Evening journal., 1911-05-08
AN EASTER
MORNING
BY F. A. Mitchell
Copyright by American Press Asso-
citation. 1911.

0ONh Oh a itllt lhdA hd0 OCNh
the dream Of his life and spend the
rest OF his days with his family. He |
had sold his cottage by the ocean and |
bought the farm. One more voyage
remained to him, at the end of which
he was to give up the one and enter
upon the other. The voyage he had
laid out would bring him home in the
month Of April. and his boys were to
prepare the ground Of his farm for
planting against his return. Then
when his last cruise had been complet-
ed the family would spend the summer
on the farm-the first summer they
had ever spent together.
Mrs. Collins was one OF those women
who are always looking ahead for
something TO happen. When she bade
goodby to her husband she remember
ed cases wherein persons had made a
last venture which proved last one
in more ways than one. Several of
her friends had sailed on a last voy-
age intending not to make another
and had never returned. She did not
take account of the many who had
returned and lived to a good old age
at home. Her husband had no sooner
sailed than she showed by her de-
meanor that this feeling was troubling
her Her eldest daughter, Helen.
girl Of strong religious faith, strove to
comfort her She reminded her mother
that the same God was supreme upon
the ocean as on the land; that II he
intended that their dear one should
return to them no storm was fierce
enough to prevent. For a time such
arguments as this would dispel the
forebodings Of the wife and mother,
but not for long.
Letters came from Captain Collins
from various points at which the ship,
the Helen Collins, named for its mas
ter's daughter, touched-Porto Rico
and other tropical ports. Then came
news of one of those West Indian hur-
ricanes that are a terror both on land
and on sea. Day upon day, week upon
week, passed after the storm had sub
sided and no word came from the
! Helen Collins. From the first the cap
tain's wife gave up all hope. Her chill
dren, who were not overconhdent, did
what they could to instill hope within
their mother, but without much sue
cess.
The winter passed. and the spring
began to peep from beneath the soil.
The boys told their mother that they
were going to prepare the farm for a
crop. In case their father should re-
turn and find that nothing had been
done he would be disappointed.
In March, when It became necessary
to do the first planting. the children
begged their mother to remove to the
farm, and she only consented because
she must give up the cottage to the
new owner and If she remained in the
same locality would need to rent or
buy another. So they moved their be-
longings to their new home.
: ut will never be a home to me-"
said the mother, without your father.
/ had feeling when he left us that
he would never return to enjoy this
place, and that foreboding has been
} realized"
Mother" said Helen impressively,
'.I have a feeling. It is more than a
feeling-it is a hope. Easter will be
here within a fortnight. The day is
typical Of a renewed life. 1 believe
that father will be with us on or be-
fore the anniversary of the rising Of
our Saviour"
"Oh. my child, you have no founda-
ton on which to rest such a belief"
'Nor is there any foundation for the
feeling you experienced when he sail
ed that he would not return. OF the
two mine is by far the better. since It
is the more comforting. And was
| not the greatresurrection that occurred
nearly twenty centuries ago intended
to give hope to mankind?'
Y But the days passed, the radishes,
( the peas, the beets and other early
4 vegetables showed their tips above
the soil, and Captain Collins did not
return. Instead parts of the wreck
age of his ship were picked up at sea
q and their finding reported by a return
e ing ship. This news came the day
+ before Easter. and If there had been a
r ray of hope in the breast of the mother
: of these children that their father
c would return it was abandoned. Only
Helen chung to what she called her
belief.
Easter morning broke bright and
beautiful. After breakfast all went
. out TO have a look at the growing
? plants The children kept calling
. their mothers attention to this an6
/ that row OF springing vegetables. re
{ marking how rapidly it was growing
5 in order to divert her mind from hel
{ bereavement. A balmy breeze was
coming up from the south.
Mother" said Helen. Il have one
Of your feelings. Not the same kind Of
one. for it is more like hope I'm
T. thinking this sweet smelling breeze has
come all the way from the tropics tC
tell us that father is living. even II he
S can't yet be with us"
g "oh. Helen, you have such absurd
ideas"
Father"
The exclamation came from little
& Joe. All turned and saw the child
: running with open arms TO a skeleton
20 of a man who was coming towarl
them The boy jumped into the mans
Y arms. and all knew that the husban,
= and father had returned.
Captain Ned Collins. with a part o.
!, = ] hfc $780, koI k1.- ,.f.f-.l -. -. d. re-