Fisherman & farmer. [volume] (Edenton, N.C.) 1887-19??, 1888-12-21
The man started as he

going on ashore. The man started as he
heard it.
.'She won't be without her supper"
he said. &" Not while this here toys lynn
around"
He CROPPED moment in his pocket
and drew out ring-a plain gold cir
clet, evidently the symbol of consum-
mated union.
81 had to sneak it away unbeknownst
to her." he muttered, turning the shin
ing trinket around in his fingers. Ppm
afraid she'd take on deal if she knowed
it, 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 a square
meal can be got for it, and p'raps-
p'raps drop t drive away the chill"
He glanced, half frightened, half
apologetically, at the little window as he
spoke, slipped carefully by on tiptoe 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 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 a strange shrillness in the ST
lent place, and of all the sad voices of
tide and timbers, it seemed by far the
Il Il
old canal boat, came only for an instant
and died away in what fancy involunta-
rily pictured a 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 twinkling to the tiny-lighted
space in the cabin that barely reached
his eye where he stood. The cry was
not repeated. But he stood there for
over minute with his whole soul, it
seemed, intent upon that d N 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
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,
a tarpaulin, some ends of rope, and on a
loosened and slanting berth an infant
with a woman kneeling beside it. 1t
was pleasing face she turned up to the
old man as he came in-pleasing, and it
had been very pretty-but there was
sad gauntness about it now and the
dark, tender eyes looked out from blueish
hollOws.
"Where have you been, father?" she
asked. ''Baby has been restless again.
Pm afraid that the child is growing
worse" This with a look of infinite
at the tiny creature beside
her. ''And It's so hard to see the poor
dear suffering and be able to do moth
ing. Why, father what is the matter?"
She might we'll ask. The poor man
was standing, with his head sunk upon
his breast, and great tears were rolling
down his faded cheeks. His eyes were
fixed upon the little cabin window, but
it was clear th9t his mind was far away.
He started as she spoke, and when he
answered it was in voice broken with
sobs.
"Libbie," he said, my poor gal, I've
been bad father to you, a regular bad
'un, amt 1? I've ruined the little home
you oughter be in, and brought you and
your child to this / know that amt
the wust, neither. driv him away that
would be support and comfort t'you,
and left that leetel creetur ithout
father. I've done all that, and 1 was "a
goin to do more, God forgive me, this
very night, only for hearin' your baby
cryin'. meant it for the best, l did, but
l knowed that it would "a hurt your feel
ms wuss than anything else. There,
Libbie; take it. 1t was very nigh a-goin'
as everything else has"