The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1891-08-07

S&<
PUTTING THE WATER-YoKE ON HIS SHoUL-
DERs, HE WENT TO THE SPRING.
so sweet and the morning was so fair.
Paul was up with the dawn and had
caught big salmon down by the rocks,
and his mother was frying it on the
stove under the shed. When Armor,
still little unsteady of step, came
through the low door he caught sight of
Gale
'Ha, therel Where are We flynn to,
little canary?" he cried, and the child
ran to him and he tossed her lightly up
and down. How big and strong and
good-natured he seemed. The children
clung about his knees when he was
washing his face and laughed and
shouted when he dashed the cool fluid
upon his fevcrish head and sprinkled
them with the bright drops. When he
was wiping his trembling hands he in
quired for Paul.
''He got his breakfast early and went
up the shore with the boat to see if he
could get some fish, said the mother.
"He'l be back about noon and take the
clean clothes to the mill"
4 The man looked down. An expression
of shame and unwortniness passed
across his face. When they were seated
he ate but little, but drank great
draughts of coffee.
"You see, Lucy, when | dropped down
out of Deep creek into the sea, he said,
in answer to her inquiry, Il smelt q
storm comm. I wasn't very clear in
the upper story, guess, but thought /
could make the bay afore it struck, an
rowed tremendous. But the harri-
cane came on like q race horse, an with
the first scoop it lifted me an the boat
clean outen the water. | hung in 'er,
though q good many times l thought
she was goin upside down, but she KEEP
on 'er bottom some way an run on in
the darkness an lightnin like all pos
sessed nabbed holt of the ruddcr an
KEEP rightin' her when the lightnin' fell,
which was about every second. The
sea looked white like kettle of water
bilin' over, an suddenly / see ship was
about to run over me from behind. 1t
was flynn afore the wind like all crea-
tion and jist missed me. / heard things
rippin' and breasin' on her an shouts
and screamin' as she passed; then some
thin come crashin' agln the boat and
knocked me outen it. The next second
/ see by the lightnin' that it was big
platform or stagin' of boards, an
climbed up onto it. AS soon as 1 got
my breath heard something cryin' by
me and looked around, and 10 and be-
hold! this little thing was layin' there
tied fast to the platform. 1 got her
loose an she cotched me round the neck
and hilt me fast, an do you know, Lucy,
in my scare an confusion l thought it
was Breeze? WAL" he continued, after
a pause, 81 hilt to her an she hilt to me,
an thought, my soul and body, we'd
be throwed ofen the pitchin'. rollin'
raft, but it went straight for the head,
and all of a suddent I looked up and
saw the front of the cliff as white an
terrible in the lightnin' as the face of
corpse, and the next minute we struck
with a crash, and NE and the child was
shot up one OF the pillars, and ci:nched
holt of 1t and ! got a footin' an hung
there till Paul come with the rope"
A heavy silence fell between them.
He longed to speak of the boys bravery,
but in the face of his own shameful life,
the words stuck in his throat. Present
ly he arose.
u guess, Lucy, I'll go up to the
wharf and see Eric Iverson," he said.
"Mebby ken get him to come around
this way tonight and talk with the
little thing. I'm thinkin' she's Norwe-
gian, an mebbe he can find out where
she's from"
sYes, TraVe,n said the woman.
Then he stopped down and said:
"Good-by, little canary; Pm goin' to
fetch some one that can understand y'r
pipin''' The child looked at him wonder
ingly moment, then put her arms
about his neck and kissed him,
"Qh, Traye,p said the wife, iyou won't
drink any more, will you? See, it's like
as if Breeze had come back from
Heaven and was beggin' you with kisses
not to be bad any more," and she was
crying on his breast.
The man gave groan of wild contri-
ton and helplessness.
mo, Lucy, / won't ever tetch it |
again. he said. .'I1l strive agin it, an |
won't eyer fetch it no morel'' And he |
went away with clinched fists,- swear
ing in his soul that liquor should never
pass mis- lips again, But alas, for the
man who once sets himself on fire with
this inhuman thirst. His will Is turned |
to ashes in the flames.
Paul came home at noon With a shin
ing string of fish, but the father did not
come. When dinner was over The boy |
shouldered his big bag of clothes and
started for the mills.
s'I'll bring him home, mother, if 1
len," he said. "Don't worry" and he
went limping on.
When he had delivered the clothes,
he turned off into the town, There all
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