The state herald., 1891-11-13

SOUND ike an alarm Dell. From the
old creviced roof, through which blew
the gale, a drop of water fell on the
dead face and ran down it like a tear.
What had Jennie been about in tho
dead woman's house9 What was she
carrying OIL beneath her cloak2 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 her own
bed behind 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 il she felt
repentance. Her forhead fell upon the
pillow, and Mt intervals, with broken
words she murmured to herself, while
outside the cabin moaned the savage
sea.
"My poor man! o, heavens, what
will he say? He has already 80 much
trouble. What have done now?
| Five children on our hands already!
Their father tolls and tolls, and yet,
as il he had not care enough already,
must give him this care more. Isthat
heY No; nothing have done wrong
he would do quite right to beat me.
Is that he? No! So much the better
The door moves us il some one were
coming in; but no. To think that l
should be afraid to see him enter"
Then she remained absorbed in
thought and shivering with the cold,
unconscious OF all outward sounds,
| Nf Nha tla al, TO ,t-hiph nm md
shrieking, and of the rage OF wind and
sea.
At once the door few 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 navy!"
| "You!" cried Jenny; and she clasped
her husband like IL 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.
~ have been unlucky," he continued.
"What kind OF weather have you
hadY"
"Dreadful."
"And the fshing2"
bad. But never mind. ! have
you in my arms again, and am salts.
fled. have caught nothing at all.
have only torn my net. The deuce
was in the wind tonight. At one mo-
ment OF the tempest | thought the
boat was laundering, and the cable
broke. But what have you been doing
all this timer"
Jenny felt shiver in the darkness.
"I2" 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"
ayes, the winter is a hard time.
But never mind it now"
Then trembling as il she were going
to commit crime:
Husband" she said, tour 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
intoa corner his fur cap, sodden by
the tempest: "rhe deuccl" he said,
scratching his head" We already have
five children; this makes seven. And
already in bad weather We have to 90
without our supper. What shall We
do now? Bah, it is not my fault; its
Gods doing These arc things too
deep for me. Why has he taken way
their mother from these mitesY
These matters are difficult to under
stand. One has to be a scholar to SEQ
through them. Such tiny scraps oi
childrenl 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 VIC
have to feed this little girl and boy be-
sides our own he will let us take more
fish. As for me, will drink water.
! will work twice rs hard. Enough
BE of and get theml But what is the
matter? Does it vex your You are
generally quicker than this"
His wife drew back the curtain.
Look" she said.-Translated IRON
the French of Victor Hugo.