The Oakley herald. [volume] (Oakley, Idaho) 1908-1961, 1919-05-23
BETTER THAN GOLD.
BY GLADYS PLUMMER
"The postman is late. Marcia. :"

no later than most days, mother"
Widow Burke had been watching for
the postman TO pass the window of
the cottage for the last half hour. He
cid no. come every day to Willow
lane. There were only few scattered
houses beyond the Widow Burke's. and
II there were no letters for these he
did not pass the house. Once month
there was letter-a foreign letter.
that took him to Willow lane. Widow
Burke had a son who had been away
In Australia for four years, and during
all that time he had never failed to
send that monthly letter with a small
remittance.
Hes coming, Marcia" called the
old lady sharply. but Marcia was al
ready at the gate.
mo letter." she gasped
mo letter today" he answered.
| There has been thick weather in the
channel and the boats could not get
In"
| Marcia hurried into the house. where
her mother was anxiously waiting
and told her what the postman had
said.
The mother did not answer for
minute, but sat looking into the fire.
II knew 1t wasn't Tins fault" she
answered TREMENDOUSLY. He'd never
forget his ma"
II 1t had been thick weather out at
sea the day before 1t was thicker and
wilder that night. 1t began to blow
with steadily increasing force all
through the night. A ship laboring to
come up to the channel weathering a
dangerous point, on rocky coast, was
driven perilously near the shore. The
gale had torn away the masts and rig
ging, and the vessel was lying at the
mercy of the waves.
A cry went up as the waves struck
her broadside, and swept over the
deck, and strong man who had been
watching eagerly all the night for the
! dreary dawn sank on his knees with
a bitter cry ooh, mother mother !"
He was dashed to stump of a mast
that had been broken off short. or
he would have been swept off with the
wave that carried everything before
it.
1t was hard to die In sight of land
He had been looking forward for years
to that hour, to the first glad sight Of
his native shore. He had not delved
in vain for gold in the mines of Aus
tralia. Luck had been with him. He
was coming home with $4,000 in gold.
He had not told his mother of his
wealth. for he wanted to gladden. her
heart with the surprise. Now, this
was the last bitter drop in his cup.
would go with him.
His mother would think he had for
gotten her. When his little monthly
remittance ceased she would go 10 the
poorhouse and the wealth he had
toiled so hard for would be lost forever
in the cruel hungry sea-.
Mrs. Burke, in her little cottage had
not been able to sleep for the storm.
The wind was roaring in the chimney
and the doors and windows ratified.
"Get me my book. Marcia. and
glasses, please" said the old lady, sol
EMMY. maybe the Lord will hear
my prayers. There's no other way l
can help them"
Marcia trembling, obeyed her moth
er's request, and brought the big
prayer book and glasses, and the old
lady sat up in bed and read aloud the
beautiful prayers for those in peril
on the sea.
When morning came. and people
were astir in the village, the neigh
bors came In with dreadful accounts
of the fallen chmneys, of roofs car
lying across the roads.
Marcia stole out to meet the post
man when she saw him coming down
: the lane. He shook his head: there
was no letter. He accounted for II
as he had done the day before. "a
sight of wrecks on the coast; there'll
be lot of mails lost, / reckon"
On the third day, just as the sun
was setting over the hillside, the latch
Of the garden gate was softly lifted
and there was step outside on the
gravel.
The old lady, doing by the fire
heard the step and lifted her dropping
head. She would have risen from hel
seat, but her trembling limbs seemed
rooted to the chair.
There was a reason for her agita
ton: man had lifted the latch and
come in. 1t was Tim.
"Motherl"
She sat white and still, clutchins
the arms Of her chair.
ITS me. enthusiastically. I've
been near drowned. but the Lord has
brought me safely back. | guess
you've been praying for me. mother
When Marcia, hearing voices in the
room below, came downstairs Tim was
kneelng by his mothers chair and hel
arms were about him. while the tears
were running down her cheeks.
"Tim has come back" she cried
"Tlm has come back