Eagle River Democrat. [volume] (Eagle River, Vilas County, Wis.) 1893-1896, 1895-10-14
HER ONE ERROR.
OR
THE FISHERMAN'S BRIDE.
CHAPTER /.
THE FISHERMAN'S WEDDING.

AJO3 OJS GU
wedding"
care you hidden to it, DAMP"
E'Oh, aye! me and my dame, and the
iasses; the lads is to row the brides
boat, for you know, | suppose it's her
fancy to be married at the old church
at Bontryst; her father and mother
both lay there, poor lass!
Proud enough the lads be,
I'll assure you, and proud my dame
be of 'em-six as stout and handsome
chaps as you'll meet in these parts.
Be you hidden, Benz"
"Aye, aye; and glad I'd ha' been to
join the party, seeing the lass were
always fovourite O. mine and my poor
dame that's gone: but [ had glen my
word to 60 up Rockton WI Jem
Apsley's fsh-him bein laid up wis
bad arm, and | wouldn't break my
word to the lad; but my lasses be
goin'; and, to speak truth Meg's been
a. Yesterday in WI Nelly, helping at
the wedding clothes. I'd be bound,
they two ha' never been to bed this
blessed night, for [ see the smoke
comm from the chimney afOre day
break"
|Like enough, mate like enough!
There be nothing on earth the
lasses do take so kindly as the
making of wedding-tackle; unless, in
deed it be the gear of the smaller craft
the baby clothes. But there's not
a soul in the village but would gladly
do a turn for Nelly Heartsom; and
it's no wonder, for d sweeter nor kind
Eier less never set foot on these here
sands"
$50 she is, so she is, neighbor; she's
as good as she's pretty, and you
couldn't say more.
"Aye, aye, Ben Stratton, it's true;
and, mind you, | ha' knowed Nelly
sin she were that high. knew her
father we sailed many voyage to-
gether, and it were me settling down
here as led him to give up seafaring
life and take to the fishing boats.
Aye, mate; and were the first as come
across him that morning after the fear
full night, when his craft went to pieces
on the very rocks that beat the life
out of his poor body! 1t were mefound
him, poor Heartsom! and me it was
they would have break the awful news
to his wife"
cit was before 1 came to this part, y
said his companion.
"Aye, aye, it was a terrible sight, to
be sure. The poor wife well nigh out
of her mind, and little Nell-she was
about five then-iust old enough to
understand, and to miss her father.
The baby was born after, and died
same day; and the poor wife fretted
herself away in less than two years,
Lor' bless you, mate, any of us would
ha' took that child and kept it same
as our own; but, bit of a thing as she
were, she had that spirit-no, she'd
fearn her livin',' says she-her
father, bless you, all over, that was
aldso she'd nurse the babies, and knit
the stockings, and do heaps of odd
jobs, she did; and SO from house to
house she soonmade herself worth her
salt, can tell you.
'"They ha' been long counting"
"Aye, that were the lass's in
dependence, just-she would not
hear of nothing, till such time
as she'd got together all the
wedding gear, and needful stores
aboard-sheets and quilts, | take it
an such like. To say the truth, mate,
] be right glad the days come, and
she'sto bemadefast;for though thelast
is true as gold, she's over-pretty and
light-hearted to go alonein this world. +"
'You're right mate, you're right, and
there's been more than one laundering
after the prize"
"Aye, Ben Stratton; and, between
you and me, there were an ugly draft
awhile since, that my mind did mis-
give me would run foul of our gallant
little sailorW
"Saul Meghorn?"
''Aye, lad; now love Nelly-lass like
one O. my own, and when | saw that
than she was not for fouting the
black, big fellow, as she should ha'
done, one hankering after other mems
goods, Iup and spoke to her fatherly-
like, Ben, as you might ha' done, and
she laughed, and says she, Il amt
married yet, Master Rullocks, she
says-and then looked so pretty and
merry in her way, you know, that
makes q fool of a man; | couldn't foI
the life of me be angry; but it do pass
my comprehension, it do so. There
was she loving young Franklen with
all her heart, and holding out the tip
of her finger, as you may say, to that
beetle-browed limb of the devil. Lord!
but women be the biggest puzzles ever
sent upon this earth to plague it.
e4Don't be hard, don't be hard, put
in Ben, who inclined, perhaps, tc
something more OF leniency in his
Judgment, that he had been for up
wards OF two years released from the
coniugal yoke; ''the fellow be gone
now; it's a good bit since, and let s
hope all will 60 straight wi, the younE
couple, as they deserve
s"There she isl" said Dan Rullocks
interrupting him. The door OF a a. ma
cottage, at a short distance back iron
the beach, opened, and young Wo
man had stepped out, pitcher in hand
and was coming towards the spo1
where they stood.
L. L, ,e,IN 1aICrl0f