The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1891-06-28

fore noon the next day; hence, when,
awaking at 5 the next morning. she heard
them bustling about down stairs, she did
not hasten to descend, but lay trying TO
nerve herself for the parting, imagining
that they would leave about 9. as her hus-
band had done on his previous voyage.
When she did descend she beheld words
chalked on the sloping face of the bureau,
but no husband or sons. In the hastily
scrawled lines Shadrach said they had
gone off thus not to pain her by leave
taking; and the sons had chaiked under:
"Goodby, mother"
She rushed to the quay and looked down
the harbor toward the blue RIM OF the sea,
but she could only see the masts and bulg-
ing sails of the Joanna-no human figures.
"'Tis / have sent them ~ she said, wildly,
| and burst into tears.
In the house the chalked goodbys near
ly broke her heart But when she had re-
! entered the front room and looked across
at Emily's CLEAN of triumph lit her thin
| face at her anticipated release from the
| thraldom of subservience.
To do Emily Lester justice, her assump-
ton of superiority was mainly a figment
of Joanna's brain. That the circumstances
| of the merchants wife were more luxurious
| than Joanna's the former could not con-
ceal, though whenever the two met which
was not very often now, Emily endeavored
| to subdue the difference by every means in
| her power.
The first summer lapsed away, and Jo-
anna meagerly maintained herself by the
shop, which now consisted of little more
| than a window and counter. Emily
was, in truth. her only large customer !;
and Mrs. Testers kindly readiness to buy
anything and everything without ques-
tioning its quality had a sting of bitter
| ness in it, for it was the uncritical attitude
| of patron and almost of a donor. The
| long, dreary winter moved on; the face of
| the bureau had been turned to the wall to
protect the chalked words of farewell. for
she could never bring herself to rub them
out, and she often glanced at them with
wet eyes. Emilys handsome boys
came home for the Christmas holt
days, and still Joanna subsisted. as
it were, with held breath like a
| person submerged. Only one summer
| the end of the time Emily called on her
| quondarn friend. She had heard that
Joanna began to feel anxious; she had re-
| ceived no letter from husband or sons for
some months. Emily's silks rustled AFRO
gantly when, in response to Joanna's
almost dumb invitation. she squeezed
through the opening of the counter and
into the parlor behind the shop.
You are all success and am all the
other wayp' said Joanna.
But why do you think so?" said Emily.
"They are to bring back fortune hear"
"Ah! will they come? The doubt is
more than a woman can bear. All three
in one ship-think of that And have
| not heard of them for months!
But the time is not up. You should not
meet misfortune halfway"
Nothing will repay me for the grief of
l their absence J"
"Then why did you let them go? You
1 Wa 6nin fof ri oil
II made them go!" she said, turning
vehemently upon Emily. "And III tell
you whyI / could not bear that we
should be only muddling on, and you so
rich and thriving. Now | have told you
and you may hate me if yon willl'
81 shall never hate you, Joanna"
And she proved the truth of her words
| afterward. The end of autumn came and
the brig should have been in port, but
| nothing like the Joanna appeared in the
channel between the sands. 1t was now
really time to be uneasy Joanna Jolliffe
caused her cold thrill. She had always
feared and detested the sea-to her it was
treacherous, restless, Shiny creature,
glorying in the grief of women. Still, %
she said, ''they must comet
She recalled to her mind that Shadrach
had said before starting that if they re-
turned safe and sound with success crown
ing their enterprise, he would go as he
had gone after his shipwreck and kneel
| with his sons in the church and offer sim
cere thanks for their deliverance She
went to church regularly morning and
| afternoon, and sat in the most forward
| pew, nearest the chancel step. Her eyes
| were mostly fixed on that step, where
| Shadrach had knelt in the bloom of his
| young manhood-she knew to an inch the
spot which his knees had pressed twenty
| winters before. his outline as he had knelt,
rc hot b. L. A.
| good. Surely her husband must kneel
there again, a son on each side, as he had
| said-George just here, Jim just there. By
| long watching the spot, as she worshipped,
1t became as if she saw the three returned
ones there kneeling-the two slim out
lines OF her boys, the more bulky form be-
| tween them-thelr hands clasped their
heads shaped against the eastern wall.
| The fancy grew almost to an halIucina-
| ton; she could never turn her worn ewes
to the step without seeing them there
Nevertheless, they did not come Heaven
was merciful, but it was not yet pleased to
| relieve her soul. This was her purgation
| for the sin of making them the slaves of
her ambition. But it became more than
| purgation soon, and her mood approached
despair. Months had passed since the
brig had been due. but il had not returned.
Joanna was always seeing or hearing ev-
| licences of their arrival. When on the
hill behind the port, whence a view of the
| open channel could be obtained, she felt
| sure that little speck on the horizon.
breaking the eternally level waste of
! waters southwark, was the track of the
| Joanna's mainmast. Or, when indoors. a
| shout of excitement of any kind at the
corner by the Town Cellar, where the High
street Joined the quay, caused her to
spring to her feet and cry, "'Tis theyl"
But it was not The visionary forms
knelt every Sunday afternoon on the
| chancel step, but not the real Her shop
| had, as 1t were, eaten itself hollow In
the apathy which had resulted from her
loneliness and grief she had ceased to take
in the smallest supplies, and thus had sent
| away her last customer.
In this strait Emily Lester tried bv
every means in her power to aid the
afflicted woman; but she met with con-
slant REFUSES. 81 don't like you-I can't
| bear to see your! Joanna would whisper
hoarsely when Emily came to her and
made advances.
But | want to help and soothe you,
| Joanna, Emily would saw.
"You are a lady, with a rich husband
and fine sons. What can YOU want with a
| bereaved crone like me ?"
Joanna, | want this. I want Won IN
come and live in my house and not stav
| alone IN this dismal place anv longer
| And suppose they come and don't find
| me at homeI on wish to separate me
and mine! No, I'll stay here. | don't
IKE you and l can't thank you, whatever
| kindness you may do me -
| However, as time went on. Joanna couId
| not afford TO pay the rent of the sbon and
| house without an income. She was con-
| WINGED that all hope of the return of