The Montgomery advertiser., 1904-11-10
Our Daily Sbort Story

tAiAC uo B9W HCEp anu &HAAs 0su6AS W. serving the expression, quoted from the laws of nations. rather obscureiy, but with honest purpose to dissuade him from any rash action. There came e day when the matches were battened down, stores were be- ing taken on board and sailors aloft were touching up and examining the running rigging, getting ready for sea A woman came down the wharf. a large, red-haired woman, from whose sodden face whiskey had soaked every expression, and seizing Nan she shook her violently and then struck her with her clenched hands in the face. One of Mans blue eyes disappeared behind puff of purple swelling and the child ran screaming to some hidding place about the docks.
 A longshoreman handling coffee. see- ing the blood. swore at the woman, he being too chivalrous to raise aught but his voice against a woman, and she replied in such a tide of blasphe- my that the man, one of the hardest swearers on the wharf, looked at her in speeches. envy.
 When the woman left the wharf. after q vain search for Nan, the child crept on board the bark and sat sob ping in the galley.
 'Is she your mither?' asked Mir Stuart, peering Tn the door.
 'tShe aint," replied the child with vigor, she's my aunt and I hate her. if I could I'd buy a stove bigger than that"-pointing to the one in the gal ley--"and I'd poke her in 1t and watch her burn. I'd love to heear her scream and swear"
 "It's unchristain and unregenerate." remarked Mir. Stuart, "but it's nat'ral to a carnal mind"
 How can I save that child from such treatment?" asked Capt. Harper. striking his hand against the ships rail.
 "Ye can't" replied Mir. Stuart. pessi- misticaIly without making things worse. Ye can shut her up in an asy- lum of reformatory, like a bird in a cage to keep 1t away from hawks, but the bird I'll beat it's wings against the bars and weesh it was free again and running the reesk of hawks.s' It was late in the afternoon when the tug passed line ti the bark to pull her away from the wharf. Nan had shaken hands with the entire crew and had gone ashore. The men were aloft getting ready to unbend sails when the bark was out in the stream. and Peter was on the wharf ready to cast off the bow hawser. One of the aen on the topsail yard said Peter had a bundle with him and be mar veled how he was to get aboard with it after the ship was loose from her lines.
 There was a splash when Peter cast off the hawser, and, he sprang into the bow rigging, he yelled: Man over boardr
 What" cried Mr. Stuart. rushing to the starboard rail.
 Poor little Man," said Peter. with pathos. sank like an iron belayin' pin"
 wen drag for the body" cried the crowd on the wharr.
 Tt won't be a heavy drag, poor it- tie. thin thing" said Peter
 Perhaps it's for the best" remarked the captain, sadly.
 'The Lards ma got much against her." said MT. Stuart comfortipgly, and He rub out a muckIe of that when she stands before Him"
 The tug pulled in her lines. the sails were loosened, the yard braced, and with a fair wind astern the bark pushed her way through the moon-lit- waters of the bay. Capt Harper, who had passed night disturbed by regret full thoughts of Nan, came on deck early and walking past the galley was as- founded to see Nan therein supping up burgoo from a bowl.
 Its Nan. sir" said Peter, "ske need ed a sea voyage and was afeered her lovin' relations wouldn't part with her so hid her on board"
 What fell overheard, thenT asked the delighted captain.
 I'm thinkin'." said Peter. with the air of a man who doesn't want to com init himself. that 1t was a capstan bar I dropped over.'
 'Tll adopt her" said the captain, firmly
 'Ye can," assented Mir. Stuart, who like many legal luminaries, twisted the law to suit emergencies. Mans dead and the law canna effect the dead"
 NE. Church Missionary society.