Savannah courier. (Savannah, Tenn.) 1885-1979, 1901-05-03


the wharf by the time the gentlemen
in the crowd had managed to remove
their coats. The deed was nothing to
the lad. He had seen dozen children,
most of them street urchins, in the
selfsame plight; aye, and he had saved
some of them, too. The boy placed
the little one in its mothers arms, and
dashed away to get his apple basket;
but the child's father called him back
and overwhelmed him with words of
gratitude, which he did not know how
to receive. Then the man asked him
a great many questions; some of them
very foolish and some impertinent,
the boy thought. But he was willing
to forgive the questioner, when the
latter put stout leather purse into
his hand.
"Stammering out his thanks as best
he could, the boy turned away; but
not in time to prevent his hearing
the gentleman remark to the bystand-
ers: He is only washerwoman's
SON.
"'Only washerwoman's son! What
did the gentleman mean" thought the
lad. as he retired to remote corner
of the wharf, where he sat musing,
with his feet in the water and his
newly acquired wealth Rugged up in
his hand"
"Ibrahim, who was the lad? Please
tell me-"
Ibrahim, whose face had grown
stern and hard, motioned Lillian to
keep silent and continued:
after long meditation, the boy
took his fortune, apples and all, and
went home. He showed the money
to his mother, and told her how he
had gotten it; but he did not tell her
lie had learned that he was only q
washerwoman's son..
THE next morning that boy went
out into the world with a peddler's
pack. His mother, Jewess, helped
him to select his vocation and his
goods. At 16 he set sail for Australia,
with his mother for companion"
AS Ibrahim proceeded with his story
his countenance grew gradually more
stormy; but, save for an occasional
sarcasm, there was no hint of it il
his voice or language. A fearful dread
was pictured in the countenances OF
his hearers. After pause, he contin
ued:
"There is no need to recount the
boys struggles. Success unhoped fol-
crowned his efforts, and he is now one
of the wealthiest men in either Mel
bourne or New York, in both of which
places he has large interests. WheI
that lad, now man, came back Il
New York it was with purpose. Fol
this reason he prepared to take ant
to keep the place in social life to which
his wealth assigned him. This wa!
not difficult. for to his Jewish blood
was added that of sociable, bright
witted Irishman, who had bequeathet
to his son only these qualities.
"You will understand that it tool
this man but q short time to discover
the parents of the child he had saved
at the Brooklyn ferry, when ! tell yol
that he still had the old pocketbool
and the card it contained in his pos
session. He found the little girl, nov
grown into a beautiful and accom-
plished woman, and Immediately Sc
himself to win her love; not for hel
beauty, not for Eer wealth, not for hel
goodness, but for his own sweet re
venge. Now, Lillian, / am ready t.
answer your question, and to tell yol
that that lad was lbrahim, and tina
you were the little girl"
The speaker paused. Anguish wa
written upon the faces of the Ingrams
Lillian uttered no word. She contin
ued in the same stony posture, ant
stared in the same stony stare. Ibra
him looked anxiously in her direction
: Seeming to be satisfied on her &C
count, he drew from his pocket TIVE
purses, one old and dingy, the othe
new and shining. Stepping to the sid
of MIR. Ingram, he said:
MT. ingram, mere is your money
hundredfold, and in n new purse
The old one ] shall retain bccaus
my VOW was laid upon it. That voy
is paid, and the 'washerwoman's son
is now your equal"
lbrahim took his place aside, an
, regarded the family whose variou
members sat like persons under som
hidden spell. BY degrees the ange
J and bitterness died out of his face
and the sunny smile that he had in
herited from his Irish father came t.
; take its place.
, That smile seemed to bring life bac
| 10 Lillian's frame. She rose with tn
/ dazed air of one coming out of a trou
bled sleep. With swift strides Ibrahir
came to her side; but he did not touc
| her outstretched hands.
2 Lillian he said, sit has been
! cruel torture, but had vowed to d
it, and never broke a vow. / vowe
in spite to win your love, and hav