The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1907-04-11
Written for The Republican Journal
A November ShipwreCk.

that are so common on our New Eng
land coast, two human bodies were
cast contemporary ashore one Novem-
Der night, as if the mighty waves,
satisfied with their stronger human
prey, were content to give these two
back to mother earth for more tender
burial.
One was little girl of, six or seven
years, securely dashed to spar: the
other was an old sailor, with gray hair
and beard, who had chung to piece of
wreckage and who was. thrown ashore
with it, although those who loosened
his stiffened fingers. thought that he
chung to it with the grip of death. But
old Peter Carlson had weathered many
gale, and he was destined to weather
this one. When he opened his eyes at
last and smiled up into the anxious
faces of the men and women who had
been fighting for his life, it was with
such Thanksgiving as a man may feel,
| And the honest fisherfolk felt their
hearts stirred beneath the great mys-
terry of human brotherhood, and well
coined him back warmly and tenderly
to the world of living men.
''Were there any more saved?"
Peter asked when his mind had grasped
the meaning of things once more, and
memory had resumed her place among
the strange medley of dreams and
fancies that had at first thronged his
benumbed brain. 'There were twenty
souls on board that ship-am the only
one saved?"
There was a child--a little girl with
yellow hair-lashed to a spar. She was
carried up to the big house and if
human hands can save her, they will
save her there; but the poor little thing
hadn't the breath of life in her body,
that's what I'm thinking."It was a
woman who answered him, and tear
rolled down her worn cheek and fell
upon Peter Carlson's hand as she bent
down to tuck the blankets more secure
ly about him; aud Peter, drifting even
as she spoke into a sleep of utter weak
ness, dreamed strange dream of an
angel with a worn brown face, and
yellow hair like cornsilk with the sun
light on it, who dropped diamonds and
pearls into his outstretched hands, and
| sV IIllI WIN ITO A1oolCA culiiSs
which he had always remembered as
the sweetest smile on earth.
| Up at the "big house," as the fisher
men called the old stone mansion
perched on the cliffs, Katherine Kings
ton was making another desperate fight
for human life. The old family phy-
sician was there, and the old servants
glided noiselessly about doing Rather
ines bidding-and the great house was
huShed and silent because the angel OF
death was lowering very near lt-but
the breath of life" fingered on in the
frail body of the little girl; the heart
beats grew stronger, and tinge of
color began to creep back into the white
lips and into the pallid cheeks; at last
DR.. Barnett, with sigh of relief, turn
ed his eyes from the child's face to the
face of the woman beside him.
"We have won the fight, Katherine,
she will live. All you have to do now
is to give her an occasional stimulant-
half teaspoonful of this white medi-
cine every hour. Have some hot cruel
ready when she comes out of this stu
por, keep her warm, plenty of blankets
and hot water bottles, just as we have
her now and she will be as good as new
in few days, poor little mite. Why
MISUNDERSTANDING child, what is
it? don't give way like this. Why, Kath-
crime, thought you hadn't nerve in
your whole body. This has been too
much for you, child" And the old doc
tor patted the woman's bowed head as
he had done twenty-five years before,
when in her first great grief she had
brought her broken doll to him for
treatment; and had sobbed her heart
out because its fatal injuries we're be-
yond his skill. Now she had gone down
on her knees with her face buried in
the soft blankets that covered the fair
haired little stranger, and the sobs that
| shook her form were sobs Of deep and
bitter grief. Was this the stately, self
poised woman of whom all the villagers
stood in awe; who lived her solitary life
up here OH the cliffs, dealing out charity
in her own queenly way, but holding
herself proudly aloof from all human
interests; the woman to whom he turn
ed in every great emergency, as did the
simplest villager among them, because
of her splendid nerve, her clear head
and her sound, good sense? No wonder
the doctor was puzzled as she knelt
there, shaken with those uncomfortable
sobs.
''For the child's sake you must try to
| CdlM yOulScll ut Sttlu, dG ldoU. Ou
never failed me before when 1 needed
you, Katherine-and this child life de-
ponds upon your calmness and your
care"
No othef appeal would have had
such weight. as he well knew. After a
moment she lifted her head and smiled
at him-a wan smile that was sadder
than her tears. In this fisher village
DR.. Barnett had seen many such smiles,
mo; have never failed you" she said
rising to feet. 'It is good to hear
those words from you. l will not fail
you now-but-doctor, this child is
Rick Henshawe's child-and that ship
that went down last night was Rick
Henshawe's ship"
DR.. Barnett gave such start that
the glasses on his nose fell to the floor
la way they had upon the slightest
provocation.
'Rck Henshawe's chiA-Rick Hen
shawe's ship--what are you saying
how do you know this" For answer
she held out the locket which she had
taken from the child's neck. 1t was
open and two faces smiled up at DR..
Barnett. A mans face, with firm
mouth, clear cut features and frank,
fearless eyes, and a woman's pretty
face-pretty with sweet feminine pref
tiness. Tears dimmed the old mans
| ovoS az ha pazpd-fnr now the thing