Frostburg mining journal. [volume] (Frostburg, Md.) 1871-1913, 1888-12-22

USED to 'llven up the old house like
sunbeam. Twas that TUX all the 90 GU
O. her. And l had to get to work an,
blame her for sulkin' when her heart WI
breakin'."
He took the pipe from his mouth ant
absently showed it in his pocket
cit m ght a been all r. ght," he wen
on. sit might a been all right eff
hadn't carried on as did till house ant
shop and everything went to smash
But | had to keep a-goin' while tn,
money lasted, and now-now," h,
repeated with solemn inclination of thu
head, ''its gone"
He swung about to resume his lone
some walk. but the glimmer in the cabir
brought him to staudstill
''She's there" he said, and there wa.
sorrow and reTorse in his voice. she.
there nussin' his baby and thinkin' of it.
father; maybe cryin' her eyes out abou
| him. And she a-dyin' by inches"
The rumble of wagon came from the
| land side, and the sound of horn away
| off in the streets sent down to the silent
wharves reminder of the holiday jollity
| going on ashore. The man started as he
| heard it.
"She won't be without her supper, y
he said. " Not while this here toys lyin
around"
He CROPPED moment in his pocket
| and drew out a ring-a plain gold cir
clet, evidently the symbol of a consum.
mated union.
81 had to sneak it away unbeknownst
to her." he muttered, turning the shin
ing trinket around i'll his fingers. ".'m
afraid she'd take on deal if she knowed
1t, for she hangs on to any keepsake of
his for bare life. But what's the use -
And the ring and hand that held it went
down into the pocket again. "What's
the use O. bein' senteemental and snick-
erin over SIGH things when square
meal can be got for it, and p'raps-
p'raps a drop t. drive away the chill"
He glanced, half frightened, half
apologetically, at the little window as he
spoke. slipped carefully by on tptoe as
though fearful of being confronted by
the occupant of the cabin. reached the
side, looked back again and then stepped
out upon the pier and skunk away.
1t was only moments space after
when there sounded among the low.
harsh whispers of the river something
that seemed deep in the darkness. but
not of it-something suggestive of heat
and. light and home. and not of this
black flood and these great marine phan-
toms standing so solemn in the gloom.
1t was the cry of a child. Low and
weak, suppressed as soon as uttered,
it still had strange shrilness in the ST
lent p ace, and of all the sad voices of
tide and timbers, it seemed by far the
saddest, 1t came from the cabin of an
old canal boat, came only for an instant
and died away in what fancy involunta-
rily pictured mothers kisses and Ca
resses.
Old Tom heard it half way up to the
wharf. He heard it and arrested his
cautious footsteps and brought his face
about in a twinkling to the Lighted
space in the cabin that barely reached
his eve where he stood. The cry was
not repeated. But he stood there for
over a minute with his whole soul, it
seemed, intent upon that d IN glimmer-
ing pane His hand mechanically crop
ing in his pocket, touched the ring and
it seemed to startle him. He took out
the little trinket and looked at it care
fully, as though making sure that it was
really there, and brushed it with a
rough, greasy sleeve. Then, without a
glance at the street on which he had
been walking, he passed back along the
pier, crossed to the boat again and
walked straight up to the cabin and en-
tered.
A ships lantern hanging from the roof
showed a rough table, couple of boxes,
n tarpaulin, some ends of rope, and on a
loosened and s!anting berth an infant
with a woman kneeling beside it. 1t
was pleasing face she turned up to the
old man as he came IMP easing, and il
had been very pretty-but there was a
sad gauntness about it now and the
dark, tender eyes looked out from blueish
hollows.
"Where have you been, fatherl' she
asked. ably has been restless again
Pm afrsid that the child is growing
worse" This with look of infinite
! solici.ude at the tiny creature besid,
her. "And IT'S so hard to see the poo
dear suffering and be able to do moth
ing. Why, father, what is the matters'
She might well ask. The poor MAJ
was standing, with his head sunk upor
his breast, and great tears were rolling
down his faded cheeks His eyes wer,
fixed upon the little cabin window, bu
it was clear thSt his mind was far away
He started as she spoke, and when h,
answered it was in ii voice broken will
sobs.
.. ibb.e," he said, "my poor gal, Nv
been bad father to you, a regular baG
'un, amt II I've ruined the little hom
you oughter be in, and brought you auC
your child to this. / know that ain
the wust, neither. driv him away tina
would be support and comfort t'you
and left that leetel creetur ithout
father. I've done all that, and was a
goin to do more, God forgive me, thi
very night, only for hearin' your bah,
cryin'. meant it for the best, did, bu
knowed that it would "a hurt your feel
in's wuss than anything else. There
Libbie; take it. 1t was very nigh a goin
as everything else has"
He held out the little gold ring to he
aud turned his head away. In an instan
the woman was ON her feet Her long
thin hand clutched the bauble and no
flush showed itself on her pallid, sunkel
cheek.
/ "Father," she cried, "would you dare2'
In her indignation she was speeches
for a moment, but then she broke dow
and the tears came