Herald and news. [volume] (West Randolph, Vt.) 1878-1943, 1902-03-13
When the Dead Awaken
BY Edgar WeltOn COuley.
tcoHrizhi, ~ y Authors syndlasssl

TAIRPORT possessed two things Of
which it was proud. One was a
magnificent view Of the open sea, aud
the other was Mss Nancy.
The ocean stretched in opulent
beauty from the feet 81 the strug-
Cling village into the dim and uncer-
tain distance, rs restless water pre-
senting 4 different aspect for near
Iy every hour q the day In the
early morning one could not deter
mine where the gray sky and the
ieaden sea Joined hands, but when
the sun arose and sent Its bright
red darts into tie heaying bosom Of
the ocean. each little wave held up
bleeding finger until the whole, broad
sea was spangled.
At noon tile glossy surface Of the
water reflected warmly the vertical
rays Of the midday sun, aud AZ even
ing. the mists that hung above the
water like q curtain dropped from
the azure canopy, wrapped the
/ drowsy waves IN their folds and
luHed them to slumher, SO that when
the stars peeped down they found the
water motionless and winked AZ
their own reflections on the mirror
ing surface.
But when a storm swept down from
the north. It's fingers eombed the
tangled ringlets Of the fretful waves
so roughly that they complained and
fought SO savarely that sometimes
the little village was deluged with
the spray and well-nigh deafened with
the grumbling.
As for Miss Nancy, there was moth
ing in her face or figure particular
lv attractive. unless It was the hon
est. omen countennnee and the clear,
gray Ewes that seemed to laugh only
10 conceal their sadness
In fact. Miss Nancy was very
commonplace parsonage as she sat ~
her plain but cory living room IN
the afternoons and gazed out over the
far stretching ocean whose waves
at high tide. almost kissed the portals
Of her little home. Her face was thin
and sallow; her hands were red and
rouphened from the harsh clasp oi
toll, and her hair was gray and thin
A Maltese cat Of uncertain age was
her closest companion, and Of living
relatives she had none, so far as any
~ the residents OF Fairport knew.
To them she was alternately
i shaken Of as Miss Nancy and th'
nereliet." the latter title having ref
srence TO the manner Of her arriVa
In Fairport
Miss Nancy and the village Of FAR
mort were strikingly similar N on
resp.ct. There had been a time whei
each. apparently. was possessed OF
nromisinr future, and both had seei
their hopes disappear like the mist
before the rising run.
" The original settlers Of Fairpor
laid out the village with certa.
convenience that some day the NTH
T.mlet would metamorphose into
a ,,,atronolitan seaport. They I'VE
Is "a siea II this belief, but their en-
Is 5ren witnessed the SCATTERING Of thel
d dreams. Then Fairport cast asiae q
z misguided faneies q future impo .
tance and settled down INTO lui
tranquility. content IN the posse,
Z ~, ~ is ureoualed view of the Sc
and Miss Nancy.
The Dereliet earned her unusu u
4 onbriouet IN drifting into falrpoi
] barbor one May morning. following
stormy night dashed tightly .
n Diece 81 broken spar At tha1 W.
y ~ VAS only ten years Of ace ati
s,,hssonentiy nearly died 81 gr,'
IN loss Of her parents, w
he - down with an Inflated We
Oh sci during the night.
81 The strange surroundings ana =
~ .a;liar faces among which fortui
,e II. waves had tossed her 2
~ a. .en5 "a sooth the child, and =
II - have actually pined away az
n - bad IL not been for John IRA
y ston. ..nfc
a i was he who had frst DISCO
IA - +be Derelict as the way
& -N.,,5 her ashore. He was gathefii
{. 49, - the time, but prompt
"A, the surf. cut the cor
" Wa. ~ hound her unconscious for
4 gathered s,,itf her up in his strong ,. arm 7
i ssa arri, her to dry land, washed !
Y cA A..'.ea and the salt from her pc
md ewes and then hurried ior =
doctor. s,uo,-
dy puring the years that follow ,
nd 1o,n and Nancy were insepara
:. e0 Tbs SON Of sea captain 10
Y ,oalrsd forward to life on the orn