The star. (Reynoldsville, Pa.) 1892-1946, 1893-04-12


Sarah Jane first thing in the morning.
And nearly ready to cry, the poor lit-
tie thing stood there in the lantern
light with her baby huggcd tight TO
her breast, the picture of distress.
eel never sot eyes on your .Mr.
Smith, and never henrn tell of him,
and there nin't no possibility for you
to go on any such craft rs this hcre,'
said the old fellow, $50 you'd jest
better come ashore with me, nom, and
I'll take you to II respectable tavern
"Thc little girl nearly broke down,
but with tears In her eyes and great
sobs in her voice, she told the captain
her story and begged him to take her.
And when he said that ho had no
room, no place in which he could put
her and nothing to give her to eat, she
declared that she could sleep OIL deck
and if they had hard tack and water
that would be enough for her, and scc-
ing denial still in his grim old face
she chokcd down her sobs aud sat
rcsoiutcly down in her chair and said
she would stay, they must take her.and
that was the end of 1t. The captain
still eXpostulntcd, but she said with a
lofty mir that the letter from the pay
master general of the navy, which she
had in her pocket, was authority
enough for him. and that he'd be paid
for The passage If that was what lie
wanted, and that (with great cmpha-
sis) she was-going-to-stay?
"Thcn she rocked back aud forth
with great spirit, and us tho baby be-
gnn TO whimper, Yes, mothers dar.
ling, it is goiug to see its father, and
no crucl-heartcd old sailor is going to
make it stay any longer! There,
there, tl'crc, go.lo-Slccp, go-to-slccpP
at was hard fight, but she won!
The old fellow gave in grumblingly
and went below TO see about ways and
means. lie gave her his own bunk
and rugged up screens for her, and
she had presence of mind enough to
smile and thank him warmly when lie
showed her the miserable hole, and TO
praise the greasy bacon and hard tack
and wictchc coffee they brought her
in the morning.
"Thc voyage was hard one, but
she sat on deck in her chair all day
long. The few men on board were
very respectful, and the captain aud
mate ma le much of tie baby. There
was nasty weather rounding Cape
Ilattcras, and at one time they were
in great danger, but the little woinrn
could not be made 10 go below.
| Advice, cntrcaics nor commands had
any effect. Stationing herself abaft
the mainmast. or somewhere Oh deck,
she stuck out the storm, her eyes
turned always to tho sou'-sou'- west,
where Jim was.
"And when at last they glidcd be-
| hind the brcakwater aud the harbDr-
masters boat put ont TO meet them,
with Jim on board, there she stood,
near the bow, her baby in her arms,
her eyes brimmng with tears and her
face transtigurcd with gladncss."
"She was n plucky little girl" said
tho judge, as Pond concluded, "and
luckicr, too, than many another poor
wife was in those days. But did they
never learn anything more about that
fellow, Smith,"
"Yes! The husband wrote to a
friend in the Office and The matter was
| investigated. Smith was discharged
with little extremely plain talk from
the general which resulted in his de.
parturc for other sccues.'
"But where comes in that vivid
personal interest which YOU said YOU
had in the story!n asked Middle
brook.
"Why," said Pond, as he rclighted
his cigar, 81 married the baby
Washington Star.