The gold leaf. [volume] (Henderson, N.C.) 1881-1911, 1891-12-24

| Noiiic uP. L III IccllN I'LL DedL out.
My Jerry's out there over the bar, an
they say there's q tremendous sea on.
Where's Joe?" And then as the
woman caught sight of Sally's tear
smirched face. "Oh!" she exclaimed.
"That's what you're crying for, thenl
Joe's out there, tool Oh, p'raps it's
worse'n I thought. You're Jest as
wild as 1 be! Oh dear Lord, dear
Lord, I don't believe they'll either Of
'em ever come ashore againr
And Sally turned upon her like a
little fury: "Yo go right home this
you're goin' to talk,' she said.
"Oh, dear me, dear me- moaned
the elder woman, when she crouched
on SaIly's trunk, they'll never come
in alivcn'
81 think you'd better go home"
hear no sech talk
81 guess you'll have to do more'n
hear" sobbed the woman. I've
knowcd suthin' WIZ coming this three
days I've been so down. Oh. l
wisht WIZ out there with him Pm
all Of a tremble."
"Ill git you some hot drink, an
then you go home an so to bed, !"
said Sally. They'll be up On the
tide
q should think you'd lived to salt
water all your life," said Mrs. Martin.
"How sure you be! But when you
seen the sights l seen-"
Joe wouldn't darst 90 and leave
me-" said Sally. And that's all
there is about it" And Mrs. Martin
went to find some neighbor with more
sympathy than Sally, who, for her
part. continued automatically with
her packing, till the other was out of
hearing.
It was nearly noon now; and Joe
ought to have been back with a boat
load Of fish from his travis. She
looked out Of the window, but there
was not boat in the harbor. Almost
all the boats, indeed, were drawn up
on the icy flats The water was grey
as gulls' back, defined by the Sails
bury shore with dull white edge OF
snow; but looking out to sea, where
the breakers rolled in cruel light
across the bar, swallowed every now
and then in the leaden mist behind
Plum Island point and Black Rocks,
the white lips of foam seemed to her
like the fangs Of some wild beast
dripping froth.
Sally saw and felt it all without be-
ing exactly conscious that she did.
The same highly wrought condition
which made her so excited in the
morning, made her half lethargic
FL nI h.
trays one thing after another; and
then she opened the drawer where lay
the little slips and sacques, the tiny
blankets, the bits of things with theil
pink and blue ribbons. As she took
up the first little slip, remembrance
came over her Of the day Joe had tried
it on over his big brown fist, and Their
had fallen on his knees by her side
and taken her in his arms, and "This
is for my wife" he said, land this is
for my child" as he kissed her and
kissed her again and again. Sudden
" she threw them all down
and ran to the window. Still not 6
boat to be seen; and the wind piping
YEARLY from the east. Still those white
lips of foam and froth, still the grey
mist of coming storm out there be
yond the bar. Oh, why didn't Joe
come! She forgot in the instant wher
she looked at the sky where leader
clouds were pouring low, all that had
been disturbing her. 1t was so triv.
lit disappeared in one heartbeat
Oh, what made Joe go out on such 6
day, what made him tempt such g
sea! But in a moment afterward hel
old pride in him came to the rescue
What of the day and tho sea? AS il
Joe wasn't master of his work, anG
couldn't bring his boat in atop Of the
biggest roller that ever brokel
Presently she went down to the
kitchen again. She opened the pan.
try door and took out the big goose
that Joe had brought in the night be-
fore, and she went to work and dressed
it, like the little past-mistress IL
kitchen arts that she was, and put /,
away ready for the oven the next day
and she made her apple sauce, and
put together her plum pudding, and
= cracked her hickory nuts.
She had gone upstairs before she
measured out the fruit and spice fol
her pudding. and had taken the long
spy glass and looked out over the har
Dor. Yes; there was his boat; to be
sure, there was his boat-a boat with
a man at the oars-the oars like darl
lines on the water-the whole rising
and falling with the waves. She Wen
! up again when she had put the nick
DRY nuts away, and took another
swift look. The same perhap:
} it was tho thick mist and sleet tina
made it seem no nearer than before
However, the tide would fetch 1t. Joe
would be chilled to the bone, for al
his REFER; she went down and made
he fire bright,
And that done. flying from on
thing to another, Sally threw on he
great cloak and hood to run over t.
his mothers, shivering with the bias
that cut through her as she opened
the door, and slipping and sliding
dangerously along on the sidewalk
where the mist was already settling
in frozen film, till she reached tn
door that Joe's mother held open t,
| her
DO tell" said the mother. "It'
as much as your life's worth to be gu
in sech goin'? Here, give me you
hand! Come right in!"
Il can't stay" said Sally, for
suppose it's most time for Joe, hi
boats coming up. Butt want you al
to come round to dinner to-morrer
It'll be Christmas day, you know. I'v'
been to the store and got some greer
for the windows. Iwant Joe to Sc.
the wreaths there when he comes
, | He'll be I'M with the tide ~
with the tide?' said the mother
| Joe? You don't mean that Joe's gu
to-dav?"
Yes. do. Why not?" said Sally
t Hes been out many a worse day
, than this
: I'll 90 home with YOU" said joe:
t mother. reaching for her big shawl
You can't keep you're feet on the
ice. and-and | sha'n't have a min
! ute's peace till | see him safe home