The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1909-04-08

The merchant looked with a sur
prised and suspicious eye at his visi-
tor when she was ushsred in Take
a seat, ray good woman" he said
What can do TO. you"
"Please Mr.. Girdlestone, I'm Mrs.
Hudson" she answered, seating her
self in a timid way upon the extreme
edge of a chair. She was weary and
footscrc, for she had carried the bab,
up from Stepney that morning.
Hudson-Hudson-c remember
the rame," said Girdlestone shaking
his head refiectively.
Jim Hudson as was, sir, he was
my husband, the bo'sun for many q
year o. W ur ship the Black Z .gle. He
went cut to try and earn bit Tor
me and the child. sir. but he's dead
o fever, poor dear, and lying in Bon
ny, River wi a cannon bail at his
feet, as the carpenter himself told me
who sewed him up, and | wish | was
dead with him. so l do" She began
sobbing in her shawl and moaning,
while the child, suddenly awakened
by the sound. rubbed it's eyes with
its Wrinkled mottled hands, and then
proceeded to take stock Of Mr.. Girdle-
stone and his Office with the critical
philosophy of infancy.
"Calm yourself, my good lady, calm
yourself" said the senior partner.
He perceived that the evil prophesied
by his son had come upon MIN, and
he made mental note of this fresh
instance of Ezras powers of fore-
sight.
'It was hard, so it was" said Mrs.
Hudson, drying her eyes, but giving
vent, to an occasional tempestuous
sob. 81 heard as the Black Eagle was
comm up the river, so l spent all
had in my pocket in maxim Jim
nice little supper - ham an eggs,
which was always his favorite, an
pint O bitter, an, quartern O.
whiskey that he could take hot after,
bein' naturally o. cold turn. and
him comm from warm country.
too. Then out l goes, and down the
| river until | sees the Black Eagle "a
comm up wi the tug in front of her.
Well l knowed the two streaks of
white paint, let alone the screechin'
O. the parrots which | could hear from
! the bank. l could see the heads O.
/ some of the men peepin over the
( side, so l waves my handkerchief,
/ and one O. them he waves back
| Trust Jim for KNOWN his little wife
says L proud like to myself, and
runs round to where l knew they'd
/ dock her. What with me being that
| excited that l couldn't rightly see
! where l was going and what with the
| crowd, for the men was comm from
| work, | didn't get there until the ship
| was alongside. Then l jumped aDourd
| and the first man l seed was Sandy
! MCPHERSON, who | knowed when we
! lived in Binnacle lane. Where's
! Jim?' | cried running forward, eager
| like, to the forecastle but he caught
me by the arm as | passed him.
steady, lass, steady!' Then l looked
up at him and his face was very grave
| and my knees got kind O. weak.
| Where's JIM said l. Don't ask
says he, Where is he Sandy?' 1
! screeches, and then. Don't say the
! word, Sandy, don't you say it But
! Lod' bless ye, it didn't much meter
what he said nor what he didn't,
| for l knowed all, an, down | fiops
on the deck in dead faint The
mate, he took me home in a cab. and
! when l come to there was the supper,
! lying, sir, and the beer, and the things
| a-shinin' and all so cozy, an the
child aslSin' where her father was,
for l told her he'd bring her some
things from Africa Then to think OF
him lyin' dead in Bonny Rived, why,
sir, it nigh broke my heart"
"a sore affiiction," the merchant
said, shaking his grizzled head. "A
sad visitation. But these things are
sent to try us. Mrs. Hudson. They
are warnings to us not to fix our
thoughts too much upon the dross
! of this world. but to have higher
aims and more durable aspirations
! We are poor short-sighted creatures,
the best of us, and often mistake evil
! for good. What seems so sad today
may, II taken in a proper spirit,
be looked back upon as a starting
point from which all the good or your
life has. come"
Bless you. sir!" said the widow,
still furtively rubbing her eyes with
the corner Of her little shawl. You're
a real kind gentleman. 1t does me
good to hear you talk"
1--WE all have our burdens and mis-
fortunes" continued the senior part
! Ger. Some have more. some have
les. Today 1t is your turn, tomor-
row it may be mine. But let us strug-
gle on to the great goal, and the
weight of our burden need never cause
us to sink by the wayside. And
now l must wish you a very good
morning, Mrs. Hudson. Believe me,
you have my hearty sympathy"
The widow rose and then stood ir-
resolute for a moment. as though
there was something which she still
wished to mention.
/ When will be able to draw Jim's
back pay, sir2" she asked negvously.
1 have pawned nigh everything in the
house, and the child and me is weak
from want of food"
Your husbands back pay" the
merchant said. taking down a ledger
/ -.