Fairhaven herald. [volume] (Fairhaven, Wash.) 1890-????, 1892-10-04
THE FLOOD.

found dead at his evening meal; the girl
had died on the same day, and they were
buried side by side. This caused much
scandal, for the man was holy, and the
girl, as many women said, was probably
evil altogether. AT the graves, when
the minister's people saw what was be-
ing done, they piously protested, but
the Factor answered them gravely that
the matter should go ON since none
knew but the woman was as worthy oe
heaven as the man. Vending CHANGED
to stand beside pretty Pierre.
who knowsi' he said aloud, looking
hard at the graves, "who knowsi She
died before him, but the dead can
strike"
Pierre did not answer Immediately,
for the Factor was calling the earth
down on both coffins, but after a mo-
ment he added, Eyes, the dead can
strike" And then the eyes of the two
men caught and staid, and they knew
that they had things to say to each other
in the world.
They became friends. And that per-
haps was not greatly to Weddings
credit, for in the eyes Of many Pierre
was an outcast Gs an outlaw. Maybe
some of the women disliked this friend
ship most, since Vending was a hand
some man, and Pierre was never known
to seek them, good or bad, and they
blamed him Tor the others GOODNESS, for
his unconcerned yet respectful eye
"There's Nelly Nolan would dance
after him to the worlds end" said Shon
McGann to Pierre one day, "and the
Wildly Jerome herself, wild her famin
cheeks and the wild fun in her eye,
croons like babe at the breast as he
slides out his cash on the bar, and over
on Gansonby's fat there's
"There's many a fool" sharply inter
jected Pierre as he pushed the needle
through button he was sewing on.
"Bedad, there's a pair of fools here
anyway, say l, for the women might
die without lift at waist or brush of lip
and neither of ye'd say, Here's to the
JOY of us, goddess, me OWN"
Pierre seemed to be intently watching
the needle point as it pierced up the
button eye, and his reply was given with
a slowness corresponding to the sedate
passage of the needle. "Wendling, you
think, cares nothing for women? Well,
men who are like that cared once Cor
one woman, and when that was over
But, pshawl | will not talk. You
are no thinker, Shon Mccain. You
blunder through the world. And you'll
tremble az much to woman's thumb
in fifty years as now"
"By the holy SMOKE" said Shon,
though tremble at that, maybe I'll not
tremble as Vending at nothing at all. /"
Here Pierre looked up sharply, then
dropped his eyes on his work again.
Shon lapsed suddenly into a moodiness.
YES" said Pierre, las Vending at
nothing at all? Well?"
"Well, this, Pierre, for you that's a
thinker, from me that's none. l was
wallzin with him in the Red glen yester-
day. Suddenly he took to shiverin and
snatched me by the arm, and mad
look shot out of his handsome face.
'Hushp says he listened. There was
a sound like the hard rattle Of a creek
over stones, and then another sound be-
hind that. Come, quick says he, the
sweat standin thick ON him, and he ran
me up the bank-for it was at the begin
and there we stood pantin an starin
fat at each other.
"'What's that, and what's got its
hand on We, for y'are cold as death an
pinched in the face, an you've bruised
my ARM said l. And he looked around
him slow and breathed hard, then drew
his fingers through the sweat on his
cheek. I'm not well, and / thought
heard-you heard it; what was it ikeY
said he, and he peered close at me
Like water said |; "A little creek near
and food comm far off, Yes, just
that said he; it's some trick Of wind
in the glen, but it makes man foolish,
and an inch of brandy would be the
right thing. didn't say no to that
And on we came, and brandy we had
with wish in the eye of Nelly Nolan
that'd warm the heart of tomb. Anc
there's cud for your chewin, Pierre"
During this Pierre had finished witt
the button. He had drawn on his coa
and lifted his hat, and now lounged
trying the point Of the needle with hi
forefnger. When Shon ended he sale
with a eidelong glance, But what die
you-think of all that, SbonT
''Think There it wasl What's tn,
use of thinkin? There's many trick il
the world with wind or with spirit, a
I've seen often enough in ould Ireland
and it's not to be guessed by me-" Her
his voice got little lower and trif
solemn. "For, Pierre, spoke he, ''there'
what's more than life or death, and sorri
wan can tell what it is, but we'll know
some day when
"when we've taken the leap at tn
almighty ditch" said Pierre, with
grave kind of lightness. eyes, it is al
strange. But even the almighty ditcl
is worth the doing-nearly everything
is worth the doing; being young, grow
ing old, fighting, loving-when youtl
ison-hating, eating, drinking, working