Evening capital. (Annapolis, Md.) 1884-1910, 1891-09-22

struggle with ae world.
Near the bed on which the mother lay,
two little children-a boy and Il girl
slept together in their cradle, and were
smiling in their dreams. Their mother.
when she felt that she was dying, had
laid her cloak across their feet and
wrapped them In her dress to keep them
warm when she herself was cold.
How sound they slept in their old. tot
tering cradle, with their calm breath and
quiet little facesl Itseemed as if nothing
could awake these sleeping orphans.
Outside the rain beat down in floods, and
the sea gave forth sound like an alarm
bell. From the old creviced roof, through
which blew the gale, drop of water fell
on the dead face, and ran down il like
tear.
What had Jenny been about in the dead
woman's house? What was she carrying
off beneath her cloak? Wy was her heart
bestingg Why did she hasten with such
trembling steps to her own cabin, with
out daring to look back ? What did sine
hide in her own bed, behind the curtainl
What had she been stealing?
When she entered the cabin the cliffs
were 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 mani Oh, heavens, what
will he say? He has already so much
trouble. What have l done now? Five
children on our hands already! 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. l have done wrong-he would
do quite right to beat me. Is that he3
| mol So much the better! The door
moves as if someone were coming in but
no. To think that l should feel afraid 10
see him eaterl"
Then she remained absorbed in thought,
and shiverins with the cold, unconscious
of all outward sounds, of the black cor
morants, which passed shrieking, 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 dripping
net, appeared upon the threshold, and
cried with gay laugh, "Here comes the
| Navyl"
You'll" cried Jenny; and she claspej
her husband like lover, and pressed her
mouth against his rough jacket.
. Here I'M, wife, he said, showing in
the freight the good ,Cured and con-
tented face which Jenny loved so WELL
II have been unlucky," he continued.
"What kind of weather have you
had?"
"Dreadfuli"
sand the fishingl"
"Bad. But never mind. Ihave you in
my arms again, and i am satisfied.
have caught nothing at all. have only
torn my iet. The deuce was in the wind
tonight At one moment of the tempest
/ thought the boat was laundering, and
the cable broke. But what have you
been doin all this timer"
Jenny felt shiver in the darkness.
z" she said, in 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 it now.
Then, trembling as If she were going
to commit 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 ca. only lisp.
The poor, good woman was n dreadful
want.
The man looked grave. Throwing into
a corner his fur cap, sodden by the tenn
pest: "The deucei" he said, scratching
his head. "We already have five chill
dren; this makes seven. And already in
bad weather we have to go without our
supper. What shall we do now? Bah,
1t 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 matters are too difficult TO
understand. One has TO be a scholar to
zee through them. Such tiny scraps of
shildrenl Wife, go and fetch them. If
they are awake, they must be frightened
70 be alone with their dead mother. We
will bring them MP 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 les
US take more fish. As for me, will
drink water. will work twice as hard.
Enough! Be off and bring theml But
what is the matter Does it vex you Z
You are generally quicker than this. 1"
His wife drew back the curtain.
"Lookl" she said.