The progressive farmer. [volume] (Winston, N.C.) 1886-1904, 1893-01-24

O~ SAGO ~OS
would Send boats to his succor. He
was 4 country man of madame's own
In an hour it might be too late, for
see the poor ship and the awful
waves, All the saints in heaven
would petition God to bless madame if
she would inbercede for her poor coun-
trymau.",
Allly needed no persuading, and as
soon as the woman's meaning was IN
derstoOd 8 boat was manned and left
the shore for the wrecked vessel. There,
lying insenslb!e in s. sheltered spot of
the deck they found in truth a man
a tall, broad shouldered sailor, with an
immense black beard falling over his
bosom and his face pale as though he
had bee, corpse.
They brought him to the seaside
tavern and laid him IN en- upper cham
ber and stood around him looking at
the solemn sight OF life 30 very near
the verge Of death.
All was done that could be. but still
be qlivered IL the balance, and when
the eun went down was lying just as
pale and senseless upon his pallet IS
when they took him from the wreck.
There were others wh) were almost
SIS bad az be. and come must watch
with them all night.
Among them was 1illy.
The long room where many q time
squeaking fiddle and Gathering piano
had set merry folks ~a-dancing looked
like q hospital now, with 81 row Of beds
adOwn it aud stealthy footed nurses
stealing from pillow to piIow-one or
Vwo feeble candles family lit the room,
and now and then a moan or the NUT
tering Of one delirious with fever broke
the silence. That night one child died
and WAS borne away % another room.
But the sailor with the floating beard
like black floss silk hSd not changed
for better OF fer worse when dawn
broke.
Then the black haired Frenchwoman,
who had taken part In the nursing,
cane to AiIly with something in her
hand.
lis madame g Cathoiicf" she said
mo" said Ailly, II am q Pro
teetant."
Is is q pity" sid thu woman
But madame is good-madame vii
understand. Around the neck of mnn
sieur there he has worn 8 holy relic.
Perhaps the priest blessed it. I have
seen him kiss it often, and I removed
it that it might not be- lost Madame
viii let me tie it about his neck; it may
res1@re him.
HIIly stepped back to give the woman
room, and then she saw for the first
aime what che held IN her hand.
A broken teDpence strung upon q
ribbon Of faded bIua, with the letter Il
engraved on its surface. That ten
pence John Turner had cut in twain
eleven years before, A holy relic III
deed! The relic Of a love which had
endured SO long in two unhappy yet
constant boeons.
You say he kissed it cftenl" she
said.
Il have seen him. said the woman.
And Nilly took it from her ana knot.ed
the frAyed silk about the bronzed
throat with her own hands. Then
kneeiing beside him she looked into the
pallid face and knew it.
The youth with smooth cheeks and
red lips like a woman had changed
into this black bearded man. Care
had drawn lines upon the brow. Wind
and weather had tanned it. Yet it
waa John Turner-her John, for had
be not worn that broken teDpenco all
these weary yearsf
A great flood Of joy swept over her
heart, and she turned to the wondering
Frenchwoman, and from her bceoln
drew her own half Of the coin.
"LookI" she said.
And being a woman, she to whom
that other woman spoke knew what
was meant as well as though long
words had been wasted upon the tale,
for there are lovers in France as we'll
as in America, and they have parted
coins for love tokens ere now the wide
world over.
And in a woman's eyes, and her
throbbing bosom, and her changing
cheek, another woman can read by
the ligh from her own heart the eecret
that is always our gze&eeet Joy or our
~intensest sorrow,
SO after that, without restraint, Eilly
showered kisses on the pale Ida of that
frozen face, prayed for his life, laid
her pale cheek to his and chung to him