Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1895-09-20


the disaster. The ink had outrageously
spoiled eight yards of satin.
Between loss to the client on the
fifth floor and pity for Cab there must
be no hesitation. The clerks wife was
not rich, and her wedding dress was
her only resource for fete days and oc-
casions of ceremony. Then again the
little dressmaker was proud and did not
wish the people of the house to know
the cares and sorrows Of their home.
The most practical and dignifed thing
to do was TO run to the Bon Marche
and try to match the stuff
Eight yards at Is francs yard made
n total Of 100 francs, rude breach in
tho bank, fund for the journey.
1t was finished. It would be neces-
sary to give up the visit for this year.
The girl embraced Little Cab and
went to sewing again.
The following winter they worked
steadily on the first floor The autumn
had been rainy, and little Cabs health
had suffered in consequence. His bones
ached, he had fever and pains in tho
head. The doctor examined him, stroked
his beard meanwhile, and again ordered
the child to Berck as soon as the wealth
err became warm
This time it was decided, cost what
it might. they would start for the baths
at the end of May.
The sewing machine recommended
again. and its grasshopper chorus was
hnnrI far into tha niUht
They had bought Cab picture book
with nothing but views of the sen. Hero
were ports with their forests of masts
ranged along the walls of the quays,--
Steep cliffs and rocks washed by yeasty
waves and fishing boats disappearing at
sea like flock Of white winged birds.
Tho child talked of nothing but the
ocean. Hc saw il in his dreams aud
sometimes in broad day he thought he
saw through the fog which filed tho
inner court strips of coast beaten by the
tide and large vessels with swollen sails.
Occasionally he took from tho mantel
a large shell and held it to his oar. He
would stand thus, his neck lost in his
shoulders, listening for hours to tho
noise Of the sea which seemed to him TO
come from far of-from very far of.
The winter was exceptionally damp,
and | did not meet little Cab any more
on the porch of the house. The physician
had expressly forbidden that he go out
From time to time saw him at the
window. His eyes were sad, sunken. and
they looked far off, while his slender
fingers designed vague ships on the win
dow pane. Then, suddenly seeing mo in
my window observing him, and think
ing himself spied upon, he made an an
cry gesture and drew tho muslin curtain.
Toward the middle Of March | saw
him no more. His bones ached with in
creasIng severity, tho pains 10 his head
were redoublcd, aud his logs could no
longer support him He lay now tho
entire day stretched out on his little bod,
turning for the hundreth timo the leaves
of his picture book, where he saw tho
ocean and the vessels with their white
sails.
He had not given up tho idea of his
trip. "When are We going TO start 7"
no asked his sister, and when she cx-
planned that they would have to wait for
warm weather he replied in his thin
voice:
"But | am in hurry. ! want to DO
cured quick, very quick, so that | will
not see you cry any more"
lIe had looked up the names Of the
towns on the route, and no already know
them by heart. Chantilly, then Clcr-
mont. Amieng. Abboville and then tho