Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1911-11-03
HOME FROM A
VOYAGE
By WILTON c. BROOKS
Copyright by American Press Asso-
ciation, 1911.

III CldtiOHp lSll-
courted Nance while / was gOin' to
sea. and man courtin' Il gal that way
feels every time bn comes back from
a cruise that some feller has stepped
In and carried her of. but Nance was
rs much set on me as was on her,
and every time I docked on a home
comm she was standin' at the door
Of her fathers cottage wavin' to me.
After we was married and we got
into our own house around the point
where the light stands, whenever l
1t to make the harbor, there
was Nance a-wavin' to me. But one
time comm In from a cruise when l
the point Nance wasn't there
to wave to me. My heart sank down
into my boots, for she could "a seen
me miles out, and she knew the cut
Of my tib and the lurch Of my ship as
well as she knew her own mother.
Nance and had been married i've
years without gettin' a kid! It was
the only disappointment we had.
Nance said and knew that II she
had a little one to keep her company
when was at sea she wouldn't be SO
lonesome. But the kid didn't come,
and we began to feel that We vas
doomed to be one O. them couples that
30 through life maxim a baby out Of
4 dog or a cat or some other animal
But the day got back and Nance
wasn't ut the door to wave to me I
wasn't thinkin' about what couldn't
git, but what feared I'd lost. The
We touched the dock turned
the ship over to the first mate and
steered direct course to my house.
When I got there I found the door
This relieved me some
what, for II my wife had died while I
was at sea the house would a been
closed up. I went in, my heart beat
In with a hope O. SEEM Mace either
in the livin' room sewin' or in the
kitchen or somewhere downstairs.
But she was not there, and I made
a dash upstairs for her bedroom. The
door to that found locked. knock
ed. but got no answer. I could hear
voices inside talkin' low. but nobody
said anything to me. hollered out:
II want to know II my wife is dead
or alive!"
Then q woman's voice, strange to
me, said: "She's very much alive. but
hasn't been well for a few days.
She's all right. She saw the ship
come in from her window"
"Well, why the dickens can't I come
In and give her a hugY'
"It wouldn't do for you to come in
Just now. I can't explain why, but
when we're ready for you wen let
you know"
IAN right. I'm wanted at the ship.
I'll go there and come back in q cou-
pie O. hours"
As was goin' down the stairs /
heard the funniest sound comm from
the room I ever heard. At first 1t re-
minded me Of distant foghorn. 80
Tar away that q man would have to
strain his ears to hear 1t. Then I
II wasn't like q foghorn mel
ther. 1t was more like some one try
In to talk with a sore throat. didn't
ike the idea o. leavin' everything to
my mate on Just gettin' into port, SO
I didn't stop to make any more in
quiries. Just went on across the
point toward the dock.
Reachin' q high bit Of land, turned
to take a look at the house had left.
kind q wonderin', and II I didn't see
4 man comm out O. the front door
I'll be jiggered! What did it meant
Here was l kept out O. my wifc's bed
room and a man In the house. A hor-
rible suspicion took possession Of me.
But with a gasp got back my conf
dence in Nance. and then remember
ed that the voice In the room with her
was a woman's. So just went right
on to the ship.
I found that she had been docked
without any accident, but there was
a lot Of things to do that can only be
done by the master Of ship that's
Just come in from a cruise, and didn't
git away from the ship till the day
was about over. Then started back
home. beginnin' again to wonder what
was the meanin' Of all the strange
things that had happened. Somepin
must a-gone wrong durin' my absence.
and they was flxin' things up to break
II to me.
When I walked into the house I
heard some one in the kitchen and.
goin' there. saw a young woman In a
striped dress cookin' bird. Nance
wasn't the kind to spend money for
such delicacies. and I marveled some
more.
"See here" said to the gal. ''some-
pin gone wrong since I been away.
A trouble has come into this house,
and want to know right OF what's
the matter"
BY jing. she burst out a-larfp'.
Il reckon you'll md 1t some trouble"
she said. before you git through with
It. Such Happenings always turn a
house upside down. It's never the
same place 1t was before. But wait
a minute till I put this bird on a tray
and we'll 60 upstairs"
Purity soon she started. I follerin'.
On the way I heerd that hoarse talkin'
sound ag'in. The young woman asked
me to open the door, she holdin' tho
tray with both hands, and saw Nance
lyin' in bed lookin' pale. but smilin',
and nine pound lump O. flesh beside
her
Then I understood the hull scheme.
She had planned a surprise for me. I
list took her and the little duffer in
my arms, and that was the happiest
moment o. my life.