The Laurens advertiser. (Laurens, S.C.) 1885-1973, 1897-11-09

B'Nit ~ ii''' ''ii'N " I " tlblC 'tIlt
CAME home with you in the Orkins."
When she had said this, | pulled of
my jacket and waistcCat, barred my arms
to tho elbows, and, opening my starchCd
shirt, | turned it under, that they might
see to the flesh of me. They yelled and
fell back, thinking | was going for
them, and Bloomcr came up stairs
again. sncezing | ran my fingers
through my hair, and, tinging open t.,
house door, that the light of Goo.
which the minister says is the truth it.
self, might shine upon me, | lays hold
of the woman and pulls her on to the
doorsteps and sings out:
Nov look ut me. Can you see me?
Was this ere chest your William's?'
And gives my bosom IA thump. "Was
this ere arm your William's?"
Yes" she shrieks, that was his
crucifiRe."
WAS this ere face your William's?"
says |, slapping my forehead, and l
shovcs it into her'n and sings out:
Look again. Look by Gods light.
Look, If your burned pcrishing William
ever had such Il face upon him as mine
In all his goin a-ishin."
There WAS IL crowd by this time, and,
noticing it, | steps into the passage,
picks up my clothes and goes up stairs.
After this | shifted my shanty. There
was nothing to be lost, | allowed, by n
change Of address, as they call it. By
this time all notion Of getting a Job out
of the largest circulation was clean O
l hired a room in Smith street, Stepnoy.
The house was kept by Mrs. Gumble,
widow of a coasting skipper When |
paid Mrs. Boomer, she took my money
scornfully, ahd | think would have
spoke, but my eye kept her quiet. My
pulling off my coat, too, and hauling of
the lying party on to the pavement had
done Mrs. Bloomer good.
still carried some pounds in good
money in my pocket, but guessed if |
didn't fall III with n situation soon the
old leather purse 'ud be showing like
the end of il long voyage. answered
advertisements and hunted about. 1t
was all no ~goOd-nobody wanted me.
What was expected vas always exactly
what hadn't got. Then they wanted
written characters, and | had nothing
but 'V G." certificates to show 'em.
l told Mrs. Gumble | wanted to give
up tho sea and settle ashore, and she
answered that in her heart sho couldn't
blame mo. She advised me to put in n
little notice | told her I'd lone so.
Says she: Though once might be of
no use, twice might work the traverse
TRY another nnner
After considering the thing ana nm.
Outstanding it might find me a chance
II 1T did no more | walked round to nm.
other newspaper with tho same piece
that had appeared in the corner of the
largest circulation, only instead of sign.
ing my name William Pooley to it /
took the name Of William Treakell. nv
mother q name aforo her marriage.
partly because l reckoned that as vii.
liam Pooley I'd had all the innings |
was gong to get, while Treakcll was
Tx starting on IL fresh voyage, and
partly because 1 didn't want my name
TO meet the eye of tho lying party.
And now I'm a-going to tell Won
what, dare say, you'll not believe, but
II 1T amt true then my eyes aren't
twins. Tw" days after the piece lad ap.
peared | returned to Stepney from n
cruise to Regent street. When | walks
IN, Mrs. Gnmblo called out from her
back room, "Is that you, Mr.. Pooley?"
"Pooley it is," says l, stopping at
the foot of tho steps.
She comes out, and, looking hard at
me- says There's been n party, with
a boy. inquiring arter you"
Female party?" says 1.
Yes" she says.
What does she want?"
"She says that her husband left. her
when her child was 6 months old. He
was a seafnring man. His name was
Pooley, says she, looking at me very
hard. He didn't always used to sign
ON under that name, and sometimes
shipped himself as William Treakell."
l breathed short. at was her mothers
maiden name" said Mrs. Gumble.
What brought her to this house?"
says J., talking as IL I'd just had q tooth
drawed.
"She's always on the lookout for her
husband and reads the advertisements
In the papers. She saw the name of
Treakoll and says'you're her man. She
described you," says Mrs. Gumble, be.
ginning to talk with O sort of snarl
uhere's a burned sight too much of fell
low feehng among people OF Mrs. Gum
Dies sort. "She gave mo your likeness
IN words as though she talked with your
In her 'and. She saws Won
LODGED m Mra R1nouou /