Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1916-01-12
Mrs. Borland's
Relative
b. MAY c. ETHERIDGE

When Tom BOrland married Susan
Gilbraith Tom being master of a
tramp steamer and at sea nearly all
the time, he hoped that little stranger
would soon happen that way to keep
his wife company during his absence
Toms communications from home
were very irregular, because his timer
airy was often uncertain. If on ar
irving at one point it would pay bet
ter to go to another than the one he
had expected to steer for he would
alter his plans, so that letters address
ed according to instructions would lie
in the postof1ce unclaimed. His wife
heard from him with as much regu-
larity as could be expected from a
sailor, but sometimes months would
intervene between his receipt of letters
from her.
The Borland home was just within
the entrance to a narrow bay into
which Captain BOrland on his return
always took his ship and locked her.
he usually did, on turning into the har-
Dor he could see his little home nes-
ting up on the heights, and when his
wife knew that he was due she would
be on tie lookout for him. Then how
joyful to her was the sight Of the ship
in which he came and to him the vel!
come he saw waving from an upper
Te57T of+
in he didn't see that signal he was
seized with fear that something of a
grievous nature had happened.
On one OF Captain BOrlands voyages,
after having been away almost IL
year and having changed his timer
airy so often that he had not heard
from his wife for months, he turned
the bluff at the entrance of the bay
a1xiously. He had found an opportu-
nifty to send a letter to her advising her
of the probable time of his arrival and
hoping that within a short time after
coming into view of his home he would
see the usual signal.
When rounding the bluff he stood on
deck, binoculars in hand, watching for
what would relieve his anxiety and
assure him that his wife was living
and well. But. though he raised his
glasses often, he was every time disap-
pointed. At last when he reached q
point nearest to his house the figure
of woman appeared on the porch
and waved, but with the assistance
of his glasses he saw that it was not
that of his wife.
Captain Borland hardly knew what
either that his wife was dead, that she
was i'll or that something had occurred
to take her away from home. Anxious.
ly he sailed on to a point near the
dock and, after dropping anchor, en-
tered a boat with six sailors to pull
him to point or, the shore just below
his house. AS soon as the boats nose
scraped the ground he leaped ashore
and walked hastily up the incline.
He was met at his door by a woman
in the uniform of a trained nurse, wht
seemed disposed to block his entrance
till he informed her that he was at his
own home. Then she told him that hi:
wife was i'll, but not dangerously Ill
that the doctor was with her, that tn.
patient had been informed of his ex
pected arrival and that if he came be
fore the doctor left he was to wait
The captain began to fire questions al
the woman, who, telling him that she
was needed in the sickroom, went up
stairs.
The captain walked the floor anx
iously. Half an hour passed when he
heard the door Of his wife's bedroom
open, and his family physician came