The Madison journal. (Tallulah, Madison Parish, La.) 1888-current, 1913-02-15

And now people were again speahihe
of Captain Nat Hammond. HIS snip
was overdue, long overdue. Even III
those days, when there were no caDles
and the telegraph was still something
of a novelty, word of his arrival should
have reached Trumet months before
this. But 1t had not come, and did not
Before the summer was over, the wise
heads of the retired shippers were
shaking obviously. Something mao
happened to the Sea Mist. something
serious.
AS the weeks and months went by
without news of the missing vessel
this belief became almost certainty.
At the Come-Outer chapel, where Eze-
kiel Bassett now presided, prayers
were offered for the son of their Tor
mer leader.
One afternoon Keziah came into FL
lery's study, where he was laboring
with his next Sunday sermon, and sat
down in the rockingham. She hao
been out and still wore her bonnet and
shawl.
John" she said, Il ask your par
don for disturbin you. wanted to
ask if you knew Mrs. Prince was
sick?"
No. Is she? I'm awfully sorry.
Nothing serious, hope?"
NO, | guess not. Only she's got
cold and is kind of under the weather.
thought p'r'aps you'd like to run up
and see her. She thinks the world
and all of you, cause you vas so good
when she was distressed about her
son. Poor old thing! she's had a
hard time of it. just heard that she
was ailin' from Didama Rogers. d.
DANA said she was all but dyip'. so l
knew she prob1y had little cola, or
somethin'. If she was really very bad,
Di would have had her buried by this
time, SOS to be sure her news was
ahead of anybody else's. | amt been
up there, but l met her t'other morn
in"
"Didama?"
mo; Mrs. Prince. Shed come down
to see Grace"
oh"
Yes. The old lady's been awful
kind and sympathizin' since-since
this new trouble. 1t reminds her OF
the loss of her own boy, | presume
likely, and so she feels for Grace.
John, what do they say around town
about-about him."
Captain Hammond? Why, II you
mean that they've all given up hope.
| should hardly say that. Captain
Mayo and Captain Daniels were speak
ing of it in my hearing the other day
and they agreed that there was still
chance"
"A pretty slim one, though, they
cal'lated, didn't they?"
We'll, they were-were doubtful, of
course There was the possibility that
he had been wrecked somewhere and
hadn't been picked up. They cited
several such cases. The South Pa.
cific is full of islands where vessels
seldom touch, and he and his crew
may be on one Of these"
John" she answered, with sigh,
sometimes I think you'd better gel
another housekeeper."
What? Are you going to leavs
me? You?"
ooh, 'twouldn't be because / wanted
to. But it seems almost as II there
was a kind Of fate hangin' over me
and that" she smiled family, "as Il
twas sort of catchin', as you NIGH
say. Everybody l ever cared for hal
had somethin' happen to 'em. MI
brother died; my-the man i marriet
went to the dogs; then you and Grs"4
had to be miserable and had to hel!
make you so; l sent Nat away and b,
blamed me and"
mo, no. He didn't blame you. HI
: sent you word that he didn't. Aur
, Keziah, you're my anchor to wind
: ward, as they say down here. II
lost you, goodness knows where
should drift. Don't you ever talk o
leaving me again"
Thank you, John. I'm glad yo'
want me to stay. 1 won't leave We
. awhile; nevertheless have to. John
/. had another letter t'other day."
: you did? From-from that man?
"Yup, from" For a moment
, seemed as If she were about to Pre-
r nounce her husbands name, some
? thing she had never done in his pres
} ence; but If she thought Of 1t, sh
changed her mind.
CTO BE CONTINUED.)
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Archieniscopal Feast