The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1895-09-22

asked. Where has the master gomez
Dsd you send him anywhere"
4 sent him TO see his dying wife. She
IS dying
NO such luck far my house. The We
man has been dying ever sine he married
her"
You hae been killing her ever sin he
married her. Give way. womani di-na
want 70 speak 70 you. nor touch the
elaithes O. you. think nae better O you
than God does. and He'll ask Sophys life
az your hand"
Il shall tel B-aelands Of your inlpertin-
ence. II viii be he worse for You
Let me pass. and d.nna touch ne.
There's blood on your hands and blood on
your skirts ard you're wauT-ten times
waur-than many pu;r body that has 70
swing on the gallows tree for her crime.
Gu. o my way. Mistress BraelandSt and
as she stood before him motionless as a
white stone with passion, he turned into
another road and left her there For he
was impatient OF delay. and with steps
hurried and stumbling. he followed the
husband whom he had driven 10 his duty.
When he reached Christmas home IL was
easy 10 feel in It The majesty of Deaths
presence. All mere mortal needs had been
forgotten: there was no table laid. no
thought Of meat. for Life stood still 10
watch the great mystery transpiring. The
door TO Sophy's death room stood open.
household were gathered there He went
softly in. Braelands was on ajs knees by
the dying woman. Her head was folded TO
his breast. and he was whispering in the
fast closing ears the despairing words of
love suddenly reawakened. On the edge OF
the grave. what did they care had the
whole world been present? He won her
last loving words, her last smile. and her
sweet blue eyes set in death with their
gaze fixed on him. But Andrew stood
huulbly at the foot of her bed. following
her soul with fervent prayer. with a love
that spurned the grave and which was
pure enough 10 venture into His presence
with her.
When the sun set Sophy's little life of %
years was over. BraelandS rode furiously
away without a word, and Andrew threw
himself on the turf, with his face down
ward. and "communed with his own heart
and was still" At this supreme hour all
that was human fitted and faded away;
and the primal essence OF self was over
Swallowed by the presence of the Infinite.
When the midnight tide flowed he had
reached that serene depth of the soul
which enabled him to rise to his feet and
say, Thy will be done"
II is twenty years since Sophy-shrouded
in white, her hands full OF honeysuckles-
was laid 10 rest in the little wind-blown
kirkyard of Pittencraigie. Some said Brae-
lands watched the funeral from afar;
others that he lay raving and tossing with
fever in his bed but this. or that. he was
not present at her burial Her own kin
who were fishers-lad the light coffin up
on a bier made OF oars and carried il with
psalm-singing 10 the grave. It was An
drew who threw on the coffin the first
earth; it was Andrew who pressed the
cover Of green turf over the small mound
and did the last tender offices that Love
can offer. And It was Andrew who was
-aaI xr-fsSn m
again, married a proud, masterful, rich
woman, who paid in full all Sophy's
wretched debt OF petty Jealousy and OPP
pressions to both mother and son. But
Andrew kept the memory OF his first love
as purely and tenderly as a mother keeps
the memory Of her dead babe. And as
love so vital fiiust find some expression,
Andrew naturally began to cast about for
some way in which TO honor Sophys men,
ory.
1t came to him suddenly one Sabbath
morning, when he walked up TO the kirk
yard. A slender shaft of white marble
had been placed at the head of Sophys
grave, and Braelands stood looking at IT.
Andrew walked forward. till only the lit
tie green mound divided them. Their eyes
met and filled with tears; they clasped
hands above her grave, and then, with
out word. each went his own way. But
though Andrew was pleased that Brae-
lands should thus honor his wife's MEM
DRY, he was resolved to still more nobly
keep her name in the hearts OF her people.
He was making money rapidly, and
his project would need much money, he
saved with conscientious care for many
a year ere he could compass his desire
This was TO build a mission ship for the
deep sea fishermen; and after twelve years
work and saving the ship was built-a
strong steam launch, able to buffet and
bear the North sea pillows. She was pro-
yided with all appliances for religious
comfort and instruction. with medicine
for the sick, with surgical help for the
wounded, with all necessary protection
against the agonizing ''sea blisters' which
torture the fishers in the winter season.
This vessel OF many comforts was called
The Sophy Traill," and she Is still busy
about her work Of mercy. Many other
mission ships now traverse the great fish
ing fleets of the North sea, but none are
so well-beloved by the fishermen as the
Little Sophy." When the boats lie at
their nets on a summers night it is on the
Little Sophy' that Rock Of Ages is