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

AdA SIIeN I'd t6Ae pOOT JOIN .
place. l. was no use. Even the fair
haired clergyman, who firmly believed
Miss Aiily vas the wife intended by
Providence 70 preside over bic parson-
age, had no chance, hough when he
entered the farmhouse parlOr his cra-
watts were like snow and his little ten
der speeches all prepared and learned
by note. Miss MIlly was sOliclUous
about his cold and had currant jelly for
tea, and the old servant, Aunt Deb,
played prOprietyi i she corner with her
knitting, and there was no chance for
sentiment.
By and by the girls began to count
Miss NLlly's age and declare hat h
really was an old maid, and the young
men with sparkling intentions went
elsewhere. and AIlly, looking ia her
glass, knew that she was altering
that her lips were not no bright, nor
her cheeks 50 rosy, and that youth was
following love like q dream.
Better So" she thought, ethan to
marry another while my heart Id still
all his"
And then she would draw her broken
tenpence from her bosom and klss it
fondly.
1t was furnished now. and the blue
ribbon faded and frayed, but the let
ter J was as plain upon it's worn sur
face as ever.
The place where Nilly lived was not
far from the seaside. and from her
window she could see many a gallant
ship as it lay at anchor, Knowing
that John Turner was sailor gave her
an interest," in these she might not else
have had, and in times of storm the
tempest tossed mariners never guessed
how the pal. lady who had watched
the sea until dark lay upon her pillow
praying for them.
She had QQarreled with John Turner
she had sent back his letters and HE
ring-but she wore the t~enpence he
had broken, next her heart, now that
ten years we're gone, and was kind to
every sailor.
The September gales came on faroely
and suddenly one year, the eleventh Cf
the lovers separation. AL along the
Atlantic coast old people still remeEn
Der what a frightful year it was. Many
o brave vossel q sated a wreck; many
another was swallowed by the raven
Gus mouths of the greedy waves. In
the lutte church the place was full Of
sobs when n his Sabbath prayer the
pastor pleaded for the safety Of those
upon the sea. And captains, wives
whO dwelt. there and held their head
high at other times humbled their
pride and Sat for hours IN the cottages
of the common sailors wives because
they found comfort there, and Polly
had O stout heart and would declare
that her Jack" must come home safe,
and Lord love ye, Mrs. Captain, I've
heard him say many's the good time
there wsrn't no danger nowhere with
the captain aboard and such a ships
plank under EN-. DAngerG OF course
not!'
But with all the hopes and fears, and
despite the prayers, the Lord saw fit to
lay s. heavy hand upon those who
sailed the 6 that year, and at last,
one awful night, g ship went to pieces
on the rocks just belO ~ the lighthouse,
and though their own friends might be
on board, and many in the town went
half Wild with agony, no help could be
gwen until the day broke. Then the
storm havinglu.led a little there seemed
come h pc for the few who yet chung
to the unh 4ppy vessel. Boats vent
out. and with the frat load Of be
numbed wretches came the news that
thecrew wereall apparently foreigners,
at which more than one sank down
upon the sand t thank heaven. Yet
they were none the less kind to the
poor souls. They fed and clothed
them and opened their homes to them.
The inn neareet to the shore, known
as the Sailors Retreat, was transformed
into g perfect hospital, and thither
came the charitable ladies Of the vii
lage with articles of food and clothing
for the destitute strangers and offers
Of such ACES of kindness as only women
can 1ttingly perform, Mhly Gray
among them. She came just in time,
for a woman with wild black hair float
ing On the breeze stood down upon the
beach talking and g~esticulatlng wildly,
while a group of well intentiOned IN
divlduals stood around her, evidently
as obvious of her meaning as though
she had spoken an unknown tongue.
NThara,a Micn Grou y oriod q Sallnr'a