Saint Mary's beacon., 1903-05-07


give up her little charge to govern
esses and tutors. She showed us
his photograph. That's my boy,
she said, proudly, her chin quiver.
ing, the real mother look iu her eyes,
She was pass the age for child OF
lover II her own to come into her
life But she had great plan and
| hope IN III
m not strong, she said, "and
/ I'm tired out. | took this place be-
cause II brings money to me fast.
III another year hope to quit work
and 90 home to my mother. We can
60 back 10 our old cottage near Alb
erdeen We had % leave II when
my father died. We bad to sell the
COW. That was sore hurt. She
was a dun, Ayrshire, my mother
reared her from calf Wen bay
her back and wen have field, and
ducks and hens, and some flowers.
Ny mother S fond Of lowers. Well
have enough to bide there the rest
Of our lives, and
She looked out to the tossing sea,
her eyes full Of happy tears. forget.
ting TO end her sentence,
Among the passengers was
troop Of soubrettes Of the lowest
class loud talking, giggling, per-
fumed women. whose soiled, rag
ged clothes were pieced out with
bits Of tawdry lace and ribbons. II
was amusing TO watch the decent
little Scotch woman when they came
near on deck even her neat starch
cd gown shuddered az they passed
aud In her face was the fierce autag-
onisn Of generations Of her godly
ancestors to the devil and all his
works.
One day two Of these women be
came violently vi with an eruptige
disease. The doctor said aloud,
measles, but whispered TO the
captain, smallpox Of the most ma
lgnant kind. There was on this
ship--as there may be on all ocean.
going steamers, for aught know
stateroom deep ia the hold Of the
vessel, hospital cell for the use OF
quarantinsd patients, shut otf from
the world by six inch oak door,
which when IL was once closed, was
not opened until the voyage was
over. To this cell the patients were
hurried. The captain summoned
the three estewardesses and told lhem
the truth about the women AT
all cost, he said, the matter must
be kept secret from the crew aad
passengers, or wo shall have pau.
ic. One Of you must take charge Of
them. Your meals aud me medicine
wiii be passed 10 you through the
trap ia the door. You cannot leave
the cell whether your patients live
or die until we reach the other side.
Which of you will gog
The two older women began 10
cry aud protest loudly. Jessy stood
silent, staring into the captain =
face
I know be cried. They re
hardly worth il But we can' I let
them die like dogs. One Of you
must 10.
A. must be me, then, she said.
4 have no children depending on
me. These others have, There
my mother. thought But there 5
others TO care for her, No. It's
for me 10 go.
The captain said afterwards that
he saw that she believed she would
never leave the cell alive / thought
II too, he said. She was weakly
body ut best and every drop Of her
blood rose against the women and
the work.
She went TO her cabin to make
ready and one OF the other women
presently found her there writing.
Them poor wretches are calling
for you. she said
Let them call, said j Jessy, fiercely.
IN write 10 my mother, first But
Jessy was not to be a martyr after
all.
When the ship was cleared OF her
passengers at Liverpool the oak
door opened and she came out with
her red, scared patients. She was
thin and gray Ikea ghost But she
laughed merrily, and was very kind
and tender to the poor friendless
women.
When / saw her year or two la
ter, she was in the snug little cot
tage and the dun COW was in the
paddock and her old mother sat
/