The Irish standard., 1893-08-26

tirely washed away by the action %
the elements, leaving her all over of q
leprous pallor.. The rest Of the build
ing, as have suggested, was of sinis-
ter blackness, though here and there
it was sprinkled with wet sea sand.
Sand, too, lay on every side, covered .
small patch originally meant for .
garden, and drifted thickly up to the
very door. i
To this cottage William Jones ran
with his treasure-trove, and, entering
without ceremony. found himself in
almost total darkness; for the Light
which crept through the blackenedS
panes of the small window was only
just sufficient to make darkness visible.
But this worthy seaside character.
having, in addition to cats predatory
instincts, something of a cats power OF
vision, clearly discerned everything in!
the chamber he just entered-a rude,
stone-paved kitchen, with an open
fireplace, and no crate, black rafters;
overhead, from which suspended SUM-
drv lean pieces of bacon, a couple OF
wooden chairs, table and, in one;
corner, sort of bed in the wall, where !:
a human figure was reposing. Setting
down the trunk he marched right over,
to the bed. and unceremoniOusly shook
the individual lying upon it, whom no
discovered to be a man, muttering in q
heavy sleep. Finding that he did not
wake with shaking, William Jones.
bent down and cried Justify in his ears
"Wreck! wreck ashore!'
The effect was instantaneous. The
figure r,,se up in bed, disclosing tho
head and shoulders of very old
man, who wore red cotton nightcap.
and whose hair and beard were white
as snow.
s'Eh? Wheer? Wheer?" he cried, in
shriu treble, looking vacantly around
him.
awake up, old Jump seizing him and
shaking him again. "It's me, William
Jones'"
civilian? Is it my son William"
returned the old man, peering out into
the darkness.
eyes, father. Look We now, you was
attacking again in your sleep, you was:
A good thing no one heerd you but
your SON William. Some o. These days
you'll be letting summat out, yoA will.
if you go on like this.''
The old man shook his head feeibly,
then, clasping his hands together in q
kind Of rapture, he looked at his son
and said:
eyes, William, was a-dreaming.
Oh, it was such heavingly dream!
was a-standing on the shore, Wilt 4.
and it was a-blowing hard from ne
east and all at once / see ship, big.
as an Indiaman, come in wi al sail
set, and go ashore; and I looked round,
William dear, and there was NO ono
nigh but you and me; and, when she
broke up, see gold and silver and
jewels come washing ashore just
like floating weeds, and the drowned,
every one of 'em, had rings on their
fingers, and gold watches and cheens,
and, more'n that, that their hands
were full of shining gold: and one Of
'em-a lady, William-had bright dia-
mond ring, as big as a walnut: but
when tried to pull it off, it wouldn't
come; and just rs pulled out my leetle
knife to cut the finger off, and put it
in my pocket, you shook me, William,
and woke me up. Oh, it was heav.
ingly dream!''
William Jones had listened with ILL
disguised interest to the early part of
this speech, but, on it's conclusion, he
gave another grunt of undissembled
disgust.
"Well,, you're awake now, old 'un;
80 jump up. I've brought summat
home. Look sharp, and geta light.
fully dressed, in pair of old woolea
trousers and a guernsey. slipped from
the bed and began fumbling about the
room. He soon found what he wanted
"a box of matches and a rude, hon1e-
made candle, fashioned of "a long,
coarse reed dipped in sleeps tallow;
but owing to the fact that he was ex-
ceedingly feeble and tremulous, he wax
SO long in lighting up that his gentle
son grew impatient.
''Here, give 'un to me!' said William.
''Youre wasting them matches just as
if they cost nowt. A precious father
you are and no mistake"
The candle being lighted and burn
ing with feeble fame he informed the
old man of what he had found. In a
moment the latter was down on his
knees, opening the box and greedily
examining it's contents. But William
pushed him inpatiently away and
closed the LID with bang. {.
''rheer, enough o. that, old 'un! You
hold the light while carry the box in
and put it away"
Cali right, William dear-an right"
returned the old man, obeying glee-
fully. Il know'd we should have luck,
by that beautiful dream"
The two men-one holding the light
and the other carrying the trunk
passed through door at the back Of
the kitchen and entered an inner
chamber. This chamber, too, con
tanned window, which was so blocked
up, however, by lumber of all kinds
that little or no daylight entered.
Piled up in great confusion were Old