The Manchester journal. [volume] (Manchester, Vt.) 1861-current, 1888-01-19


shor, AL our arrangements are for .
short yoysge, expect me back by the nel'
new year. shall hasten everything for
your sake
She veB, TO sieepless bed tha, night
la the morning her fathers glass showed
her The "Cheyalicrs far out st sea. For
maay days she went abovt hcayy hearted
Her mother watched and riiied her, aud
her own heart bled af,csh.
Bat youth is the season Of hope, aud
lova 10 It's turn. and as toe months of that
spring and summer went by the girl felt
more aud more as though ahc were only
enduring brief probation to life long
happiness News had reached ber Of the
"Chevalicr" and her beloved. First came
letter from Rio foil Of love and promise'
then an incoming whaler reported speak
ing the "Chevalier" 10 the hr South At
lantic; aud that sll on board we're we'll;
aud lhen letter from Lima All was
we'll, time was flying; the promised time
for the reunion was approaching.
There is rarely, yet sometimes, New
England autumn when the mellow Indian
summer is prolonged from November far
into December, aud the year fades away
10 days OF veiled sunshine, when nature
seems 10 dream. and winter is held back
by some strange spell. 1t was so this
year. Down to the first day OF January
there was neither snow nor frost; silvery
mist sat upon the sea; the days were like
May days, but with softened. tempered
sun; the nights were balmy and glorious.
As Thankful and her mother sat outside
the cottage they could see the light from
the town aud the bay. The sounds OF
laughter and talking came up to them;
everything seemed under spell
so il was on that New Years eve, They
sat there late talking OF the dead-of the
absent hardly daring to talk Of the fu-
ture. The night was bright and starlight;
everything was visible but indistinct AT
that place and time nobody had been
abroad for an hour. All were at home
keeping New Years Eve. Just then
Thankful directed her mothers attention
to q figure advancing slowly up the slope
toward the cottage.
"Where p asked Mrs Benson, I'll don't
see IT,"
"Why, there, said Thankful, with out
stretched finger. 1T is man. He is
coming this way. He-he looks like
Jack |"
She started up and advanced to meet
him. Mrs. Benson strained her eyes, but
could see nothing like human figure.
She saw Thankful advance few PAGES,
stretch out her arms as il to embrace some
one aud then fall senseless to the ground.
When Mrs. Benson carried her in and
revived her she started up and cried for
Jack.
"My dear child, be calm" said the
mother. I'IIe is not here. He has not
been here"
'Yes, yes l-he was saw him Il al
most touched him. He came close up to
me, and then be disappeared and | could
not see him.
The mother looked at her with grief and
awe.
"Dear Thankful" she said, with deep
"be strong; cast your burden
on the Lord. and bear your grief as have
borne mine. You have not seen John
Jtnrdy; you have seen bis double. You
will never see him again"
For the next year their lives went on
with that sense Of chastened sorrow that
possesses those whose only hope in this
world is reft away. Mother and daughter
drew closer together in their companion
ship of bereavement. Life for them was
all in the past, their present comfort was
merely that of ministering angels to the
sick aud afflicted, aud thus to learn the
luxury Of doing good.
The only news that had been received |
from the "Chevalier" was dark)y confirm.
ltory OF the vision that Thankful bad
seen. One Of the boats had been found
loating in the South Pacific, empty and
,arless ship wrapped in fire from stem
20 stern had been sighted afar off 10 these
waters, where help could not be extended
nor inquiry made.
They lived on during that year. and
sorrow grew old aud was still as dark as
,ver. Their neigbbors condoled with
hem aud hoped that the time would come
y shea grief would be calmed, aDd that
iie might yet have some pleasure Tor
afflicted oues Would that time ever
zone TO Thankful Surely not at such
lime as this, when the new year was again
!, band. Il could bring no hope or prom.
SO to her; but the time. as long as she
should live, N lst 10 her mind be associat-
ID with his last words to her: Expect
ne back by the next new year. | shall
iasten everything for your sake.
1t was very different New Years eve
rom the last. Tue barbor was locked 10
ce; snow coyeri the ground, the air was
tingiDg with frost. A clear sound OF
,els from tBe town, as the new year was
,leeially RUG in, came up 10 them as
hey sat by their FIRE. No speech had
passed between them for 40 hour As the
asst peal OF the bells died away, Mrs, Ben
on said:
ut is hard to bear, Thankful. We
must learn TO bear"
Thankful started up with clasped hands
md passi0na.ely exclaimed: But never