The Idaho recorder. [volume] (Salmon City, Idaho) 1886-1927, 1908-12-31

man was saying, slowly lowering his
glass as Marie came up to the group
Of people who were strainlng their
eyes seaward. Her anchors are OUT
he continued, but she cannot live in
such a gale under that strain. and II
she parts her cable she viii 20 10
pieces on the rocks"
His words were scarcely audible
above the shrieking OF the wind: but
Marie heard. and there, among those !
rough fishermen. she knslt and prayTd. |
over and over again. out OF the chck- |
ing fullness OF her heart. Holy Mother, |
save my Leon" The awful solemnity |
OF the scene touched their rough |
hearts. and hats were doffed, and
heads bowed. as the young wife prayed
10 her God in that living gale.
And then. as II IN mockery OF ali
things human, mighty wave. might
Ter than any OF its fellows. and fol-
lowing In thu wake OF two scarcely
less mighty, broke over the Bretagne.
and buried her beneath It's many tons
Of foam-lashed water The vessel
swayed- trembled and disappeared be
fore their very eyes.
Two men were holding Marie now.
Il will so to him! lie Is calling mel"
she shFieked. 20. Godl will no one
save him."
The bronzed faces Of the fisher-foIk
we're turned away each from the other.
The salt spray was on their boards.
but In their eyes was that Of which
they were ashamed
Then they led her back to the house.
the little house that Leon had taken
her to only a few weeks ago And
two OF them watched into the gray of
the morning. for meath oil skins the
fishers hearts are warm
That was the third night, and sim
she slept not. The storm was dying
now. and moaning. together they
passed away-the fury OF grief and the
rage OF the storm. And for that day
and for many days the great grief had
broken her mind.
Storm and sunshine, day In and
day out, she sat down on the beach,
and questioned the passers as TO how
many days TO Christmas Till her Leon
q would come home; for had he not
I
mas, at the glad time OF the year, and
was not his word as the law among
the hsher-folk. II was so true? And
did she not pray every night to the
Holy Mother TO intercede for her, and
bring her Leon homer And the
masses that had been said for Leon
were they not to bring him home
too?
Poor little Marie, her mind. which
was like unto a childs. could not un
! derstand that the mass which Father
Dupre had said, had been to take hin
q TO that other home: for the good "a
Z Their had said mass for the repose o.
! the souls Of the men lying out ther'
4 In lie Bretagne.
\ And then a wonderful thing hap
pened. Many days after. at the tint
! OF Christmas. again the cry Of Ia
4 Bretagne rang through the streets O
4 Arichat: and again was there much o
4 horror in the cry, for though the SCI
A was calm now. there was lie Bretagn
I slowly sailing into port: and was no
, lie Bretagne at the bottom OF the SEE
!. and all hands drowned
3 Small wonder that the browne
faces were blanched now. rs III
Il fisher-folk lined up on the sand. a
4 they had on that day two moons b
n fore.
a What sorcery is this2" they aske
each other. II was La Bretagne. the
4 know her as they knew their ow
z houses. Spirit hands were sailing he
= for on her decks no one moved.
A solemn hush settled down upo
70 them; few spoke. and when they a
II was with bated breath. What ev
A. was this? for good Il could not be.
:, Twas Marie who had first seen n
n. ship. Had her prayers worked hi
magicf
on Nearer and nearer the dread shI
IN came. until but a short way out fro
M the shore she stopped. and swung
80 an anchor. Invisible hands had a
chored her. for there was the cab
NO right enough. running out from h
% bow. as she lifted lazily to the Ior
,rs ground swell
IA Take me TO my Leon" Marie plea
~. ed of the awe-struck fishermen. he
ng calling me DO you not see that
boats are washed away"
oh shamed by the presence Of the VOL
IN en-, four stout fishermen brought up
- boat. and. taking Marie with ther
-, rowed on to the ship that was like
"a phantom.
ri Stay with US. ma petite annie" q
no. fisherwomen pleaded with Marie
md well had they striVen To check u
a. ways OF the wind.
ow How silent the ship was AZ the DO
I'm Elided under her stern! Not . soun
he not a voice. no movement, only Il
n : lap. lap. lap Of the waters against b
wooden sides
Ina The men crossed themselves as .
The mont. the brayest fisherman In I
py. Arichat. rose up. and. with blaneh'
.ea cheeks. caught his boat hook in
,gh BretaEne's rail
Nv How low she was In the water.
~, they stood up In their boat they eou
see across her deck-not across d
ma they see. for half way they saw son
-. thing which caused them 20 shudd'
ne. and beg OF little Marie TO stop in q
nty boat
- But Marie had risen and seen. &c
- and with a cry that rang In the ca