The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1891-09-04

ICED roof, through which blew the gale,
drop of water fell on the dead face and
ran down it like II tear.
|
What had Jenny been about in the
dead womans house? What was she
carrying off beneath her cloak? Why was
| her heart beating? Why did she hasten
with such trembling steps to her own
cabin without daring to look back?
What did she hide in ASr own bed he
hind the curtain? 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 mur-
INJURED to herself. while outside the cabin
moaned the savage sea.
My poor man! Oh, heavens, what
will he say? He has already SO much
trouble. What have done now? Five
children on our hands already! Their
father tolls and tolls. and yet, as if he
had not care enough already, | must
/ RlN6 ulul LkkiS CtlIC Ii Oilfit hG!
No, nothing. have done wrong-he
would do quite right to beat me- Is
that he? No! So much the better! The
| door moves as if some one were coming
in; but no. TO think that should feel
afraid to see him enterr
Then she remained absorbed in
thought and shivering with the cold. un-
conscious of all outward sounds, of the
black cormorants, which passed shrek
ing, and of the rage of wind and sea.
All at once the door flew open, streak
of the white light of morning entered,
and the fisherman, dragging bis drip
| ping net, appeared upon the threshold,
and cried, with gay laugh. "Here
comes the navy!"
"You!' cried Jenny: and she clasped
her husband Ikea lover, and pressed her
mouth against his rough jacket.
| "Here am. wife he said, showing
in the freight the good natured and
contented face which Jenny loved so
well.
81 have been unlucky," he continued.
"What kind of weather have you
had?"
Dreadful"
"And the fishing?"
"Bad. But never mind. Ihave you
in my arms again, and am satisfied
have caught nothing at all. have only
torn my net. The deuce was in the
wind tonight At one moment of the
tempest l thought the boat was founder
ing, and the cable broke But what have
you been doing all this time"
Jenny felt shiver in the darkness.
sI?" 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"
eyes; the winter is u 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 can only lisp.
The poor, good woman was in dreadful
want"
The man looked grave. Throwing
into corner his fur cap, sodden by the
tempest: ''The deucer' he said, scratch
ing his head. 1--WE already have five
children; this makes seven. And al
ready in bad weather we have to go
without our supper. What shall we do
now? Bah, it 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 mat
ters are too difficult to understand. One
has to be scholar to see through them.
Such tiny scraps of children Wife, go
and fetch them. II they are awake, they
must be frightened to be alone with
their dead mother. We will bring them
up 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 let us take more
fish. AS for me, will drink water.
will work twice as hard. Enoughl Be
off and get them! But what is the mat
ter? Does it vex your You are gener-
ally quicker than this. ["
His wife drew back the curtain.
"Lookr she said.-Translate from
the French of Victor Hugo for Strand
Magazine