The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1900-10-10
"Flotsam." I"


I I I. t4x
, they seem 10 sink downward ngaiu ana
END In the needle point OF Portland Bill.
IL Is quiet bay. whose waters are SELL
uotn ploughed by Tie Keel OF amy snip
larger than the cOlliers putting into shs
cobb two miles away | suppose | love
AZ because IL Is so quiet there is no esi-
planade backed by pretentious villas with
stucco fronts, and patroled by vapid
fashionable idlers: no long. depressing
parade Of invalids I'm bath chairs; no line
or decayed landaus and brsken- down
victorias drawn by ragged ponies. There
are no bathing machines. and. out few
boats. the village belongs 10 Tho villa
gers, and they seem 90 wish TO keep IL
10 themselves. Therefore | 90 not give
the name, but IL is written or my heart.
Gollop was silent. too, and FOR qinte
half an hour no word passed between as:
We smoked In sympathy, and communed
with our hearts and were still But lie
must have been thinking OF mis- last
words. for presently he repeated then,
and added his next thought 10 them
mo. I've no fault TO find with the
doctor. My quarrel Is with God"
| / looked at him. waiting. There was a
] set expression on his face that was infn-
! itely pathetic.
! Most OF us have thought that some
| time or another" / said. ''Iye been there
myself, and | tell you. man, it's FOOLISH
He shrugged his shoulders
! I'm a poor hand at an argument" he
! said. and il there is one tning that is
! foolishness more than another IL Is ar
/ gyment, bat II any one could have steered
me 60 heaven twas Monica Ills not, ,only
that loved her; seems 70 me l needed
| her"
Perhaps God needed her." ] said
4 Aaron Tod "a mo
"Talking's no good" l said. Look
here, Gollop, YOU can steer boat alone,
can't your
Course | can" be answered.
Very well, then, so on alone: don't
/ turn back because tho helmsman's over
board. There's another thing. too You
know the revolving light on the hill
! there?"
Gollop nodded
We'll. lot Of good that would be TO
! q man II he had it in the boat wi IN Kim.
No, you've got to go through this thing
! alone. I'm going home. but you might
think OF that-when you are fishing to-
! night"
So ! got up ara left him alone with his
sorrow, and as ] was still in no mood for
the festival l went back to my own
! house and spent a satisfactory afternoon
with my auricuas Auricuas are good
thing for man as teaching him humll-
ity and patience
II was about o'clock next morning
when was awakened by heavy hammer
! ing at my door, and going downstairs
found Aaron standing outside with
bundle in his arms. He pushed his way
inside the passage
| Light lamp or something" he said,
"aad make one OF the maids bring down
some blankets. l can't take her home.
for there is only the nne-h hed-and Mcni--
| ca $ on it,
| rFa ,t,nt,s 1T
wrapped round the child he was carrying
and | saw that Ii was a girl OF or
| years old. | looked at him inquiringly,
and presently. when he had got fire
| burning, and the doctor, whom / had sent
for. had told us that she might now do
we'll, Gollop told me what had happened.
I'D gone out for brill" he said. "You
know the ground you get your boat so
that you're In a line with the factory
chimney, and with the tower OF WNd-
acres church. collier had Just gone out
from the Cobb and this child must have
fallen overheard, but l couldn't make any
| body hear, though I shouted as never
was. Guess she's round the Bill by now,
| and the child's mine"
He said IL fiercely, as II challenging our
right to take It from him, ard / ex-
changed looks with the doctor. l thought
OF the bed in the stone cottage UP the
hill. which would have been empty next
u5y II II had TIUt busn for this ctiid.
"Of course the chld's yours" / said:
'and unless the father who's fool enough
to let her fall overheard chooses to make
inquiries, yours she will remain"
MAY she bide here until after tomor-
row."
/ knew what he meant The little bed
In the stone cottage would not be empty
until tomorrow afternoon.
"Of course she must" said and pres
emily. with jealous look at the sleeping
| child, Aaron went away.
Next day my blinds were down. but
half an hour or SO after the church bell
had stopped tolling l heard his step
come up my gravel path. His eyes were
ory and rather bloodshot, but he didn't
say a word. 7 took him into the room
and put the child into his arms, button
Ing round Il the coat In which he had
brought 1t home. She looked at him
gravely but went to him read
lily enough. and nestlsa sc against him
As If she trusted him. Aaron turned and.
still without speaking. strode down TO the
gate. which opened for him. | think he
would have tried TO speak, but / stopped
him.
That's all right Gollop." said 'I'll
look YOU up In a day two, and If YOU
want any things for her, you Aaew where
to come There are still scr sere, you
| know"
Sorrow breeds sympathy. and sympathy
! makes one very quick IN the uptake. Col
lop understood me. for once there had
been child i'm my cottage. too. AS he
| turned out of tho gate and strode up the
hin followed him up with one parting
shot.
you'd no fault to find with the doc
tor yesterday, Gollop; your quarrel was
with some one else. Go home man, and
make IL up while you may"
And although his face was turned from
\ \ INN rfp N those hlOod-
shot eyes n softer light was already
dawning as he looked down upon the
child who had been so strangely sent to
him, and | knew that before many days
had passed he would be the drst TO admit
that with both tho children II was we'll
Cranstoun Metcalfe. in m. n Ps" Lon
don.