The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1894-07-25

Iho nrst umep'
Then from the depths Of her bleeding
heart she hurled cries, curses, approaches,
shrieks, at the relentless sea. No one could
persuade her 30 return TO paimol 10 her
other children-to the nest-of little or
phans, In tho midst Of whom she might
flnd consolation. She wanted to stay at
Portrieux, to go morning and evening to
the pier where they had left her, where
she had seep them for tho last time, to
walt there still, walt always.
The fisheunen out of pity had not told
her all in order to leave her that supreme
refuge Of the widows and mothers Of sail
ors, hope, but an to themselves they hoped
no longer. When they had returned, fee
ing before the fury Of the northwest wind,
they had, In fact, met Jean Marie Rousio,
and they advised him to go back with
them. Consumed with pride of his new
boat, he had refused, assuring them that
he would 60 to the island II need be in
place Of accompanying them. Behind
them the tempest broke In all its fury,
and In the midst of this night as black as
pitch those who were last had heard two
loud cries for ~help, the one more feeble
than the other, but to go to their aid, to
succor this boat in distress, was impossi-
BILE.
Left to their fate, did the father, who was
an excellent swimmer, struggle bravelyi
Did he bear up the son, who did not know
how to swim, until the fatal moment
whom great wave engulfed the two,
drowning in their threats the last cry, the
cherished name Of her who would wait for
them alwaysi
! Toward the end Of the month the New
foundlanders filled almost the entire har-
Dor Of Portrieux with their big heavy ves-
sells. Even the hardest of them had come
back. One only was missing, the Desiree,
and nothing had been heard from her.
The relatives on shore were consumed
with fever of anxiety, waiting for those
who did not come. Had there been dis
asterf None of the fishermen who had re-
turned could give them any information
| Sobs, prayers, lamentations, now min
gled with the walls Of tho lonely Yvonne
Rouzic, as flock Of sea birds hover around
o mortally wounded comrade, while dread
Ing similar fate for themselves. She felt
o sense of inward satisfaction, almost O
selfish relief, to find that others were suf-
fering as well as hersclf-that she was not
alone in her sorrow
Suddenly, one evening, Just at the close
of day, the Desirec was signaled. There
was delirium throughout the land a muir
INJURED joy that floated the length of the
pier, but Yvonne had never before wept SO
much as now. AS the big vessel ap-
preached, all along the bulwarks and in
the shrouds could be seen the silhouettes
of men, who gesticulated and waved their
hats and caps and the wind, which was
blowing from the ocean, brought with 1t
snatches of joyous song repeated in chorus
by all the crew.
| With breaking heart, Yyonno Rouzic
steadiod herself against the parupct, while
tears fell in great drops from the poor eyes
already SO tired, SO red, and her lips trein-
bled with conyulsive sobs. She seemed to
realize that all was over with her forever,
that she alone was unhappy, that no one
understood or shared in her grief any
longer.
The Desirce is in port, and rs the tide is
high she ties up alongside the pier. The
cries the calls increase, names are shouted
from the boat to the pier from the pier TO
the boat. The little port is intoxicated
with joy. Yvonnc tries not to hear
Ifvonne puts her trembling fingers to her
ears struggling to shut out this noise of
Imcrrymaking that is nHddcning to her
lGvonnc is weak and fuinting and wishes
ito die. ...
Two arms seize her from behind; two
voices are sounding in her ears. They ARC
doubtless those Of the compassionate WON
ZEN who live near her, and who, wishing to
console her, are willing to carry her II
necessary TO See this spectacle that is like
10 knife thrust in her breast No, no. she
does not wish it; she rcsists; she will stay
where she is; there always, there she will
die. Those sorrowful yet cherished mem
lorics keep her there hold her fast to the
spot. By force they have turned her
around. They are calling her name with
q tenderness that is irresistible: ..
'Yvonnel Yvonne! Mothcr!"
"Alainl jean Marie! Livingl"
Oh, that cry, that suirocutionl 1t seems
ito her now that her poor heart must break,
that it cannot contain all this happiness,
fllling 1t so suddenly. She wceps She is
powcrless to check the tears that fall so
fast from her smiling eyes, which are
shining with a new and triumphant light.
Savcdl Yes, they are therc Amid
kisses and caresscs they relate the incrcdi.
bio tale Of their wreck; how they chung
for hours to the oars In the black night;
how they were driven farther and farther
out to sea, and how they were rescued at
last by a ship bound for America, and
how after the gratitude for their escape
came the grief ut being unable to make
known their safety to the mother at home.
So the weeks went by until Mt last the
Dcsirce was met, and the captain gladly
agreed to bring them home again.
Guided by the instinct of wife and
mother, Yyonne had been right in not de-
spairing, in hoping in spite Of everything.
She has gone back to her nest in Palm
pol, together with tho father and son
whom all believed lost.
This first shipwrcck has made man OF
Alain Rouzic, and he will be one Of those
courageous and devoted Breton mariners
the pride and the hope of France
Translated From the French of Gustave
ToudouZc For Short Stories.
Charge of Contempt.