The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1912-01-27
HOME FROM A
VOYAGE
BY WILTON C. BROOKS
Copyright by American Press Asso-
citation, 1911.

!
feels every time he comes back from
cruise that some teller has stepped
In and carried her off, but Nance was
as much set on me as l was on her,
and every time | locked 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
rounded ii to make the harbor, there
was Nance a-wavin' to me. But one
time comm in from cruise when
rounded 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 jib and the lurch of my ship as
well as she knew her own mother.
Nance and / had been married five
years without gettin' a kid, 1t 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 was
doomed to be one o. them couples that
go through life maxim a baby out of
a dog or cat or some other animal.
But the day | got back and Nance
wasn't at the door to wave to me /
wasn't thinkin' about what / couldn't
git, but what / feared I'd lost. The
moment we touched the dock l turned
the ship over to the first mate and
steered direct course to my house.
When | got there found the door
unlocked This relieved me some
what. for If my wife had died while
was at sea the house would "a been
closed up. | went in, my heart beat
IN with a hope o. seem Mace either
In the liyin' room SEWN or in the
kitchen or somewhere downstairs.
But she was not there, and | made
dash upstairs for her bedroom. The
door to that | found locked / knock
ed, but got no answer. could hear
voices inside talkin low, but nobody
said anything to me. | hollered out:
II want to know IL my wife Is dead
or alive!"
Then a womans voice, strange to
me, said "She's very much alive, but
hasn't been well for few days.
She's all right. She saw the ship
come in from her window"
"Well, why the dickens can't come
In and give her n hugT'
ut wouldn't do for you to come in
Just now. / can't explain why, but
when we're ready for you Wen let
you know"
"An right. I'm wanted at the ship.
I'll go there and come back in a cou-
pie O. hours
AS was goin' down the stairs / |
heard the funniest sound comm from |
the room / ever heard. At first it re- |
minded me of distant foghorn, so |
far away that a man would have to |
strain his ears to hear 1t. Then l |
thought II wasn't like a foghorn mel !
Their. 1t was more like some one try |
In to talk with sore throat. l didn't |
like the idea O. leavin' everything to |
my mate on Just gettin' into port, so
| didn't stop to make any more in
luiries. just went on across the
point toward the dock.
Reachin' high bit of land. turned
% take look at the house l had left
Sind wonderin', and if l didn't sea
f,,f ~ 10 |
I'll he jiggered. What did 1t mean7
Here was ! kept out O. my wifes bed
DOM and man In the house. A hor-
'ible suspicion took possession Of me.
But with a gasp l got back my conf
ience In Nance. and then l remember
ID that the voice In the room with her
vas woman's. So / just went right
IN to the ship.
| found that she had been locked
without any accident, but there was
lot of things to do that can only be
lone by the master of ship that's
ust come in from a cruise, and didn't
,it away from the ship till the day
vas about over. Then l started back
ZONE, begnnin again 10 wonder what
vas the meanin' Of all the strange
hings that had happened. Somepin
must a-gone wrong durin' my absence,
nd they was fixin' things up to break
to me.
When | walked into the house |
eard some one in the kitchen and.
DIN there, saw young woman in a
tripod dress cookin' bird. Nance
wasn't the kind TO spend money for
uch delicacies, and / marveled some
loSe.
"See here" said to the gal, ''some-
in gone wrong since / been away.
trouble has come into this house,
nd / want TO know right Off what's
ne matter
BY jing. she burst out a-larfin.
81 reckon you'll find it some trouble
he said. 'before you git through with
]. Such Happenings always turn
ouse upside down. It's never the
anne place It was before. But wait
minute It'll put this bird on tray I
nd we'll go upstairs"
Purity soon she started, / follerin'
n the way heerd that hoarse talkin' IT
,und ag'in. The young woman asked III
e to open the door. she holdin' the II
ay with both hands, and / saw Nance III
in in bed lookin' pale. but smilin',
ld a nine pound lump o. flesh beside