The Worthington advance. [volume] (Worthington, Minn.) 1874-1908, 1898-08-25
JOHNS FATE.
The Dear Old Lady Was Entirely
RecOnciled to the Situation
When the End Came.

They sat little way apart on the
deck of the Cleveland boat the other
morning. One was young woman,
possibly Is, with bright brown eyes
and soft hair and pretty face, and
the other was old-she must have been
IS at least-with tired eyes and gray
hair and wrinl1led face. The first
would sit still moment, then wriggle
around in her chair and look over
along the dock as though she feared
something. The old lady was sweetly
calm, and observed the actions of the
other with curious little smile. Final
ly she decided to speak to her deck
mate, if one may use that term.
"Be yew lookin' fer somebody"
asked the old lady quietly.
The other woman sighed as though
it were relief to her to be spoken to,
and pushed her chair little nearer
her questioner.
NO." she said; II am not looking for
anyone"
II thought yew mote be-" went on
the old lady. II seen yew again off
toward the dock"
"No,'' repeated the younger woman.
II am not looking for anyone. I'm just
little bit frightened, that is ALL"
"skeert, be yew; why, TO- tn lan's
sake, what OFF,"
"Well,'' continued the fidgety one,
"since the sinking of that ocean steam
er have been dreadfully frightened of
the water"
''sho, yew don't say. Well, yew
needn't be. They amt nobody drown.
in but them whose fate it is to drown"
"Oh, do you think SOP"
"Of course I does. I made up my
mind to that 20 year ago."
what makes you say that?' asked
the young woman with little look OF
interest in her eyes.
''Well, my husban' wuz a sailor on
these lakes fer 20 year. After awhile
he was 'pinted capting an hen me
ulster 60 all over everywhere. Hen
me seen a lot a storms in our day. But
they wuz never no disaster. I seq to
him onct, seq I, John, yew're a sailer
an l know it's yewr fate to die by
drownin'.' He looked at me a mint
an then he seq, seq he, 'Marthy, I'll
fool yew.'' I didn't say nothin' more,
but knowed that his fate would be
wet one. jes' felt it like. Yew know
how yew'll feel things sometimes.
Well, it wuz thataway with me. ]
knowed John would be drownded some
day. Twouldn't be no more'n mach
eral.
"Well, we sailed and sailed, men
John, an he capting. AFTER he'd been
at it fer more'n 20 year he wuz retired
an we made up our minds t. take
little farm away out the Gratiot road
an spen' our remainin' days in peace
an quiet. By that time I'd almos'
made up my min that John wuz goin'
t. fool me and not die drownded arter
all. Then one morning in the airly
summer when wus a-puttin' up
little fruit, tn en- come. John went
out t. the pump t. draw me pail o.
fresh water, an he didn't come back.
Bimeby went out thar, an, 10 an be.
hold! John had 'leptic fit and fell
inter the pump tub head fust. He was
drownded wen I reached him. TIL
Lords will be done,' said I. Iknowed
it wuz his fate. An I've said ever
since tibet they amt nobody drownded
les it be his fate to be drownded, but,
do yew know, when I seen John a-1ay-
in face down in that tub O. water I
just felt sorry fer him an couldn't
help a-thinkin' heow 'shamed he'd be
ct he'd knowed he wuz drownded in
tub O. water arter sailin' these lakes
fer 20 years 'ithout no disaster ever
happenin' to him."
And the kindly old lady had wiped
away tear that the wind, probably,
had caused to gather.-Detroit Free
Press. -, ~#5<.