Democratic Northwest. [volume] (Napoleon, Ohio) 1869-1894, 1893-10-05

Breezy set sail, nd Sam Westen went
along Of 'er. The gal nd little teller
were left alone OF. tn islun. She seemed
a bit down hearted at fust, but she were
too joyful creatur' to stay that way
- -------- --.--.----- -
iong. Call me jess, she says to mother,
cause love ye already. Call me Jess
'.Lord. Lordl She were q delightful
:reatur'-tall nd slim, with black hair
nd eyes the color Of water. You sh'd
hey' heered her laf. Mother used to say
ct made her feel young agin to hear thet
laf, ct was so good nd hearty.
jess cd pull dory against any feller
along shore. nd they all 'mired her after
thet big shoal o. herrin come in late, md
she helped pick the nets cause they was
short O. hands md dories. She saved op
crazy Bills life one day when his boat
capsized in squall. Bill never forgot
that cracked az he wera T1hA littiA -.
Neddy, too, how she did love 'iml he
were fat, solemn looking little feller,
onstidy on his legs md jes' beginnin to
talk. Favored Sam, but he'd her eyes
bootiful eyesl
"Well, one mild, bright day in winter,
the Breezy agin dropped anchor in the
harbor. She he'd fust rate haul O. fish
aboard 'er, md they'd been very easy
trip.
"Sittin ct supper Peter (my brother
thet's dead) said the men of the Breezy
was raisin hi with their money down
to Jilly's. 81 Jilly KEEP the store then
md sold bad whisky in 3 back room.
'Yeh didn't see Sam Weston with 'em,
did yehT mother asked, kinder anxiori&
She was very fond o Jess, mother was.
No. said Peter. He must hev' steered
straight home Mother give sigh O.
relief nd asked us not to go a-nigh Jilly
md his crew thet night. We humored
'er md staid to home. I member Peter
played ON is Gordon all the evenin.
Lord, how he did make the thing work.
1t al'ays pleased mother md father so.
"Long arter midnight, when we'd all
turned in, 1 cd hear the singin nd howl
in goin on down to Jilly's. Et must hev
been bout in the mornin thet q couple
O the devils come reelin by, yellin md
cussin. Then I fell asleep, md the mex
thing / knew / was sittin straight up in
bed a-list'nin. Et was knock thet he'd
woke me-a knock ct our door. Quick
jumped into my clothes nd run down
below. A secon knock come, so very
gentle thet ct made me feel queer. l
thought of the 'Moonfaced Lady md the
'Wisitin Cod Not thet l b'ieved them
yarns-Lord, no! 1 didn't unbolt the
door, but called out low: Who is it?
What d'yeh want?
''No answer. Then agin, a little loud
er: Who is et2 Tell me what yeh want.
Nd a strange voice answered: ITS me,
Jess. Let me in Nd l threw open
the door. In she walked with the boy
in 'er arms. 1t were Jess, md yit it warnt
Jess. didn't dare to speak. A fearful
look was in 'er eye. Mother was up by
this time md in the room. The gal walk
ed straight up to 'er nd put the boy in
'er arms. Mis- Jameson said she in
thet cold, strange voice, Mis- Jameson,
I've killed Sam. He wanted to strangle
my baby. Seel Seel The black marks
on his soft little neck. drove q knife
deep, deep, into the cruel heart md with
thet she seemed to let go O. 'erself, fell
right down on the floor screamin, nd
ct was all Peter md I cd do to keep 'er
from banging erself to pieces.
"Neddy begun to cry. He were
frightened, poor little fellerl md moth
er took i'm away, huggin i'm close.
Father md Jack Andrews pulled over to
the islun md come back lookin white md
skeered. She done ct, was all father
cd say, she done et.' Then come some
black .days--Jess carried off md Sam
buried. Et seemed the wagabond he'd
gone home thet night mad wi the drink,
md he must have set out to strangle his
boy. the Iaarks were on i'm. "a
Some say Jess were lnurd'ress, nd tibet
she ought t. hev been hung, but can't
see ct in thet light. Anyway they let
FER be, md ct warn't long afore che lef
this world O. 'er own accord. Poor
creatur'! Poor suff'rin creatur'p
Sand the little fellow, what became Of
him?' / ventured to ask, breaking the
long pause that followed the capn's last
words.
"The little feller?" repeated my friend
raising his bowed head and mechanically
rolling bit of thread. "Well, d'yef
see green dory over by the lighthouseY
"Yes, cap'n."
"And fine, strappin boy in 'er settiI
aIlobster trap?"
eyes"
"Thet's the little feller. Boston Tran
script.