Year: 1876

wv AONAo w wait az dtpot
on midsummer day That irrepressi-
BILE boy came around This time he had
tempting fruit, and / begged of him to
fnd my husband. A lady at my side
said;


Excuse me but do you not carry
purse when you travelY"


Never, when with my husband"


Let me tell you story"


Thanks"


And this is what she told me, and do
not doubt its truth:


My husband was thirty-fve, and a
country girl of seventeen when we were
married. Our bridal tour was to end in
Christmas at his fathers in Boston. We
took boat from New York. The steam
er was elegant, and, having shown me
my state room, he stepped out. l went
back to the cabin, read little, watched
my travelling companions great deal,
wondered what friend he had found on
the boat, until supper-time came, and he
did not. The cabin maid asked if /
were going to supper. l said, When
my husband comes for me-" She went
to the office. Inquiry was made, there
was no such man ON the boat Then
came the captains request that | would
show my ticket" | had none "Would
| please pay my fare : {" / had not one
cent Farther inquiry; there was GER
tainly no such man ON the boat began
TO cry.


That won't do, my little girl" (She
was very small. I'VE have seen too
much of that. Pay your fare, or III
put you off,"


had bright thought, My trunk is
here"


Show it to me, if you please" And
he went with me to the baggage. |
pointed it out to him, triumphantly


Your key, if you please"


My husband locked it and has the
key but you may break the lock-"


The owner of the trunk may object"


II Is mine I"


Look here, little girl, you are not
married. shall put you ashore at the
first landing. Go home, and behave
yourself in future.


Every drop of blood in my veins
boiled, and yet must bear it because /
had not five dollar bill by me | never
before dreamed of the degradation of
poverty" He turned away, and | sat
down on my trunk. 1t was my own. 1t
would tell of my innocence and truth, if
he would but let it. So, too, would all
the presents we had SO carefully selected
for the dear ones at home. / could have
put my arms around it and kissed it. /
only asked to be allowed to sit upon it
all night. Wouldn't he "just let me do
that Z"


1t was the worst question | could
have asked. Il presume you'd like to
be left here Go straight to the ladies'
cabin, and don't you leave it until / put
you off the boat"


rose proudly and walked to the cab
in, without glance at him. | would
not cry until | could get to my state
room. But when | came to the door it
flashed upon me, 1 have no state room.
had no spot of my own, no baggage, no
friend, no character-eve the black
cabin maid was whispering about me
no husband-where was he where could
he be He must have fallen overheard!
/ never should see him againl and |
should be put off in the night, in a
strange place, without cent of money
to buy lodging-or even a sheet Of pa
per and three cent stamp! And Christ
mas morning, when all would be watch
ing for the happy bridal party, where
! should we be? Where aoas he / grew
frantic. | believe, now, / was on the
verge of insanity. / remember feeling
sure he had fallen overheard and was
anu tidL, IL ltlb Oh II wharf, i
would go and spend Christmas with him.
| often shudder, even now, when / think
what | might have been driven to. /
only knew the dark fright and horror of
that hour.


One of those little ones, "whose an
gels do always behold the face of the
Father" came and put her hand on
mine, and asked, why do you cry so
hard ;" i told her. She said, Hes
dead, just as my mamma is, and I'll tell
papa. And she went to him, and |
could not doubt but, softened by his own
great sorrow and his sweet child's plead
ings, he would help me. But saw him
shake his worldly-wise head, and heard
him say, 81 she is crying too hard ; too
publicly; and | rushed into the state
room mine or mott must hide the sobs
could not check.


Then came a thought = One there was,