Alpena weekly argus. [volume] (Alpena, Mich.) 1871-1893, 1891-02-04

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sentiment ofevil came over her. With
faltering steps the old man advanced,
and took her in his arms.
"Child," he whispered in a husky
voice, "try and be brave. Oh, my
darling little girl, l have indeed bad
news for you! The Morning Glory
has gone down with all on board
AS he uttered these words, the
slight form quiyered convulsively, and
then sank heavily upon his breast.
Tenderly he raised the dropping head
and laid her on the sofa. When in a
few moments consciousness returned,
the evening shadows were enshroud-
ing the world in darkness, the sun had
sunk below the western horizon, and
with it had gone the sunshine from
Hilda's life.
The days that followed were dark
ones indeed to the inmates of the
captains cottage. Days spent in
watching by the bedside of the sick
girl, who lay at the point of death.
There were moments when the watch
ers gave up all hope, and waited sad
ly for the time when the thread of
life would snap and leave them only
the cold inanimate clay. But the
vitality of youth conquered at last.
Step by step the grim enemy was
forced to retreat, and the girls life
was saved. Yet how different was
this quiet, pale woman from Hilda of
old
During this time strange fancy
had entered Hilda's mind, which was
destined never to leave her, and which
grew with her returning strength until
it became the one absorbing thought
of her life. Jack would come back
to her, she felt certain. In her dream
she had beheld tempest-tossed yes.
sci in the midst of a raging sea. The
masts were gone and the rudder brok-
en-. Presently lifeboat was lowered.
Eagerly she scanned the faces of the
crew, and among them saw her lovers.
For long time the little boat was
tossed about at the mercy of the
waves; but in the gray light of early
morning it approached steep, rocky
coast, and she knew the men were
landing. 1t might not be this year
or next, but scme day Jack and she
would meet to renew the happiness of
the past.
The sunny days of autumn passed
away. Winter came with its frost
and snow, but brought no tidings of
the lost ship to the weary girl who
waited so patiently. In early spring
a new sorrow was added to her life.
The kind father who had loved her
from infancy, who had watched over
her when she was helpless child, and
whose weather-beaten hand had sup
piled her wants with the tenderness
of a woman, was lost to her forever.
When the first wild flowers were timid-
ly looking out from their retreats, and
filling the air with gentle fragrance,
Captain Davis was laid in his last
resting-place.
In her great loneliness Hilda pray
ed that death might claim her also,
and end the misery of her existence.
What could the future have in store
for her? All whom she loved had
been taken away. She must live
through the terrible monotony of
months and years, with no bright ray
of hope to cheer her way. But Hilda
did not die. Such prayers are seldom
answered.
The old man left his daughter well
provided for, and as the heiress of
snug little fortune she received many
offers of marriage. But all her suitors
were treated with cold Indifference.
No one could take the place of him
for whose coming she still waited.
But the years went on, and he did
not come. Was her dream never to
be realized. She was no longer the
slender maiden who had watched the
departing ship, but a pale-faced
woman of sixty, OH whose head the
frost Of age had settled. With those
gray hairs had come desire for rest,
a longing to get away from the noise
and strife of the world to some place
where all would be quiet.
Hilda had learned the most difficult
lesson OF life, the lesson OF patience,
and had begun to look upon her lone.
illness with resignation. She would
60 to some village, away from the
confusion of cities, and there make
for herselfa home in her old age.
Thus it was that the inhabitants of
the little inland town made the &C
quaintance of Aunt Hilda. For
fifteen years she had lived wholly
among them, helping the poor and
nursing the sick, winning her way to
the hearts of all by her kindness and
generosity.
Tonight, as she sits by the window
with the evening shadows closing i'm