Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1891-09-09
JENNY.

II wns night Tho cabin. poor lu,
warm and coy, wa full Of a half twi-
light. through which tho objects Of the
interior were but dimly visible by tho
glimmer Of tho ombcn which fickorod
on the hearth aHi :addoncd the dark
raftcrs overhead. The filhennan's nots
were hanging on the wall. Some homcly
pots and pans twiuklcd on a rough shelf
In tho corner. Beside great bed with
long. falling curtains, n mattress was
extended on couple Of old benches on
which Eve little children were asleep
like chcrubs In a nest by tho bedside,
with her forehead pressed ngainat tho
counterpane. knelt tho ehildrcnamothor.
She was alone. Outside the cabin the
black ocean. dashed with stormy snow
fakes. moancd and inurmurcd, aud her
husband was at sea.
From his boyhood he had been fisher
man. His life. ~ ono may nay, had bccn
daily fight With tho great waiors' for
every day tho children must DO fed. and
every day, raiu, wind or tempest, ont
went his boat TO iish. And while In his
ANMN FNAAiAA hNNAA AA' INAfAN AlNN NNAlNIANN A1"A
ut yea his wife at home patched the sails,
mcndod the nets. looked TO the hooks or
watched the little iro where the hsh
soup was boiling As soon as the hve
children were asleep she fell upon her
knees md prayed 70 heaven for her hus-
band In his struggle with tho waves aud
darkness. And truly such Ito "a hil
was hard. Tho lkelicst place Tor fsh
was n mere Tpcok among the breakers.
not moro than twice ~ large ~ his own
eabin-a spot obscure, cnprioious, chang.
ing on tho moving desert, and yet which
had TO be discovered In the fog and tenn.
pest Of winter night by sheer skill and
knowledge Of tho tides and winds. Aud
there--while the gliding waves ran past
like emerald ton,enis, and the gulf Of
darkness rolled and tossed, aud tho
siraining rigging roaned as " In terror
there, amid tho icy feas. he thought
Of his own Jenny; and Jenny, IN her
cottage, thought Of him with tears
She was thinking Of him then and
praying The soagull's harah and mock.
ing cry distressed her. aud tho roaring
Of tho pillows on the reef alarmed her
soul But sho was wrapped Ia thoughts
thoughts OF their poverty. Their little
children went barcfootod winter and
summer. Wheat bread they never ate.
only bread Of barley. lleavcnsl tho
wind roarod like tho bellows Of forge.
aud tho roacoast echoed like nn anvil.
She wept aud trembled. Poor wives
whose husbands arc at seal How tori.
bic 90 sny. MY dear ones-fathcr. lover,
brothers, tons-arO In tho tompsstl'
But Jenny was atill more unhappy. Iler
husband was aluno-alono without as-
Eisianoo on this bitter night, Her chill
dren were too little 10 assist him. Poor
mo,herl Now she fays, ~ wish they
were grown up 20 help their iatherl"
Foolish droaml In years 20 come, whom
they arc with their father In tho tcmpcst,
she will say, with tears. II wish they
were bat children stillr'
Jenny took her lantern and her cloak.
"lt Is time she said TO herself, "to see
whether no IA coming back, whether tho
sea Is calmer, and whether tho light IL
burning on the signal mast" She went
out There was nothing 20 be seen
barely "A streak Of white on tho horizon.
II was raining, tho dark, cold rain Of
early morning, No cabin window show
ed CLEAN OF HIGHT.
All at once, while poering round her,
her eyes perceived a tumbledown old
cabin which showed no sign Of light or
fire Tho door was swinging IN tho
wind; tho wouncnton walls seemed
scarcely able to support tho crazy roof,
on which the wind shook tho yellow,
filthy tufts Of rotten thatoh.
stay" she cried, II am forgetting
the poor widow whom my husband found
the other day alone aud IN. / must 900
how she is getting on"
She knocked NJ the door and listened.
No one Rnswcoed. Jenny shiycrcd In the
cold sea wind.
"she il H. Aud her poor children'
She has only two Of themi but she Ii
very poor aud has no husband"
She knocked again. and called out
"Hey, ntighbor!" but tho cabin wa
still silent
"Heayenr she faid, show sound m,
Ileeps that It requires 30 much 10 wax,
hort
At the instant tho door opened Of
itself Sho entered. Her lantern illu'
mined the interior OF the dark and silent
cabin, and showed her the water falling
from the ceiling as through the opening.
Of u Stove, Al tho end of tho room ar
awful form was lying-a woman
stretched ont mouonloss. with bare feet
and sightlcas eyes Her cold, white arm
hung down among the straw Of the pal
let She was dead Once strong and
happy mother she was now only IN,
rpecter which remains Uf poor humanity
after a long struggle with the world
Near the bed on which tho mother lay
two little children--a boy and girl
slept together In their cradle and wor,
smiling in their dreams, Their mother
when she felt that she was dying, ha,
laid her cloak across their feet aut
wrapped them In her dress, 10 keep then
warm when she herself was cold.
How sound they slept in their old. 10,
teriug cradle, with their calm brcatl
and quiet Little taees. 1t EeelAsI ~