The record-union., 1897-06-13

W
puficly So" He seemed to have quite
forgotten that his listeners had also
read the story, and rambled on uncon-
scious at times of their presence, and
then again calling them by name 10
enforce some point upon their MINDS.
The fire, which had burst forth again
into a fitful blaze, shone on his face,
which was one moment tender, then
stern; and on those of his sympathizlng
| listeners.
An So" he went on, softly patting
the books, "she was at last growed up.
He stopped and laughed gently to NM
| self. AN how did she grow? just as
| you'd expect such a baby would. Tail,
an straight as one of O. my oars; an the
goldy in her hair turnin' to a soft, pret-
ty brown; an her eyes just as blue as
| the first time she opened them an
| looked ON Gods earth. A long pause
followed, as smile after smile chased
itself across the speakers face. AN
| then''-his voice sank reverently, as he
continued: AN then there comes the
time when she bein' a woman grown,
| finds herself a-lovin' an bein' loved, an
then" He had been passing the books
from one knee to the other as he out
lined the story, reading a little here
and there. Now the only one remain
ing was that lying on the floor by his
side. He kept his face turned resolute-
ly from it. An then, an then" his
voice trembled, they commenced to
tell lies about her, an'-an she cried
herself to sleep that night"
why father, father, they didn't say
that she did very much of anythin'
You oughtn't to feel so about it, And
his wife hitched her chair slightly out
of the corner, little nearer to him,
| then stopped awkwardly while she
looked in helpless way at the others.
The small man cleared his throat
several times, and looked meditative, as
though casting about in his mind for
something to say appropriate to the oc-
casion. Failing to find it, however, he
simply muttered gruffiy, "Ay, ay,
Cap'n and relapsed into silence.
An So" went on the old man, look
ing absently into the fire and speaking
half to himself, 'she cried herself to
sleep. For they had hurted her bad
very bad" His face looked stern as
he said the last words, then changed to
ScIlllS tApISSSlOI Ile COIlIldCo
still lower voice why, sometimes,
when I'm at work on the boats, seem
to see her a-standin' alongside o. me,
with the sunlight shinin' on her hair.
Sometimes she's just little child with
her blue eyes laughin' an dancin an
her hands clingin' close to mine. An
then she seems to have growed up all
of suddent an her eyes look deep an
serious like; an 1 can Almost hear her
voice a-talkin' to me- He looked
down at his large, knotty hands. "They
amt never held one but once" he mur-
INJURED, and that was for just one mite
of a minute-an' then the Lord took it
away. But she was just the same
soft, little thing; an the goldy light
was in her hair an"
He got up and went to the door
which he opened wide, and then stood
for a moment looking out. The waves
rippled softly against the rocks, and
the moon cast a long, bright light
across the water The wind family
rustled the tall sea-grass growing on
the beach.
An so you see," he added gently
turning back into the room, that there
ShiIl any use ~ lIIlSiilIA tIAS StOiy
they've wrote it down."
The rumble of heavy carts, the never
ceasing Changing of bells on the cable
cars, and the effect of the restless surg
ing of humanity in the narrow streets
penetrated everywhere. 1t was i'm
possible to get away from it. What
one could not see one could hear, and
what was not heard could be seen;
and, although the buildings reared
their heads higher and higher into the
heavens in self-defense, the noise was
still waited up to them, and the life of
the great city remained theirs.
"An' so 1 lowed I'd drop in' The
speaker was a large man, with thick,
white hair pushed back from his fore
head. His face was tanned and fur
rowed as though from much exposure
to the weather, and he had the manner
of those who ''go down to the sea in
ships He stood looking around the
room, breathing somewhat rapidly from
his toiling up the long flight of stairs,
and hesitating, as though uncertain
what to do next. Seem as there was
some things to be bought in the way O.
ms, aus is my partner. not wishin' to
come, he added helplessly. A woman
the only other person in the room. and
who had risen from her desk on his
sudden entrance, smiled slightly.
You might sit down." she said, "and
rest yourself for a few moments, al
though 1 am afraid you won't find here
just what you want
He took the chair which she placed
for him, seating himself squarely in it,
with his large hands placed on his
knees, and once more took a careful
survey of the room, occasionally bring
ing his eyes to bear curiously upon
her. 1t was small corner room. jut-
ting out over a business street on one
side and overlooking an apartment
house on the other. The principal arti-
Gle of furniture in it was a large desk
covered with books; in the middle was
a clear space on which We're sheets of
paper closely written over, some placed
neatly in piles and others strewn care
lessly about. One page but partly fin
ished, and with the pen, still wet with
ink, lying by it's side, showed what she
was doing at the time of the interrupt
ton. On the walls hung some etchings,
and there were a few chairs placed
about.
'If you will excuse me-" she said, af-
ter a moment. Il will go on with my
work, and you can sit there until you
are rested"
She seated herself at her desk, with
her back toward him, and the scratch
ing of the pen commenced. She finished
the page in front of her, tore another
from a. block numbered 1t and so on