The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1901-09-19

y
promise to bring ship loads of fine
silks and precious stones to her from
the most distant parts of the earth
and, as she was young and mex
perienced, Of course she readily be
lieved them.
When John became big, strappinp
fellow, he went before the mast of his
fathers schooner and years later wher
his father was no more, and John had
crossed the degree of longitude that
divided boyhood from manhood on
the chart of his life, he became the
possessor of the three-master OF
which he had so often dreamed He
named his vessel Nancy, after the
/ little blue-eyed Derelict, and il was a
matter of doubt of which he was the
prouder. For Miss Nancy was the
recognized beauty of the village, and
many a young man of Fairport had
envy in his heart for John Crag-
| ston.
The young navigator made many
voyages, but none to any very distant
! port, and his ventures were fortunate
and his worldly goods were accumu-
lating at a most satisfactory ratio.
Miss Nancy was won't to stand upon
| the beach with her blue sunbonnet
| protecting her brown curls from the
! sun, and watch Johns schooner sail
out into the open until it became a
| mere speck in the distance, and
| finally disappear altogether in the
! haze. After that she would cast
many a glance to seward during the
long days and keep a well-trimmed
until such time as the Nancy again
sailed into the Fairport harbor.
But one day John took her for a
walk along the beach and found her
a shat seat in the shelter of a great
bowie r. Then, stretching himself on
plan to which she finally half-heart-
eddy consented, with a tear in her eye
and a sigh in her heart.
my little Derelict," he said, hold
ing her hand in his, ~ shall make
but one more voyage before we are
married | am going long distance,
Nancy-to the far-otl shores of In
dia. But when | return, / shall
bring to you the precious stones and
rare goods which l have so many
times promised you. I shall be gone
for many, many months, Nancy, but I
shall return aud we shall live in a cot
tage overlooking the sea"
Miss Nancy gazcd far away at the
misty link between the sky and the
sea and made no reply.
But every hour Of the day I shall
think of you, my little Derelict, and
so often as | can | shall send you
message. Should any great length
Of time elapse without word from
me, do not doubt my constancy; rath-
er think Of me as dead, for death
alone can Danish from my heart the
image of my blue-eyed Dereict."
He kissed her then, and she brave
" stiAed a sob in her throat and bid
him God-speed.
And when the Nancy sailed out of
Fairport harbor on that bright June
morning, Miss Nancy stood on the
beach and waved a handkerchief so
long as bit Of the black hull could
be diycerned against the horizon that
stretched across the sea like deep
blue ribbon. Then she walked slowly
back TO her 'ottage and sank into
chair with her face in her hands.
And the schooner Nancy never
more sailed into Fairport harbor.
During the many years Miss Nancy
divided her time between cheering
the sorrowing hearts, nursing the
sick or assisting the poor Of the vii
lage and gazing out to sea. And
every night a light burned brightly
in her window.
No direct word came from John
after his first two letters, but one
| day n sailor drifted into the village
who said the Nancy had gone down
off the Indian coast, and that John
Crugston had died with his face to
/ the west and a far-away look in his
eyes
Miss Nancy nourished her sorrow
/ I'm silence. and the story the old
/ sailor told was a balm to her wounds
/ In the twilight hour she loved to
walk along the beach where John had
! led her that June day, and seating
! herself in the shelter Of the great
! howlder, gaze out TO sea.
/ There il was that a big, broad
shouIdercd man, coming swiftly along
! the beach one evening. found her. He
| threw himself on the sand at her feet,
/ and She uttered sudden, sharp cry,
! and covered her face with her hands.
And then he told her that the
! Nancy had indeed been wrecked of
/ the coast of India, but he had been
/ picked mp by a passing steamer and
carried to Calcutta. There he had
fallen under the influence of n WON
ans dark eyes, and upon her he had
! lavshcd nll his fortune and his af-
/ lection When his money was squan-
dered. she had scorned him. and
ashamed, repentant, and still loving
he had returned to Fairport 10 beg
Nancy's forgiveness.
81 have brought the jewels and the
tn. -. It,t1o n,rnlipt ~ no sai1