The Irish standard., 1892-12-10


. miserable little BIT OF seaweed that
the tide has left high and dry on the
shore. But TO- speak with you once more.
to tell yon that always believed IL
your better nature is precious priv
lege.' 5s =.s ST I'LL
He put down his dark head on the edge
Of the couch, as if ashamed to let her see
his emotion. 3s
'.It was damnable conspiracy to sep
arate us, Vinie. never can tell you the
whole story, as it has been told to me,
because my lips are sealed by promise
made with my hand on the Testament.
But it was all made up Of fraud and lies.
And they made me think you believed
the lies, and thought had been trifin
with you to lead you to ruin, and that
you hated me like poison, but now !
know was all out in my reckonin, Vinie.
It's as if I'd been to sea years and years
without seein the sun. No notion where
the north star was, either. compass varied
so. Kept driftin hither and yon, like
an old abandoned hulk on the current
Tried to go by dead reckonin, but was
all wrong. Tried to clutch things that
hadn't no comfort in them
But when you saw the old house
blazing, George, you forgot all that had
come and gomez"
''Vinie," said he, so1emnly, 81 felt as
if l could snatch you right out Of the
clutches of death.
.'But wasn't worth saving. George
such a poor creature, all broken and
spent, tied to the chair or to the bed.
George, you might as we'll think OF a
dead woman as OF me.
At that moment the old parrot awoke
on his perch, shook himself, dabbed
hercely at his breast feathers and piped
out, '.George, kiss Polly"
Vinie burst into little. weak, hysteri-
cal laugh, and the captain raised her
pale hand and laid it on his lips. wi
ME-" he said. 81 swear I'll devote my
whole life to you if you'll let me. III
cleanse my mouth Of every foul word and
my heart Of every drop Of gall. I'll let
nothing come in but YOU, just you. I'll
watch over you as it you was a saint
right out of heaven and no wind shall
strike you roughly, you poor. long suf-
fering, patient Vinie. I'm not the
heather folks would make ME, for right
here ON my knees feel as if could
pray and thank the Lord for giving you
back to me-"
.tWhat's thatY" said Vinie, raising
her head. They listened to a kind Of
moaning and scratching at the door, like
a hungry dog pleading to be let in.
*Cap'n Bligh! Cap'n Bligh!'' walled
a distracted voice. "Where's Miss May
hew? Some say you kerried her off out
the burnin house and some say you
didn't / can't find her. She's lost. Oh.
Cap'n Bligh, open the door,
Ann had stumbled into the dark entry
and Captain Bligh took up the light and
held it as she came limping forward in
disheveled state pitiable to witness.
'Merciful mani she exclaimed as
soon as her eyes fell OH her mistress. eff
you aint a-laying right here Oh Cap'n
Bligh's sofy, of all places in this town
the most improperest.
The tone of wailing had changed to
one OF sharp rebuke, like a distracted
mother who, as soon as she has found
her lost child, begins to shake him.
Il couldn't find you nowhere, and l
thought you was smoke sufocated. |
tried to rush right into the kitchen
part when it was all Of q light blaze.
They held me back by main force. and !
guess | fit and scratched like a tiger cat.
Them insurance men, if they choke me,
can't make me say how it ketched. l
don't know to save me whether it was
the chinlbly burnin out OF ashes in
bar'l. sometimes he'd put ashes in
bari, but was always keerful about
them bein cold and no sparks. If them
insurance men use slow torture they
can't make me tell; don't know.
Twas preparatory lecture night and
| was kind of hurried to get my dishes
done and be off, for hain't missed
preparatory lecture never since came
to the Mayhem place, and that Was
when Vinie was little; and the lecture
room was warm, and | sat in a dark
corner up against the wall, and the
minister's voice went right on without
change. | knew he was sound in doc
trine and could trust him, SO guess |
must have dozed off, for | set right up
with a start when the church bell changed
and somebody screeched fire! and all the
folks began scuttlin out Of the room and
| after them as hard as could pelt, for
| hain't missed q fire no more than q
meetin for over forty years. When |
heard somebody say it was the old May
hew place. seemed as though my head
shot away from my legs, and l come
right down ON a kerbstone on all tours,
and give myself a bruise | guess shall
kerry to my grave.
"When l got home see at once my
part Of the house was gone and all that
jelly he'd put up. 1t kind Of haunted me,
!. that Jelly did The firemen were up on the
roof hewin away with axes and sousin
water down the walls. Mother Mayhew's
chany and silver had all been took out
of the corner cupboard that was plum
up agin the burnin part and kerried no.
body knows where. and my clothes, they
do say. are scattered all over Littleield