The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1895-04-21
THE MORNING NEWS: SUNDAY. APRIL 81. 1895.

he had got the worst Of II over n0w-he
had faced the sea did not that dread
speak dumbly among other things in his
eyes that nightD and all might yet be
well with him
And yet the thought OF that simple fell
low bewildeNd. helpless. in a strange place
snote her with even sharper pain. and
many tear fell on the bright silks that
made the glory OF much hard work, and
nome from India. who would be sorry with
ner, ana possibly hit upon some plan 10
help her friend
Rose conquered her aversion TO Billy
Goat and BENJAMIN and went more than
once 10 Marrigold Road 10 inquire anx-
iously II any news had come OF Tom
Mrs Holmes began to think that the
only gOOd-lOokirg one out OF all her boys
had actually made Rose fall IN love with
MN, so was kind 10 her. and made her
welcome But there was no news, and
the weather. for the time OF year, was
extraordinarily cold.
one day. Tom had been gone over a
fortnight Rose was sitting with Mrs.
Holmes when the pOstman's knock was
heard. and the girl stopped working and
grew white as snow.
Soon the servant came in with q letter
only one-that in her uncOuth way she
pushed into Roses hand, as being nearest,
and shutied out
Rose. sat. scarcely breathing. and read
ing the superscriDtion Of the letter. II
was addressed to any relatives. or friend Of
the late Mr.. Thomas Holmes"
And then she knew-knew that poor
Toms awful dread of the sea was well
founded-that he knew that he was going
to his doom when he bid her gOOdbyes
what was to come
What is it?'' said Mrs. Holmes. looking
up from an intricate stitch that the entry
Of the servant had not disturbed and then
Roses wilderness. the agony in her face
struck her, and she began 70 trembie.
IT'S Tom" said the girl in a whisper,
then kneeled down. and put her arms
round Toms mother.
Don't cry" she said. not knowing what
al Hhn 4
TO her: "he IS happy now. and he was
never happy here. o, Tom, Toni!
what is it?' said the mother again,
something has happened to Tom-it is
in that letter"
She too made no effort TO open it. only
fell into the sad. hopeless weeping of old
age. and Rose opened II.
Some of il she read aloud, some of it she
did not. If any one could be found who
had the heart to read it all to any poor
mother then she was not that person.
But Mrs. Holmes knew that Tom was
dead-that he had died the very night he
sailed. had been buried at The Hague
and his clothes and personal effects were
now on their way home to her.
Rose kept the letter fast within her palm
~ ~ VIZ" tIls DioliletS hdu Coihet eli
there was confusion and some real grief.
for she could not make up her mind TO
part with tilt seemed hers.
Presently she escaped. and in the room
to memory every word of the chaplain's
letter; then she went back to the others,
ana subsequently, on Search Deing made
for the letter. II was found on the table.
II was not long letter, but it's intention
had evidently been kind
The writer said that Tom Holmes had
come on board Just before the ship sailed
that he was observed to be strange IN
manner or, as the sailors put it, afraid
and all that day he stayed apart, neither
eating nor drinking, nor answering any
one who spoke to him.
That night there was a hard black s7ost
and the cold of this first night at sea-
intense. In the morning in an unfre-
quented, unshelteFed place on deck, with
out morsel of anything but his thin
clothes to cover him. he was found stretch
ed out-frozen to death
Did he lie down there on purpose, poor
friendless, timid Tom? Did he prefer the
safe anchorage of death rather than that
fierce struggle with life for which he was
eminently untitled? Perhaps. who knows?
God solved the riddle for him in the way
he thought best, and he whom we called
Poor Tom is passing rich Tom now.
fTha End