Red Lodge picket. [volume] (Red Lodge, Mont.) 1889-1907, 1893-02-25

were like snow and his little tender
speeches all prepared and learned
by note. Miss Ailly was solicitous
about his cold and had current jelly
for tea, and the old servant, Aunt
Deb, played propriety in the corner
with her knitting, and there was l2t
4 chance for sentiment.
By and by the girls began to count
Miss Milly's age and declare tha-
she really was an old maid, ard the
| young men with sparkling inten-
! tions went elsewhere, and Aiilly,
looking in her glass, knew that she
was altering-that her lips were not
so bright, nor her cheeks so rosy,
and that youth was following love
like a dream.
Better SO" she thought, than to
marry another while my heart is
still all his
And then she would draw her
broken tenpence from her bosom
and kiss it fondly.
1t was ta1nished now, and the blue
ribbon faded and frayed, but the let
ter j was as plain upon its worn
surface as ever.
The place where Milly lived was
not far from the seaside, and from
her window she could see many &
gallant ship as it lay at anchor
| Knowing that John Turner was a
sailor gave her an interest in these
she might not else have had, and III
times Of storm the tempest tossed
mariners never guessed how the pale
lady who had watched the sea until
dark lay upon her pillow praying
for them.
She had quarreied with John Tur
ner-she had sent back his letters
and his ring-but she wore the ten
pence he had broken next her heart,
now that ten years were gone, and
was kind to every sailor.
The September gales came Oh
fercely and suddenly one year, the
eleventh Of the lovers separation
All along the Atlantic coast old peo-
pie still remember what Il fri2htful
year it was. Many a brave vessel
foated a wreck many another was
swallowed by the ravenous mouths
Of the greedy waves. In the little
church the place was full OF sobs
when in his Sabbath prayer the pas
tor pleaded for the safety Of those
upon the sea. And captains wives
who dwelt there and held their
heads 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 a stout art
and would declare that her Jack"
must come home safe, and Lord
love ye, Mrs. Captain, I've heard
him say rnanys the good time
there warnt no danger nowhere
with the captain aboard and ST. b a
ships plank under en-. Daaser2
OF course notr
But with eli the hopes and fears,
and despite the prayers, the Lord
saw fit to lay heavy hand upon
those who sailed the sea that year,
and at last, one awful night, ship
went to pieces on the rocks Just be
low the lighthouse, c,1d thc,,,,c3,,l
their own friends might &c on board,
and many in the town Went h.,lt
wild with agony, no help could be
given until the day broke Then the
storm having lullea a little tln II
seemed some hope for the few who
yet clung to the unhappy vessel,
Boats went out, and with the first
load Of benumb bed wretches came the
news that the crew were all apparent
ly foreigners, at which more than one
sank down upon the sand to 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 nearest to tl1e shore, known
as the Sailors Retreat, was trans
formed into q perfect hospital, and
thither came the charitable ladies of
the village with articles Of food and
clothing for the destitute st,.aHgers
and offers Of such acts OF kindness as /
only women can fittingly perform,
Milly Gray among them. She came
just in time, for a woman with
wild black hair floating on the
breeze stood down upon the beach
talking and gesticulating wildly,
while a group Of well intentioned T
individuals stood around her, evi- I
IDENTIFY as obvious of her meaning
as though she had spoken an un-
known tongue.
There's Miss Gray" cried a sail
or's wife among the number; ''p'raps
she knows Dutch"
The woman turned to Milly and
began:
"Vous parlez vous Francais, ma
dame2' I
''she is French said Milly. 81
think I shall be able to understand +
her"
Then the wild eyed woman began
her tale:
There was still another sufferer F
upon the wrecll-a sailor who had
been i'll. She was sure OF it. All had {
forgotten him, and he had been so
good to them, SO kind TO her little
SO pitiful of the poor babe
who died and was buried III the sea.
1t was cruel to desert him Madame
would influence the gentlemen; they
would send boats to his succor. He
was a countryman Of nladame's own.
In an hour it MIGHT he too l2Ie. for