Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1904-03-15
For they are blest that have much to rue,
That have not oft misheard the prompt

For they are bleSt that have much 10 rue,
That have not oft misheard the prompt
trS cue.
|fHE gale was apparently ut its
height-that is TO say, ii was
blowing harder than ii had
blown all through the night
but those whose business is on the great
| waters know that gale usually fin
isics its wrath in Il few wild squalls.
Ills getting puffy the sailors say;
its nearly over
\ man hurrying through tie narrow
main street of Iport was thrown
against the shutters of the little bak-
ers shop Oil tie left hand side and
stood there gusping for breath.
Mon itieu." he muttered. Its Il
dogs night.
And he wiped the rain from his face.
The wind. which blew from wild
northwest, roared against the towering
cliffs md from east and west concen-
trated itself funnel-wiSc on the zap
where Yport lives. Out seaward there
was Il queer ghostly light lying on the
face of the waterS-the storm light
and landSmen rarely see ii. for the
sea- was beaten into unbroken foam.
The man. who was clad in oilskins, was
in the neck of the funnel. Overhead
he heard the wind roaring through the
pines far up on the slope of the mar
row valley. Close ut hand Il continuous
whistle told of its passage across tn,
house tops. The man steadied himself
with his lctt hand. He had but one,
and he cursed the empty sleeve which
iiar ned across his face.
Provided" he muttcred, that can
wake that cure
He crppt on while III" gale paused to
take BREATH and moment later cow
cred in ;l2 porch of Il little yellow
house He kicked the door with his
heel and then waited. with his ear to
the GREAT keyhole. Surely the cure
must have been good man to sleep In
such 4 night The street had naturally
been deserted, for it was nearly !
O'Clock in the morning. and dawn could
not he far Off.
~ one armed man and a PRIEST
said thc man TO himself. with an cX
press we irrl; of the head. And indeCd
iii the men of Yport had sailed fof tht
nor; n fisheries. leaving the village
to IT, women and children and ia
m1incd.
Witi n thc house there were sounds
OF some one aStir.
"Gnc c0meS cried CHEEKY voice
belonging aSsured!y TO some one wht
WAS brave. for none expects to be call
Ell from his bed TO hear good news.
single bolt WAS drawn and tAc dooi
throv-n open. The cure Il little man
StCud bach. shading the candle with his
hand.
".All. jean B"!fort 1t is YOU
Yes. un'i l..y one arm. replied thf
m;:n. coming in and closing the door
T." rain Gripped from his oilskins tt
thc c.nan floor.
All. but this is no night to com
plain. Better be on shore with ont
ARA ,han III s"a with two tonight
I'hc little cure looked at his yisitol
with bright eyes and shake of tn,
head. y duick spoken man this. will
little square mouth, Il soft heart,
ken sense OF humor.
WHY have you got me from my
bed. mNlcontent?" he asked.
"rccaUsc there are some out there
th&t want your prayers. replied BEL
fort. jerking his head toward the sea
He was al un5eiiever. this mlimec
sailor. He spoke mockingly.
"One can pray in the morning. Come
with me While | get on some clothes
if it is wreck" said the priest sim
ply.
The man followed him to Il little
bare room of which the walls were
decorated by two cheap sacred prints
and cruc:fx such as may be bough'
for 10 sous II any fair on the coast.
Never mind your hat" said tht
priest. seeing the mans fingers ut the
strings of his sou'wester. Give mt
my great boots from the cupboard. a
wreck. is il? The summer storms arr
always the worst. Is it boat?'
Who knows:" replied the man. III
is my wife who looked from the win
dow an hour ago and saw light on
at sea two points to the east of north
a red light and then Il green ana thel
the masthead light"
A steamer
so it would appear. And now there
arc no lights. That is all.
The priest was dressed and no"
pulled on a great oilskin coat Iher'
nre men who seem compact in mine
and body. iiupressing their fellows Will
n sense OF that restfulness which come.
of assured strength This little pries
was one Of these, and the mental I'm
press that he left upon all who came
i'm contact with him was to the ei1ec'
that tLere Is nothing in human Ire
that need appall, no sorrow beyond the
reach of consolation. no temptation toe
strong to be resisted. The children
ran after him in the streets, their faces
expectant of joke. The women III the
doorways gave little sigh as he pass
ed. A woman will often sigh at the
thought Of that which another woman
has lost. and this touches whole
gamut Of thoughts which are above tht
reach of mans mind.
The priest tied the strings Of sou
wcster under his pink chin. He was
little more than boy, after all. or clse
he was the possessor of very young
heart.
"Bct,yCen lis we make whole man.
vou and l." he said cheerily. Per
haps we caa do something.
They went out INTO the night, the
priest locking TIE door and pausing to
hide the key undcr the mat i'll the
| ..-..-n. ,Ihn,. III i-..nn the LOuSn door