomorrow
ana won was right in his estimate Of the
weather, Tor the roaring blasts that svent
the sea at the moment, fiinginu it unon TN,
SANDS In spray and heaps of foam that buried
themselves with furious howIinors in The 81
lent aud somber streets of the VILLAGE yvo,,,a
sali he gone by morning.
4 The boat at anchor. the fieba.,,,o,, 5.o,,.
,. iolh tne potion OF it the huge fishing sacks.
IL "osoiutely empty, threw them upon his
eA' iehlounted the strand, and turned his
sps toward his distant dwelling. A rough
5IIiior TINS master WON, tall, broad shoul-
- ana tanned to the color of an ORANGE
" .he salty winds, who never sulked at
Sorh, and whom they saw when others
~. ~ n'ehed by the tempests, remained in the
sinaget, smiling and indifferent, make ready
us ooat unaided and put to sea.
inis evening even, despite the counsels of
nus companions and the supplications of his
WE ne mad embarked as usual, not to reAurn
I'LL morning, but decidedly the weather was
700 Reavy-the harvest did not come and
ma toi' he had put about, and by. 70 O'Clock
was safe IN port again One thought alone
cohsoied HIM for his bad fortune-he was 90
ing 10 surprise his Catherine his dear treas
ure, and to pass beside her the hours of work
mat the ocean refused to allow him to take
from 1t. All, we'll, happiness gave him ma
tlence' and tomorrow, alters night like this.
the game would be hungry-the fishing mar,
Vicious.
lie loved his wife so much. this brave
Von' she whom he had seen play when a
little one before the shop Of her father. the
"heelwright. they had passed these JOYOUS
tne'neafS together, participating in the same
pays, IN the same stream of sunlight enter
ing between the wheels of the chariots nm
dergolng repairs and mincling their cries
and shouts of laughter with the sonorous
strokes of the hammers Then Catherine
had grown up and WON, who had COM
menced TO pass his DAYS upon the sea. no
longer dared to talk with her as of old
Nevertheless, on Sundays, when all the conn
try side climbed the coast to the little chanel
ut Morlach, he followed from afar the move
ments of the village SWANS about this bean.
tiful girl, his jealous eye resting ALWAYS upon
one above all Others.
This one was the handsome Dominique. the
assistant Of the wheelwright, GATHERINGS
father. Invariably clothed in fresh blouse,
clean and well fitting, his hair brushed
smoothly and scented with pomade, and
flower nodding in his buttonhole. he ira
versed the Plce de la Marche with the air of
conqueror, addressing himself with smiles
and condescending mods to the wives and
girls of the village, and to which they as
atfably responded, On fete DAYS, when be
appeared at the ball that closed the exercises
Of the OCCASION all eyes were turned upon
him again. while they awaited with evident
anxiety his selection of a partner for the
evening
But Dominique in nowiSe hurried himself,
but made the tour Of the hall, examined them
TRANQUILITY, and then cast his e on the
most beautiful Frequently it seemed to the
lockers on at this game of vanity that he lost
his time when he stopped before the daurh-
ter of the Wheelwright. for Catherine mani.
tested for the workman of her father an in
difference bordering upon aversion. The
women chatfed her about it. accused her of
being proud, and declared that the handsome
Dominique was spoiled for her ewes by a
trlghtIuI Disagreement that he carried upon
his left hand-a tisttEurement that he had
received when W. from the hammer of
a comrade. The idle finger Of the hand
hung useless and tnmetied, the flesh shriveled
from the bone, blush and hideous.
As time passed on, and under the SPUR Of
Domlnique's gallautrias WON racroirod hi,
courage, and one beautiful morning made
his demand unon Father Francois for the
hand Of bis daughter. He was steady. hon
est, full Of ardor for work, and loved her
dearly. The old man consented. moved nAr.
haps, by the avowal that Catherine had made
to him OF her preference for the fisherman
AS Tor Dominique, from the moment of the
puoilc uelroth'nent he affected to see the
young girl no more and kept himself in retire
hent'
Ah, but the wedding was truly beautiful.
Father Francois wished to do everything
well a half dozen violins and horns We're
hIred Tor the occasion, and the supper was
the astonlshment Of the village 1t was two
years now that Catherine had been called
Nine. won.
Never had the fisherman been able To dream
of his wife as he was dreaming of her this
night without evoking host of sweet mem
cries that brought the smile of n happy man
To soften his swarthy face and at times a tear
OF tenderness to glisten in his eye.
"Ionnerre, what wind ~ and he ran for
his cap, that the blast had carried AWAY
., Ioor caIheFlne. he added immediately
saa ~, q 7'u'' " III "ei'e'es me stlI upon the
p,- .4..,- " -,
of H., -. el' .2l' iia'i come 10 the corner
81 sHe 'tee'' az the emu OF which was his
~ ~ = i'yIale'i ana lar away from all
~ 80 uDot : ne raised MS mead IKE horse
So ~ nto s-,tolelo was nome again-he
d;a+oI,- va l,,- -o'e4 oil stop lnme-
s.,r;9r,N'3 80 ~ .,,.,
.bod ~ - AZ 10 HSn'eu' Shes not
~ ouY pa, Perhaps LOT my safety"
~ 'ne "Ot !" zen from us lips the outline
aIo"ea user upon the half
r4 'lie ii''4e "ihao"-the
~ 10 =. - ~. "a ili"i III us mouse
niaI,, r. :. ,-,.,l - "i'n CONCENTRATION
r,ra,,,,,d -. CO ny, ne refused 10 com
easbed ,cos g., tti7 'no4n1 thaV had
s,,S,act ~, ,,r,tI1i, ue iei 'sso even 10
- h ,iiee'! A1 the same time,
,,f hi foo+s+,se - - - Tut holse
but leave then ,,,s,,s,,j,ir,,s 80 ap1t ot'en
He rrassad birsltf $50. nis p eSehce
dwellinc.-he mounted mo-, A. 80 ~ l.
s,nrort9J +,,a -. Jpn cue Stone ana6
cbamber Ca+boT,,o 1,,,g .eet u 'iio
her chejr hea,+if,,I - eelinihs III
7--''-'As' oe''''e
"a ilih VINO al the moment-even as
Soh eyes TEL upon hlm-drew his wife
ill'' uis arms ana pressed upon her lips kiss