The Washington times., 1902-01-19

no food in the house. The family had
gone to bed supperless. No breakfast
awaited the hungry children. Winter had
| not broken, and they could not ask for
aid; to go on the town was worse than TO
| go to prison. The neighbors were as
poor as they. and had nothing to give.
All this Tom made clear, and the great
need made his rough logic eloquent. To
] his last words, Wen borrer an pay it
| back in tn spring. she made no reply
| Her energy was exhausted, and she sat
| mute and fearless. II she needed further
argument ii was provided in the pres
ence. in the room, of four undressed
| children, complaining of the cold and the
hunger. Her feeling quickly changed and
she was glad that she could give them
bread. The reaction made her checks
burn red, as she busted herself with the
simple breakfast. The children looked on
in open-eyed wonder. The noise of the
frying pork and the odor of the fat Great
ed strange sensations within them They
danced and laughed. The mother caught
the spirit of JOY, while Tom, to the sur
prise of all. held the youngest on his
knee and dressed it. Happy family, The
corn cake was well baked and the pork
was fried to a crisp, leaving a large pan
of fat. Was there ever such a break
fast?
Pork and meal drove out want. As
necessity demanded Tom drew supplies
from the store at the cottage. He did not.
however, depend solely on this source;
but, opposed by storm and tide and ice
bound coast, he strove to add clans and
small fish to the food supply of the fam
lily. The ghost of hunger vanished, and
the sadness of winter passed into the joy
OF spring. But Nemesis eyacts atone
ment. The just balance must be restored.
Winter is drear, indeed, on these bleak
coasts. The steamers withdraw when the
summer visitors depart, and although
much shipping is in view. for the dwellers
on the outermost points of the mainland
and the adjacent islands all ships pass
beyond hail, The inhabitants of the Neck
have learned to await the first landing
OF steamboat as the sure sign of spring
Late in March the Nahanada made her
first landing. A passenger alighted in the
dusk Of evening and walked alone, recog-
niZed by few who had hastily gathered
at the wharf toward the cottages. Tom
and his mother were away after wood and
did not know of the landing. 1t was dark
when they returned, laden with wood from
the shore. There was a scant meal that
evening. The mother looked at Tom. but
nothing was said. The children went TO
bed early. and the tired mother soon fol-
lowed She knew that Tom would go to
the cottage for provisions, but she denied
it to herself. Tom sat doing by the fire.
He knew that he was going out, and he
knew that his mother knew it, yet he
yawned as he said, Guess I'll go ter bed, |
too" His mother went to her room. and |
she said, Don't set up late, cause We |
tired"
Tom sat alone for a long time. alter |
nately doing and filling the stove with /
y ood. Once he went to the window which /
overlooked the sea, and looked into the |
night. 1t was dark. He saw small light |
n a neighboring house, and the lights |
Df a coaster were dimly visible. He went !
back to his chair. 1t was 10 o'clock. He |
knew it by the instinct of a fisherman.
Two hours to tn mOon.' he thought.
Guess I'll wait fer it," By and by n /
light that kept increasing stole in through
he small windows. Tom moved heavily.
and went again to the window. 1t was
The moon was already clear
,f the horizon-a light above the waters,
whose path Of silver was creeping across
he sea to touch the rocky shore OF the
A vessel under full sail was
.aught in the stream of light and drifted
nto bold relief. For a moment 1t hung
here. then vanished into the darkness.
Tom saw nothing of all this poetry of
lignt. No aspiration thrilled him. Ne
essity subordinates everything to its
ordid ends. This boy linked clans with
he thought of the sea, and the moon
hanging over the waters was for him a
light on the way that he was going. 1t