The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1892-05-11

dead woman's house? What was sh,
carrying off beneath her cloak! Why
was her heart beating! What did sh,
hasten with such trembling steps t
her own cabin without daring to lool
back. What did she hide in her owl
bed behind the curtain. What baC
she been stealing!
When she entered the cabin the
cliffs were growing white. She sanl
upon the chair beside the bed. Sht
was very pale. 1t seemed as if sht
felt repentance. Her forehead fell up
on the pillow, and at intervals, with
broken words, she murmerd 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 l done now
Five children on our hands already
| Their father tolls and tolls, and yet
as if he had not care enough already
I must give him this care more. Is
that he! No, nothing. have done
wlong-he would do quite right to
beat me. Is that he! No! So much
the better! The door moves as il
one were coming in, but no. TO think
that should feel afraid to see him en-
ter !"
Then she remained absorbed in
thought and shivering with the cold,
unconscious of all outward sounds, of
the black cormorants, 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 navy!"
"You !" cried Jenny and she
clasped her husband like 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
we'll.
81 have been unlucky," he contin-
ued.
"What kind of weather have you
had ?"
"Dreadful."
IAN i the fishin ~
"Bad. But never mind. I have
you in my arms again, and [ am salts
fled. l have caught nothing at all. l
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 do
ing all this time -
Jenny felt shiver in the dark
ness.
II ?" she said in trouble. "Oh,
nothing just as usual. J. have been
sewing. i have been listening to the
thunder of the sea, and 1 was fright
ened."
"Yes: the winter is q hard time.
But never mind it now"
Then, trembling as if she were 60
ing to commit u 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.
eve already have five children
this makes seven. And already in
bad weather we have to go without
our supper. What shall we do now !!
Bah, it is not my fault it's Gods do
ing. 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 see through
them. Such tiny scraps of children !!
Wife, 60 and fetch them. If 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, I will drink water. l will
work twice as hard, Enough! Be. off
and get them? But what is the mat
ter? Does it veX you? You are gen.
orally quicker than this"
His wife drew back the cur
tain.
"Look w she said.-Translated from
the French of Victor Hugo for Strand
Magazine. ;.
Seasons.-A teacher inquired of the
members of class of children if any
of them could name the four seasons.
Instantly the chubby hand of five
year old was raised and promptly came
the answer. "Pepper, salt, vinegar and
mustard. .n-Pall Mall GaZett.