The Forest Republican. [volume] (Tionesta, Pa.) 1869-1952, 1888-12-19

''') fN'eN fziN W
AS he spoke he glanced at the little
pokey hole in the cabin, where a faint
light glimmercd, and turned again to the
dark line Of the water front.
''She was never the same after he went
away-never the same bouncing gal that
used to 'livcn up the old house like a
sunbeam Twas that TUX all the 90 out
O. her. And / had TO get &c work and
blame her for sulkin' when her heart wus
/ breakin'."
He took the pipe from his mouth and
absently showed it in his pocket.
at m ght a been all right, he went
on. ut might "a been all right eff
hadn't carried on as did till house and
shop and everything went to smash.
But had to keep a-goin' while the
money lasted, and now-now," he
repeated with a solemn inclination of the
head, "it's gone"
lie swung about to resume his lone
some walk. but the glimmer in the cabin
/ brought him to a staudstill.
"She's there he said, and there was
sorrow and reTorse in his voice. "She's
there nussin' his baby and thinkin' of its
/ father maybe cryin' her eyes out about
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 a reminder of the holiday iollity
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 groped a moment in his pocket
| and drew out Ting-a plain gold cir
clet, evidently the symbol of a consum-
mated union.
al had to sneak it away unbeknownst
to her." he muttercd, turning the shin
ing trinket around in his fingers. ".'m
afraid she'd take on a deal if she knowed
it, for she hangs on to any keepsake of
hi, 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' senteeTental and snick
erin over sich things when a square
meal can be got for it, and p'raps-
p'raps drop T. drive away the chill"
lie 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 SUNK away.
1t was only a 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 food and these great marine phan-
| toms standing so solemn in the gloom.
1t was the cry of child. Low and
weak, suppressed as soon as uttered,
| it still had strange shrillness in the si-
/ lent p ace, and of all the sad voices of
tide and thinkers, II seemed by far the
! saddles 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
Tesses.
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 a minute with his whole soul, it
seemed, intent upon that d IN glimme,-
/ ing pane. His hand mechanically CROP
| ing in his pocket, touched the ring aud
/ it seemed 10 startle him. He took out
| the little trinket aud looked at it care
| fully, as though making sure that it was
| really there, and brushed it with q
rough, greasy sleeve. Then, without q
glance at the street on which he had
| been walking, he passed back along the
pier, crossed to the boat again and
I walked stra ght up to the cabin and en-
/ tered.
! A ships lantern hanging from the roof
showed q 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 iu-p easing, and it
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, fatheri' she
asked. "2aby has been restless again.
| Pm afraid that the child is growing
worse.n This with a look of infinite
/ solicilude 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 bis faded cheeks. His eyes were
fixed upSp the little cabin window, but
i. was cleat thst his mind was far away.
He seaSted as she spoke, and when he
answereoit was in a voice broken with
sobs.
".ibbie," he said, ''my poor gal, I've
been a bad father to you, reglar bad
'un, ain'tIl I've ruined the little home
you oughter be in, aud brought you and
your child to this. l know that amt
the wust, neither driv him away that
would be support and comfort t'you,
and left that leetel creetur ithout a
father. I've done all that, and was a.
goin to do more, God forgive me, this
very night, only for hearin your baby
cryin'. ] meant it for the best, did, but