Pullman herald. [volume] (Pullman, W.T. [Wash.]) 1888-1989, 1891-11-06
W aShlngtOn Tit
ran down 1t nKe a tear,


What had Jenny been about in the
dead woman's house? What was she
carrying off beneath her cloak? Why was
her heart beating? Why did she hasten
with such trembling steps to her own
cabin without daring to look back?
What did she hide in her own bed be-
hind the curtain? What had she been
stealing?
When she entered the cabin the cliffs
We're growing white She sank upon the
chair beside the bed She was very pale;
it seemed as if she felt repentance. Her
forehead fell upon the pillow. and at in
tervals with broken words, she muir
INJURED to herself. while outside the cabin
moaned the savage sea.
My poor man! Oh heavens, what
will he say? He has already so much
trouble. What have done now? Five
children on our hands alreadyl Their
father tolls and tolls, and yet as if he
had not care enough already, | must
give him this care more Is that he?
No, nothing. | have done wrong-he
would do quite right to beat me- Is
that he? No! So much the better The
door moves as if some one were coming
in. but no To think that should feel
afraid to see him enterl"
Then she remained absorbed in
thought and shiyering with the cold, I'M
conscious of all outward sounds, of the
black cOrmorants, which passed shrek
ing, and of the rage of wind and sea.
All at once the door flew open, a streak
of the white light Of morning entered.
and the fisherman, dragging his drip
ping net, appeared upon the threshold,
and cried, with a gay laugh Here
comes the navy!"
Your cried Jenny; and she clasped
her husband like lover, and pressed her
mouth against his rough jacket
Here am, wife" he said, showing
in the freight the good natured and
contented face which Jenny loved so
well
81 have been unlucky," he continued
What kind Of weather have you
had?'
Dreadful
And the fshing?"
Bad But never mind. have you
in my arms again. and am satisfied
have caught nothing at all have only
torn my net The deuce was in the
wind tonight At one moment of the
tempest | thought the boat was founder
ing, and the cable broke But what have
you been dong all this time?"
Jenny felt a shiver in the darkness
~" she said i'll trouble "Oh, moth
ing, just as usual have been sewing.
have been listening to the thunder Of
the sea and was frightened"
Yes, the winter is hard time But
never mind il now"
Then, trembling as If she We're going
to commit Il crime:
Husband. she said. our neighbor
is dead. She must have died last night,
soon after you went out She has left
two little children, one called Wilhelm
and the other Madeline The boy can
hardly toddle, and the girl can only lisp.
The poor, good woman WAS in dreadful
want
The man looked grave. Throwing
into corner his fur cap, sodden by the
tempest: "Tho Aeucer' he said, scratch
ing his head We already have five
children. this makes seven And al
ready in bad weather we have to 20
without our supper What shall we do
now; Bah, it is not my fault; it's Gods
doing These are things too deep for
me Why has He taken away their
mother from these mites? These mat
ters are too difficult to understand. One
has to he scholar to see through them
Such tiny scraps Of childrenl Wife, 90
and fetch them If they are awake, they
must be frightened to be alone with
their dead mother. We will bring them
up with ours. They will be brother and
sister to our FIVE When God sees that
we have to feed this little girl and boy
besides our own He will let us take more
fish As for me, will drink water. |.
Will work twice as hard. Enoughl Be
of and get them! But what is the mat
ter: Does it vex yOur You are gener-
ally quicker than this"
His wife drew back the curtain.
"LoOkI she said. Translated from
the French of Victor Hugo for Strand
Magazine