New-York tribune., 1901-09-01

the river troubled blots of light were floating
like lamps washed out TO Behind me,
turning suddenly, | saw the moon. great yell
low moon rising behind the chimneys and add
ing its share 10 the general illumination 1t
was as If the streets and the heavens were Sc
many blazing ways lighting the wanderers Of
two worlds to the rim of the great divining cup
OF the sea in whose uncertain surface they
might discern the phantom shapes and figures
of futurity
Suddenly. as I turned to go down the hill.
became aware of tw1 figures advancing toward
me, an old woman. bereheaded and making a
moaning sound she walked. and with her.
1t seemed guard upon her, small hunch
backed man | recognized them as the land
lady of The ROvers' Return and her son. and as
they came nearer 1 could hear that the moan
ing sound which came from the O.d
was in reality the rapid utterance Of words
Without looking at anything round her she
I'll not stop here and him the other side
Of the world. Oh, my poor lad I'll follow you
I'll find you sOmewhere-I'll come to the words
end after you"
Here the hunchback caught her by the arm
and endeavored TO distract her attention.
Come back home. mother. he said How can
you find him in the wide world. you that never
was out of this place in your life? You'll never
find him this side the grave. He's left YOU
for good. and let him gO-curse him"
How can go home?' returned the old wonl-
an distracted for moment. There's no home
for me except where my old lad iS-hIm going
astray somewhere in the world, and perhaps on
the this very night, There's people in the
my poor old lad. how could YOU do it u me?
But I'll follow you, I'll follow you
Come out Of the street, mother repeated
the SON
1t wasn't well done by me- continued the
old woman. I've been married woman for
forty years. and l wish l was dead before 1
this day
And 50 do l. returned the son; but you
must make up your mind To do without MIN
Come home now mother, and let him 90 Wher.
he wants. You've got a son left
1t isn't husband. cried the O,d woman
My poor old man. wherever have you gone To-
And with that they turned into an alley and
saw them no more
AS 1 stood hesitating at the end Of the
street which was one Of eyeess warehouses
with lamps hung the wall and inches in
which outcasts were lurking. tw1 women came
up the hill and stopped not far from m
That's what comes of a man that never opens
his mouth said one angriy. HI sooner have
a man that knocks YOU about a bit than
Of them that you never know what they r
thinking of. To leave his lawful wife ani
them married forty years And she's never
shed tear. she won't 80 home she's wan
dering in the streets saying she'll go after him
and ind him. and she woman OF sixty -hv".
Oh. them wicked NormOns"
AT that word. il remembered some sin
OF my youth. the thought of the bilious stranger
OF the night circle startled me. hit me With such
a sense of catastrophe that turned ana spoke
10 the woman. What s the matter" | asked.
what has happened? Confused by my sudd :
attack their story was incoherent and fantaSt' '
To a degree. but IL amounted To- this. Unknown
10 all. possibly unsuspected by himself
some inexplicabIe and fatal tenacity of purpose
had ceased To exist in the brain of m
old Scot The passion which seemed u have
slept for forty years. had been 10y the cnance
such height that without word he had gon,
his way. leaving home and wife at the age N
seventy taking with him the savings gathered
many years before. voyaging u discover IN
that America Of promise the fulilment Of his
youthful dream
For many days this incident haunted me
but there good deal of sickness that year
and through the pressure OF other thoughts
and much work its outline had begun To fade.
when. day, a bright day with blue sky.
went TO the stage the American steamer
sail. l amused myself for time in the keen
alert atmosphere. watching that meeting place
OF all nations. The tide rushing with the
speed of mill sIuice and the tinieSt scrap of
/ a sail was visible that buGyant path. The
huge vessel hove above the stage. boWlnS
slowly with the action of the tide like teJhered
small river steamers hurried painting about their
business: a great liner. with men at work IN
her rigging. lay a dead weight on the water.
and a line Of barges. uneasy with such 2 swell
OF water beneath them. were lowed tO fhelr
quiet dock by a screaming tug on the stage
itself | watched the crowd OUTSIDE the barriers,
the folk in line the deck Of the vessel. thl
going along the gaugway like figures in a ChidS
toy: then returning on the roadway apuE" TIE
river saw the scene from a higher level, eaten
ing gmpses. across deep pit If green water.
OF the crowd moving 10 and fro against TIL hull
OF the great steamer. A few seconds more and
| that the huge vessel had moved "A step
outward and was cautiously feeling h"r way
/ like a blind creature moving n step at Tine
Then. with two tugs leading her in ropes. she
went off slowly. the fail of her great i'rupr.rr
rising and beating the water, leaN NJ tehind
her a writhing trail of foam. Presently, tnd-
ing no check upon her but the two ropes. she
stood still for a moment to rid herself # them.