Year: 1878

Yesterday there was touch of spring


in the air. One might almost say a


whisper of Summer, SO clear was the
sky, so beautiful the sunshine. While
the city was waking up, and the rumble
grew louder and louder, there passed
down the river boat Inthis sat man
who piled his oars as if he were afraid
that his craft would rock and cause a
sound. He passed by the idle, deserted


vessels, by the tugs thatlay Ike so many
dead things along the docks, and under
the bridges until he reached an open
shore, and there he stopped. The man
bent over in the boat, and when he
raised himself up he had something in
his arms With it he stepped out on the
land and walked to and fro, with the
something still in his arms. He sat
down with it, and seemed to listen to the
water, that came up like great monster
that was wounded and wanted to be
pitied: You may have noticed this in
people and in animals. After q time
thus passed the man looked earnestly at
the something and seemed to be startled,
and quickened his pace to the boat, lay
down his load-nOt his burden-and
pulled quickly back to the city. He bent
over whatever he had again and again,
and as often as he did he only quickened
his labor at the oars The boat touched
the dock of the first slip, and the report
er hailed the mysterious man. He
rounded to, and as the boat stopped the
man picked up his freight and sat down.
He was asked what he had and what he
had been doing. He was a little rough
in his appearance, as if he hadn't been
accustomed to the good things Of life.
And he was a little slow to express him
self: "You see, she's the only. one left.
She's bin mighty puny ever since the
riot. We kinder went away and left her
last Summer and went on the strike, and
she got back set cause she was down
when we went back, with nothing on
her and nothin' in the cupboard. It's
bin many night I've watched with her
up and down, and then when they used
to take the kids out on the tug last Sum-
mer one took her out along with some
as was better dressed maybe than she
was, but none of 'em was any peerter
when the trip was over. Since they quit
she's been Citing more and more on
like, and this mornin' she came and laid
her head on me here and said If she
could only go out in the lake agin like
she did, and forgot | had to go to the
S0Op. / look u6F anu puL uer III Il6
boat, and 1 was thinkin' how when she
got outside she'd kinder spry up agin.
1t was risky, 1 reckon, but couldn't
refuse her anything. 1 couldn't and
when She was out thar just now she
kinder raised up and said she heard
some children singin' on the sea. She
was thinkin' of the kids last Summer
when they were singin' on the pier.
I 'spose she heard some singin' but you
can see how it took" He uncovered a |
pale face that seemed too cold for life. |
And still it looked as if it was asleep, |
with string of beads around its neck, |
attached to which was a rudely carved |
cross. If it hadn't been for the hOvel |
out in the limits, and its poverty, and its |
weeping woman who came out to meet |
the man and the child as the boat stop /
ped again, one might have thought that
this death was a beautiful one, and that
the child did hear sweet song on the |
sea as it rose and fell. Maybe she did
hear it, for the other world isn't so far |
away but a sick child can see it and hear
the music which is said to be forever
swelling up under the shadow of the |
throne.-C Chicago Times.