Johnstown weekly Democrat. (Johnstown, Cambria County, Pa.) 1889-1916, 1889-09-13

with ashy lips and tongue cl6aving to her
mouth, she staggered to the nearest
neighbours house, just managed to says
1.-The well--Lysander," and fell upon the
floor in dead faint.
For hours after this several neighbors
worked very hard digging away the
earth, with better knowledge Of It's pro.
pensity to return whence it came than the
sailor had had.
hey came to his hat at last. TLen
they came to water-or rather mud AMI
water. They could do no more.
The general verdict was that the
ground was soft there below, and that
Lysander had sunk in it and stuck there.
Finally, after weeks excitement and
much dragging and probing of the hole,
they decided to fill the hole up and marx
the place as grave. This they did. A
slab setting forth the virtues Of the de-
parted, covered the spot. and Mrs. Whit
Ing put on widows weeds, Three
months afterward baby boy-Lysander
over again-.was born into the world
and Esmeralda, as she nursed him on
her shoulder began to believe his de-
parted father a model of all perfection.
"She lived" she said, "and would live
for her boy" but life was worthless
without her excellent and devoted hus-
band. He had been SO kind. 1t was in
digging we'll for her that he lost his life.
And she told all who cared to listen how
he had drawn the shade down and gone
out softly to his work that she might not
be disturbed
Finally she began to believe that he
had said something very kind as he went
out, and she repeated that. The boy
was taught, as he grew able to under
hnf hn 10 ia
father, and all poor Lysandcr's queer
ways that had troubled her much, were
forgotten. She had his broad-faced tin
type, taken when he was only half sober,
and grinning from ear 80 car, enlarged,
and finished in pastel, very pink and
white, with ministerial gravity of de-
meanor, and an angelically subdued
smile, and taught the boy to call it Dear
Papa" and meanwhile she cared for the
farm, and prospcred. Now and then
somebody proposed to the widow, but
she always gave gentle negative.
"Her heart is down that there well,"
said an appreciative friend who had
never seen Lysander, "and if Mr.. Whit
ing was as handsome as that there pic
ture, can't wonder, for he looks like
the wax figures in the Institute fair. If
not prettier."
Most of the suitors, being widowers,
took their refusals easily; but one for
lorn youth of immature years, who had
remarked to the widow that sit was her
dignitude that fetched him." fell into the
depths of despair on receiving decided
negative, accompanied by reference TO
his early years, and left the town to
"ship for Il sailor and get drOwnded,"
with view of haunting the widow after
ward and coming TO the city docks where
vessels lay meta 5eafaring man OF jolly
aspect, to whom he put q few questions.
You sec, he said, II don't know jest
what to do. I've never followed the sea.
I've kept grocery in Togglnstown all my
life, and l don't know as I'll get took
onto ship anyhow"
you'll go back and keep grocery, if
you'll take my advice, said the sailor.
"Togginstown Why, l used to live
there once Do you happen to know
Lysander Whiting down that way"
"Sakes alive! Him! Why, he dead
long ago; five or six years ago. cried
the boy. 81 never saw him, but I've
heard enough Of him. She goes on about
HIM continual. It's enough to make you
sick"
"Agin him?" asked the sailor.
mo; praisin' OF him. said the boy;
low dMlul BOOu he was, ana now
han some. Well, he was han some.
There's his pictur to prove it,"
"Aou don't say so, cried the sailor.
But his goodness T.
Il don't believe he was such a saint.
You couldn't get me to, the boy went
IN. "Io see her sitting there holding
The boy"
What? Who?" shouted the sailor.
1.-The young son that was born, IN
tolG, after that mean after Alr, Whit
ing got smothered in the well hole. l
don't want TO be di5respectful to the dead
but-well you can hear too much OF EN-.
She is all in black, my poor, dear, good
l.l sander, that killed himself working for
me, every minute"
"Jonahl 1 want to knoww cried the
sailor, "And how does sho look?'
"She lovely" cried the Cupid blinded
youth, $50 matoor, and has such dig
nitEGe.'
"Boy, you are sweet on her, said the
sailur .ierccly; don't deny itl'
"Whnt's that to you If l amp" re-
tUrtC3 the LAD.
"that~ said the sailor a lie knocked
him Gown.
He was gone when Billy got his
breath back and scrambled TO his ieet
again.
I.7meralda Whiting, with her boy be-
side her ~. M her kitchen pceling
coaches TO. preserves, when shadow
fell upon tue floor. She looked up
and gay" scream. A sailor, With a
bundle on his shoulder, stool there
looking at urg. The red peach dropped
out of her hand, and rolled over the
white boards. The knife dropped gilt,
tering mo the pile Of peeliut7.
"Lysander, OF his ghost" she
painted.
'Esmoralda!" cried the sailor, and
took her in his arms. Il never thought
should get back to you, my dear, he
said. Il lefty in led, you know, and
and went UJt ~ finish tine well. Well, 1t,
l jumped in lhcre was crash; down /
went everything black around ne, and
knew it WIS "a -lide. / didn't know any
thing more unit. ! found myself splash
iEjo HE wa,er, and yelled. when yelled
else did and iely ymy.rIlpul
up b. my feet cNpei led IL was some
oi the neighbors, but, bless you, when
got the wafer out Of my eye, there /
was standing giuong-, II crowd of Chi
nose, and mstuI ot our mouse and the
barn. Il lA&oda there and jp > house
here. 1t tODE m teD min Ite, La TN