The Monitor-register., 1896-12-04
A MAN AT LAST.

called him cold Billy" although he was
not old at all, being scarce past thirty
five summers; but be was always poorly
clad, and was usually the worse for drink.
was we'll known, not only for his untidy
appearance and harsh, almost stern man
ner, but also for the story which changed
his life Into what it was now.
Billy was not always the mental aud
physical wreck that he presented to-day.
When young man he was tall and
strong, with handsome head set squarely
upon broad shoulders. His blue eyes
had merry twinkle lurking in their
depths, and the sound of his cherry
laughter rang out over the hills and along
the shore, where he was wont to play as
a boy. and where, as youth, he passed
the time with his fellows.
Like the rest of his people he followed
the sea for living, and it was a proud
day for him when be returned from the
first cruise. His father was captain
! and owned ship, and to gain a position
in life was Billy's ambition. He worked
| hard and soon reached the coveted rank
| of mate. And then the advent happened
which causes many a change in the lives
of men and women. Billy fell in love.
No one could blame him; indeed, the viii
| lage SWANS envied him his luck, for
Madge Campton was beauty, and was
as good as she was pretty; when Billy
| won her promise to marry him he was the
happiest man in all the world, he told
himself.
They were to be married after he had
made one more trip. and the very day it
was SO settled Billy had an offer to COM
mand the next vessel to leave for "the
grounds" His long cherished idea of
being captain was at last realized. If the
voyage was successful, he and Madge
would be able to start out in life, with
good prospects, SO Billy accepted the
| offer, and was ready to sail within the
week. !, ~. -. ssais.,-s s.s.,..e
How proud he was, and how proud was
Madge, the day he took command ofshis
trim little ship. There was no ceremony
Isrjast stepping aboard and greeting the
men, many of them older than himself,
in the ordinary way. But it was his ship,
and he had even had I er name changed,
and in iafge " bite letters raised on the
stern, were the words, ..hadge of North
port ...sss .s.,
With ali his glory, as he afterward
| called it. it was a sad ay.4and Madee,
after bis final parting, which took. olong
to accomplish, stood on treyiistle. wharf
tsnd watched aatil the ship was tiny
Ispeck on the herison. When it disap-
lpsared from view she cried as If her heart
fSwould break. Had she premonition Of
Sssshat.ssRas to happenP gPerhapssS For
two months had scarcely gone when word
was brought to the village that the
.Madge. with all on board, had been rnn
down in mid ocean. 4aaaases.&ssss sasssa.
onsday, about year after the Madge
had sailed away, the stage drove into
town with only one passenger. He was
tall, bronzed aRd bearded, and an anxious
look had taken the place of the bright
tsr that old friends had beeu used to
notice, for it was Billy. They soon knew
bis story how. he had managed. to Keep
afoat after that terrible disaster to his
vessel, and the following day was picked
up by South Sea whaler. 1t was after
many MeaEisome. DAYS that ha was able to
EtaEe anortE Bound ship. and reach his
home. He was going on. eager to reach
his leshrothed, when one Of the men, an
old comrade, gently took him aside, and
with. many spainfnls Ia IT.. and bf6ken sem
fences. told him something that Billy
never got over. You can guess what it
was Yes, pretty Madge had married
lanother-a strange artist, Stevens by
name, who had temporarily sojonrned in
the village, and sheha gone with him to
his city home.
I Billy was changed man after that.
For years 'His iifeswas spent in q shiftlees
manner. He seemed never 10 care forthe
companionship of any of bis old friends,
aud never sought new ones. His only
solace was rum, and of that be always
mapagedsto have plenty. It. was but o
short time~befare, Billy, who had been
such. ajovial, manly fellow, wasa disso-
lutte sot. S sis2t szs
| & After years Of drunken misery be
changed somewhat, and was to be seen at
more frequent:intervaIs upon the street
or at the store-the town had only one.
4 Once he was noticed in the little village
church. in the last pew, listening intently
tosthe PASTORS words. He was evidently
struggling to!osercome his terrible habit.
4 He kept his house and the little garden
ship SHAPE, the older men said, and in
many ways endeavored to be man
among men again.
ii One night there was a terrible storm
and Billy left his house and walked
across the open ceuntsysto the ocean
beach. for be had plainly heard the sig-
nal of distress, and knew some ship
needed help. He found Large crowd
conert gated on the beach, Watching with
heavy hearts the laundering az al ocean
steamship not far'ffom the shore. The
fife crewfwas there, sturdy, brave men,
| and Nereaasen then iAdnshing sheir boat;
with willing hearts they ieaped into their
places aud were. pushed from the sands.
II as daage task and q difficult
one. The wind blew q hurricane; sleet
and rain fell in torrents, The sleet cutting
like q knife into their face and eyes.
Billy stood q little apart from the