The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1900-12-27

sooty and severe, as he 1nnd that he had
| been taken on I'm place OF an able bodied
man. but II proved a step 10 better things.
| for after a fearful winter. which he
thought he would never live through. he
| vas accepted as apprentice on board a
Newcastle trader. and with this vessel he
remained until he was an articled seaman
lie then drifted all over the world almost.
never forgetting the bitter lesson taught
him by the 'Calton Jail. but In all his
wanderings he never came near Edin-
burgh. Strange 10 say, IL was the place
which was oftenest In his thoughts yet
furthest from his intentions.
III could be sure he Is dead I'd go at
once" he often said TO himself. thinking
of his fathers stern face as last seen in
the police court. Mother always stuck
by me. but he never could forgive "A
fault Dear me, he might think that 1
was only boy then. and II was my very
simplicity and innocence made me an
easy victim"
the constantly recurring thought insensi-
bly, prompted him to a journey to. Aud
Reekie."
IL don't need 20 so near them" was his
consoling thought: II can Just have n
look round me at the familiar streets and
closes. and maybe hear something about
them, and come away again"
city, n full-grown bearded man, he found
the places as much changed as himself
old streets were cut away. and great new
blocks of glaring white stone occupied
their place; the shops were occupied by
new tenants; the very faces on the street
seemed all new and strange. After Willie
had realized the changed aspect with
something like a sigh, he found himself
after circling and circling. insensiDiy
drawing nearer TO a certain court In Buc-
cleuch street.
II might hear something about them
at least" was his though, which sOme-
how set his heart humping against his
side in a tremor. such as he had never
felt I'm the most awful danger at sea. He
passed through St. Patrick square and
Buccleuch Bend. and was moving along
Buccleuch street when he CHANGED to no
tice an old man coming slowly In his di-
rection, leaning on stick and coughing
painfully. The old mans hair was grey
almost to whiteness, and he was evident
ly In bad health. and merely taking an
airing on the sunny side of the street, at
the warmest part OF the day. IL was not
the face. nor the whitened hair, which
were certainly strange TO him. that at
tracted Willie's attention, so much as a
fash of the old mans eye as they passed
each other.
"Sureiy-surely that's my father" said
fhe young seaman. with a fast-beating
heart and eyes suddenly growing misty.
Maybe he saw me and doesn't want to
speak to me-"
Along the street a bit. Willie paused
and looked back. and saw the old man
pass into the old familiar court.
II believe it's my father said Willie,
with the word almost choking him.
A child stood at the mouth OF the court
and the old man before passing I'm had
patted IL on the head, and spoken a word
or two. In a moment or two more Willie
stood beside the child. pointing In at the
vanishing form of the old man.
Who's that. my lassie?" he said, with
! forced clamness.
Mr. White" was the shy answer.
"Is he il?"
mo it's the mason's trouble" said the
girl. evidently thinking that was nothing.
lis that it?" vacantly echoed the sailor.
That's it--and broken heart" said
the girl. getting her skipping ropes.
What's broken hearth" huskily
asked the sailor.
II dinna ken: but that's It." said the
girl. dogmatically.
'-Doesnt-doesn't somebody i've with
him, to look after him. and all thatf"
hoarsely continued the inquirer.
NO" said the girl. In a careless Tone
that stabbed him through "naebody but
"Oh, see;" and in his intense relief
Willie put a sixpence into the girls hand
for "sweeties." rs she In now"
NO no, she's DOT long ago working
she Wilma be back till long after I'm in
bed.
Willie turned away and left the spot
with feelings which cannot be described,
simply because he never afterwards
could recall them. He began to sicken OF
Edinburgh and long for the broad sea.
and rocking ship. and the dusky faces
and broiling sun of far-off lands. His
father had looked him full in the face
and passed him, so II was evident that
he meant to keep up the feud. and main
tain the engagement to the end.
Willie forgot that he himself was as
greatly changed In appearance as his fa-
/ ther, and that tall, bearded man OF
twenty three is very different from a boy
OF fourteen. Possibly he would have left
to Buccleuch street. but again his destiny
was to he influenced by the stumbltnS-
block OF his life. In passing up the High
Street about dusk, he saw brptalisea-
looking man lounging at the mouth OF a
close. whom he Instantly recognized as
Bob Stark. Years had made little change
on him. His clean-shaven face was a 1T
more apoplotic and his gait q little
more shambling. but otherwise he was
pretty much the same scoundrel az when
last Willie had seen him. The change
on. Willie. on the other hand. had not only
been marked, but all for the better He
was nearly six feet high, and strong as a
lion with bufretins wind and wave. More,
he felt his power and With the first
hand and muttered-
"weil. I'd like TO have Just one blow at
his head--straight between the eyes, as