The Laurens advertiser. (Laurens, S.C.) 1885-1973, 1905-06-07

than the Wldder Leach" And then,
as IL that crowned the sum total OF her
virtues, he added, "Teliy an Lissy
thinks lots o. her"
He paused for breath and, turning to
zee IL they We're heading right, re-
sumed his strong n steady pulling.
Thar" observed Uncle Terry, point
ing to n long IL narrow ledge, sis
whar Telly started fer shore all alone
Just nineteen years ago last March,"
And then he added while he watched
Albert's averted face. "'Twas an on
lucky day fer the poor sailors an a
lucky II fer us, fer she's been II heap
o. comfort ever since"
Tell me, Uncle Terry, why IL is she
feels 80 sensitive regarding her history
and what Is the cause of the peculiar
moods you spoke of last summer. /
noticed 1t last evening, and Il panied
me very much"
Its hard tellin'. She's Il girl that's
given ter broodin' Il good deal, an
mebbe when she was told the facts she
began ter suspect some o. her ances-
tors would be lookln' her up some day.
She allus has been a good deal by her.
self II She got her schoolin', an most
likely dom lots O. thinkin'. Blu Telly's
all right, an the most willln' an tender
hearted creetur L ever seen or heard
OH. She'll make an amazin' good wife
fer some man If she ever finds the
right 'un."
When they reached the island Uncle
Terry landed and, going to the top OF u
cliff, scanned the sen for signs Of fish.
tNfnnEnrnl'c n,,r',tc A,I y, bn ,h,n,,oI
to Albert, who had followed. "They's
n good deal like some w~immin-ye
never know whar ter find 'em. Yester-
day mornln' that cove Jest inside o. the
pint was live with 'em, an today L
can't see Il sign G one. We better sit
here an wait n spell till 1 sight n
school,"
To n dreamer like Albert Page the
limitless ocean view he now enjoyed
lifted him far above mackerel and
their habits. His mind was also ocou-
pied n good deaf by Teiiy, and While he
desired to please the kindly old man,
who imagined fishing would entertain
him, his heart was not In 1t.
Don't let MS worry about the mack
erel, Uncle Terry" he observed as they
seated themselves on top of n cliff.
"This lone, uninhabited island and the
view here Will content me until your
fish are hungry
ut allus sets me thinkln', too, an
wonderin' whar we cum from an
what we air here for. An our stay Is
so amazln' short besides. We air born,
grow up, work 4 spell, git old an die,
an that's the end. Why, 1t don't seem
only last year when 1 cum to the Cape,
an It's goin' nigh on to thirty now,
an I'm almost through my spell o. life.
What puzzles me Is what's the good o.
bein' born at all If we've got ter die so
soon! An, more'n all that. IL life's the
Lords blessin', as the widder b'licvep,
why are so many only born to suffer or
be crippled all their lives? An why are
snakes an all sorts o. vcrmin, to say
nothin' O. cheatin' lawyers, like Frye,
ever born at all2"
Albert smiled at II coupling Of Frye
with vermin. "There are Il good many
wiser heads than mine, Uncle Terry,
that have never been able to answer
your question:" he replied, "and /
doubt If they ever will. To my mind
the origin OF life Is an enigma, the
wide variations in matters Of health
and ability an injustice, and the end II
blank wall that non who scales ever
recrosses with tidings Of the beyond.
AS some one has expressed 1t: Life is Il
narrow vale between the cold and bar
rem peaks of w ctcrnitics. We strive
In vain to look beyond the heights.
We cry aloud, and the only answer Is
| the pphO Of pur \yoilinp rrv'O
AN right thar" put in Uncle Terry
earnestly, SIS whar L allus envy the
believers, as the widder calls 'cm. fer
they are satisfied what is beyond an
have 1t all pict'rd out In thar minds,
even to what the streets are paved
with an the kind o. music they're
goln' ter have. It's all guesswork, In
my way o thinkin', but they are sure
ont, an that fcelin' is lots o. comfort
to 'em when they are drawin' near the
end. I've been n sort or scoffer all
my life an can't help bcin' n doubter,
but there are times when | envy the
Widdcr Leach an the rest on 'cm the
delusiOn | b'licve they're lnborin' un-
der"
"But do YOU believe death ends all
consciousness" asked Albert seriously.
"Have You no hope, ever, Of a life be-
You'd this blank WALTZ"
"Snrtin l have hopes, same as all on
us has, but | wish / was more sure
my hopes was goin' ter be realized.
Once I'm awhile / git the feelin' thar
amt no use in hopin', an thcn n little
snthin keeps sayin' Mebbe-mcbbe-
mebbe'-an' / feel more cheerful
again"
Albert looked at the roughly clad
and withercd old man who sat near,
and In whose words lurkcd an under
tone of sadness mingled with Il faint
hope, and I'm an instant back came a
certain evening months before when
the Widow Leach had uttered n prayer
that had stirred his feelings rs no
such utterance ever had before. All
the pathos OF that simple petition, all
It's abiding faith I'm Gods goodness
and wisdom, all It's utter self abnega-
ton n absolute confidence In n life
beyond the grave, came back, and all
the consolation that feeling surely held
for the old and poverty environed
soul who uttered 1t impressed him I'm
sharp contrast to the doubling "mebbe
-mebbe' Of Uncle Terry.
As Albert looked cut TO where the
waves were breaking upon n ledge,
and back again to this old man sitting
with bowed head beside him, n sincere
regret that 1t WAS not I'm his mower to