Rocky Ford enterprise., 1897-04-08

no son; he was killed. as his father
was. by the cruel sea. Lord. have pity
on me! Lord. have pity on mel!
| Killed as my father was. by the
cruel sea! What had occurred. then,
during my absence? Could 1t be pos
sible that the news OF our rescue In
the boats had failed to reach home?
No. 1t was impossible. There were my
letters to Mabel. relating all the cir
cumstances OF our peril and our escape.
Fearing for my old mothers reason.
l searched about for matches. that she
might see ME bodily. and SO assure
herself. But could not find them. and
what passed between us took place
In the dark, neither seeing the others
face.
| l knelt again by her side.
You foolish old SOUL" said, In a
tender and coaxing tone. do you know
what you are saying? Nay. I'll not
touch you II my touch hurts you?
Steady yourself. mother; am neither
dead nor drowned. or how could be
here talking to you?"
She could not have understood me.
MY Amos! she sobbed. MY boy.
| thus ioNCu anu WoTSuiptu. ue DeSt,
! the bravest sailor on all the queens
seas! My old eyes will never again
be blessed with n sight OF him-never
again. never again"
had strong need to apply myself to
the advice l gave to her. 1t was as
much as l could do to keep steady. SO
as to get the heart of this mystery.
Although l was trribly shaken. proved
myself equal to the occasion. and by
dint OF tenderness and a good deal OF
coaxing. l managed at length to con-
vince my mother that was alive.
Then, to my amazement. part OF the
story was told and made clear to me.
The Blue Jacket that went down with
all hands when within two days sail
OF the Australian coast. was believed
BY my mother to have been the Blue
Jacket in which l served. To arrive
at this understanding occupied me fully
an hour. and by that time my mother
was sitting On my knee, soothed and
pacihed, and filled with a feeling OF
awe and gratitude ut my escape.
could now turn my attention to those
matters nearest my heart. The whole
mystery was not yet cleared. Being
supposed to be dead was a sufficient
reason for my wife not being at home
to welcome me; but had written to
her. twice from China and twice from
Melbourne. What had become OF those
letters? Surely. II she had received
thcm-and why should she not? they
were addressed to her plainly at her
mothers house-she would not have
kept the good tidings OF my safety and
! promotion from my own mother. The
first thing I had to do, plainly, was
to question my mother upon this point.
IN wo that l have convinced you.
mot ..e..,'' 1said, that am not lying
at the bottom of the sea. and that L
| am no ghost, you must satisfy me upon
some point that are dark to me. Ma
| bel--why, what's the matter with you,
dane, that you shrink from me? Are
you Ill again? will light the candle
| II you will tell me where l can find
the matches. We can talk better In
the light"
But she clung close to me again. with
something of terror expressed in her
manner-which l set down to her not
having entirely recovered from her
fears-and murmured that she did not
want light; that the darkness suited
her best; and that sitting there with
| me, with no other soul in the house
but ourselves, brought to her the men,
| ory of the time when l was a child,
and when we two were all in al! to
each other, with no one to step in be-
tween u.s. These sentiments she ex-
pressed, not in so coherent and conslse
a manner as / have written them, but
in a way that rendered them not diff
cult to understand. humored her, and
continued:
There is no one between us now,
mother, and never shall he. Mabel and
| | are both your children, and my love
| for her makes you dearer to me; for
with certain thoughts in my mind that
have been long cherishing, 1t seems
as IL, having wife Of my own, can
better understand what a mothers love
is, How shall we break the news to her
so as not to alarm her? Mother,
want to ask you hundred questions
about her; but am so eager to see my
darling that doubt If I shall be able
to control my impatience. But before l
go to her, there are some matters l
must understand more clearly. l am
cropping about like blind man. Mother,
I wrote four letters to Mabel
paused here. but my mother did not
speak. AS I held her in my arms she
clung closer to me. as though she were
fearful of losing me.
Bear up" said l, with fond pres
sure; things have come around hap
PLY, and it is our duty to be thank
full"
II humbly thank the Lord" heard
her whisper, for my dear sons safe
ty. Bring peace to him, Lord!'
"Amen," responded l. kissing her.
But all is well, thanks be. There shall
be no more partings between me and
my dear wife. She shall sail with me. II
she will, wherever l go, and you shall
keep the house warm for us to return
to. Yes, four letters I wrote to Mabel.
The first from China. telling her of our
going to Australia; two from Australia
telling her CT my escape and promotion;
and one from China again. just before
we sailed for home Do you mean to