The Fargo forum and daily republican. [volume] (Fargo, N.D.) 1894-1957, 1910-09-22
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distant boats with wall for the husband and father
sailing away from her in her grief. What could he
do! She did not know, but he should be there to
help, But the fleet had gone far, and stalwart
jacques was smoking his black pipe and looking
silently out on the water while his mate hummed
song and wondered what would be the catch that
day. And beneath piece of an old SAIL out of
sight and fast asleep lay little Pierre He had crept
out of the house before daybreak to carry out plan
he had long nursed, for it was SO slow, this grow
ing UP, and whenever he had begged to go with his
father the answer had been: "Wait bit my boy
you are but six; grow fast and then you can climb
into the boat with long legs like dad and pull in the
nets with stout like dad and then you will be
fine fisher boy; better" And he was handled
on his fathers knee and told many a story of the
perious But this did not satisfy his seafar-
ing heart He had watched the boats come in and
had watched the boats go out till his head and heart
were filled with desire big to go too that this
night he had crawled into bed with fixed deter
mnation to sail along with dad the next morning
Before the village was awake, he had dropped
out of the low window and had run along the beach
In his bare feet carrying his wooden sabots in his
hand for their clatter would have betrayed him. He
knew we'll his fathers boat, for it had its own place
among its brown companions To Chamber in was
not SO hard he had done it before; and full of gee
he slowed himself away beneath this bit of cloth
under the high seat and curled up to await the start
But it was long coming and he was very sleepy
SO the first that Pierre knew he was hearing
splash, spash, and feeling so deciously rocked as
sometimes in his mothers arms, Slowly he opened
his eyes, dslowly his wits came back to him and
10, he found himself in the very heart of his logged
for adventure.
He was only six, but he had roaming soul,
and to feel that he was going, going somewhere
and that this somewhere was on the sea-the big.
big sea!
But, OH he was hungry! And now he must sur
prise dad he carefully lifted UP his head pushed
aside the covering and called oyously: "Good day.
my father"
But there was nothing but fright on the fathers
face as the tiny form crept out and climbed over
the ropes cocd on the bottom of the boat
Heaven save US, what is thsp
!" T is |, my father, Pierre" and the urchin
laughed geefully at the success of his surprise.
"Oh thy mother, Pierre thy motherl Oh what
will she dor She will think thee dead drowned"
And the fisherman cIasped his little boy and looked
back toward the far-of shore. Pierre, frightened
and hungry, chung to his father while the two men
talked What should they do? They were well
under way, neither of them could afford to lose the
days catch Money is so much to poor fisherman;
and the tide was not right They talked the matter
over seriously, and decided to 60 on for the fish,
and because the boys eyes were so frightened and
beseeching as it dawned on him that he had done
MAOhSt MS GEAR GEAR mother suffering
because Of this, and for love of the little lad, the
father snuggled him down and sought in his pocket
Tor bit of bread and cheese to comfort him.
Then they both smiled The father, because he
could not bear that little Pierre should be sad and
the child because his fathers face had cleared be-
cause the bread and cheese were so good and be-
cause the sky blue and the big waves were
dancing, and the boat lifting him high high IN and
then dipping downward if to let in all the ocean
on them
This was being 6sher-boy, and as he munched
his food and lay in his fathers arms, he was con-
tent:
And 50 the day went BY. and Pierre was never
weary OF the waves, nor of looking out to see the
wonderful big ships, which his father pointed out
They We're not like the fishing vessels but high and
stately, and white, against the sky
And he wondered where they were bound. and
why He watched the pull in their nets, and
was never bit afraid of the squrnng, glittering
hsh that struggled vainly in the meshes For this
was life to the boy; the catching of fish, the bring
ing them homeward-this was the story of the sea
ne loved and he cared for no other
AS the boat sped toward home under full sail
and with brisk wind, it seemed to the impatient
heart OF the father to stand STILL for he knew full