The Globe-republican. [volume] (Dodge City, Kan.) 1889-1910, 1893-12-08
CHAPTER V.


Not far from the spot where William
Jones had landed, and removed some
little distance from the deserted vii
lSre. with it's desolate main street and
roOtless habitatiOns, there stood Il low
one-storied cottage, quite as black and
forbidding looking as any of the aban-
doned dwellings in its vicinity. 1t was
built of stone and rooted WI slate.
but the doorway was composed of old
ships timber, and the one small win
dow it contained had originally formed
the window of ships cabin. Over the
door was placed, like a sign, the
wooden figrre-head of young woman,
naked to the waist, holding mirror in
her hand and regarding herself with
remarkable complacency, despite the
fact that accident had deprived her of
a nose and one eye, and that the beau
tiful red complexion and jet-black hair
she had once possessed had been en-
tirely washed away by the action of
the elements, leaving her all over of a
leprous pallor. The rest Of the build
ing, as have suggested, was of SIMS
it was sprinkled with wet sea sand.
Sand, too, lay on every side, covered a
small patch originally meant for a
garden, and drifted thickly up to the
very door.
To this cottage William Jones ran
without ceremony, found himself in
almost total darkness; for the light
which crept through the blaclened
panes of the small window was only
just sufficient to make darkness visible.
But this worthy seaside character,
having, in addition to a cats predatory
instincts, something of 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 sun
dry lean pieces of bacon, couple of
wooden chairs, table and, in one
corner, a 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 he
discovered to be man, muttering in a
heavy sleep. Finding that he did not
wake with shaking, William Jones
bent down and cried Justify in his ear:
Wreck! wreck ashore-'
The effect was instantaneous. The
figure rose up in bed, disclosing the
head and shoulders of a very old
man, who wore a red cotton nightcap,
and whose hair and beard were. white
as snow.
"Eh? Wheer? Wheer?' he cried, in
shrill treble, looking vacantly around
him.
wake up. old UNI" selling him and
shaking him again. 'It's me. William
Jones'"
William? Is it my son William?''
returned the old man. peering out into
the darkness.
YES father. Look, ye now, you was
a-tallSing 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, you will,
if you go on like this"
The old man shook his head feebly,
then. clasping his hands together in a
kind of rapture, he looked at his son
and said:
Yes, William, ! was a-dreaming.
Oh, it was such heavingly dream!
was a-standing on the shore. William,
and it was a-blowing hard from the
east. and all at once see ship. as big
as an Indiaman, come in wi all sail
set. and go ashore: and looked round,
William dear. and there was no one
nigh but you and me; and, when she
broke up. l 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 a bright dia
mond ring. as big as a walnut: bu,
when tried to pull it of, it wouldn't
come; and just as pulled out my leetle
knife to cut the finger off, and put i,
in my pocket. you shook me. William
and woke me up. oh, it was . heav
ingly dreamr
| William Jones had listened with i'll
disguised interest to the early part o.
this speech, but, on its conclusion, hi
gave another grunt of undissemblei
disgust
well. you're awake now, old 'un
so jump mp. I've brought summa
! home. Look sharp. and get . light"