Year: 1876

And 80 turns from us, and goes


Away in sad disdain


Though we could give our lives for it,


1t never comes again.





From Harper's Magazine for April.


How MY Ship Came From Over the
Sea.


| belong to ea-faring race-l, the last
of my tamily-"only little girl" as fa-
ther used to call me, shaking his head, as
ii to be only girl were the direst calam-
ity that could befall this old home of ours
Such an odd home for child, and yet
such weird, beautiful place to live and
grow to be a woman in-that old light
house on Stony Point, of which my father
had been keeper for many year. We
two were alone in the world, except for
the faithful old woman who had taken care
of us ever since l, baby girl had been
placed in her arms by dying mother.
Janet taught me womanly, housewifely
ways when l was out of school, and, even
as child, knew how to mend, and keep
the bright rooms neat and clean against
the time when Ben dropped in after the
work was done.


Ben was O stout young fisherman, and



shore, and Ben--why, Ben had been my
lover ever since | was old enough to lisp
his name. | cannot remember when, in
some way, my life was not bound up with
his. He held my hand and guided me over
the rocks to the village school with more
than the care and tondness of an elder
brother, when | was q rly-haired lassie
of four years and he stout tall lad of ten.
Yes, Ben loved me then just as truly and
honestly as when, years atterward, came
home from pretentious country board
ing-school, full of grand ideas and long
ings to be a lady, and little shy unrest
at my heart when | met my boy lover on
the sands But he-he kissed me before
father and Janet, and said, without any
hesitation, "Oh, Jetty, how beautiful you
have grown" And then | knew that his
love was just the same-indeed, how
would it have been possible tor such n
man to change? But he was no longer a
fisherman He was mate of the Betsey
Jane, a stanch new ship that lay rocking
in the bay, with white sails folded-rock-
ing idly on the summer sea, as if there
were no such thing as storm and tempest
for it to brave He was going away just
as | was coming home-going far off to
foreign ports; but never day passed by
without his stopping at our door, never an
evening that he did not drop in for a
smoke and talk, with father. it is true, but
most of his glances l found out furtiyely
were given to me.


One night, when sudden storm was
swooping over the sea, Ben came in with
a hearty ejaculation OF thankfulness that
all the fishing boats were safely hauled up
along shore an hour before. | sat by the
table knitting a crimson scarf, and as the
bright worsted fell from my fingers, my
thoughts, like birds of passage flying hith-
er and thither, scarcely kept pace with my
flashing needles. remember how CHEEKY
the room looked, with it's white sanded
floor and the squire of gay striped carpet
in the centre of it; the big bunch of syr-
ingas on the table filling the whole air
with dead sweetness; the light from the
lamp dancing on the picture-trames. the
tinted shells, and strange things that sail
ors had brought to us from foreign ports
| remember, too, how the wind roared
and how hoarse was the cry that sounded
from the rocks below. How the waves
were seething around them, and thunder
ing along the beach, Woe and wreck it
was crying to many heart, but what had
| to fear, and what did know of woe and
loss2 Perhaps when Ben was gone i
might think of him in the roaring gale,
but now-ah, the wind sings different
song to us when we are young And
then stole glance at him, met his eyes,
and mine dropped upon my work again
When another and louder blast surged
around the house | was glad to hear father
say, Its dreadful night! Jetty, can't
rest easy till the lamps lit. child It's
early, but suppose you see to it,


"Yes, father" | said, hurryng away.


l went up to the tower, but before light
ing the match opened the small window
and leaned out. The wind blew in,
drenching my face and hair with sudden
gusts of spray; but still | knelt there,
looking out over the tossing waters, the
rain beating against my hot cheeks like
dusky wings, the roar of the surf sound
ing in my ears, and yet hearing, or think
ing that | heard, above it all the beating
OF my own heart. l think in that moment
it came to me what it was to be woman
in that sense of the word which implies
consciousness of different nature and
existence. pulled down the window and
struck match. Just as lifted my hand
to the lamp | heard footstep on the
stairs; then Ben stood beside me.


LET me do it for you, Jetty," he said
"therell be time enough atterward for
you to come up here alone How your
hand trembles. dear!"


And in a moment more | stood under
the full blaze, with folded arms and beat
ing heart, looking out over the great wide
circle of sea that spread itself before the
window dark, heaving mass, the white
caps rolling in and crashing on the rocks
below He drew me to him, leaning over
me and looking out, though it was much
too dark tor either of US to see anything
but the line Of breakers.


'You will be lighting the lamp for me
one of these days, Jetty,'' he said, softly,
with that pathetic tone into which the
voice slides so easily when one is break
ing away from home and friends for the
first time. And then, as tried to free my
hand from his, he put one arm about me
and drew me closer to him, kissing me on
my forehead and lips. "When 1 come
home," he went on, may claim my lit
tie wife? I've never asked you before-I
don't know why-I took things for granted
like; but | can't go away now without
promise. Can you be content with such
rough fellow to love you, dear ?-and I'll
be good to you, Jetty, all my life.n
leaned my head against his breast, and
tried to hide my flaming cheeks. Hasn't
she word to say?" he asked; ''hasn't
she one word to say, after all these years ?"


| nestled upon his broad shoulder with
feeling of infinite content "You ought
to have known, Ben," said, with a little
laugh 81 never loved any body else in
all my life" and put both my hands in
his, and hid my face again.


"When take my next voyage, my wife
shall 60 with me-" he whispered and then
l heard fathers voice at the foot of the
stairs, calling, " Beu! my boy, Ben
Dirk's come up to tell me there's a vessel
in II the otfing steering straight on to Roy's
Reef. Therell be trouble as sure as fate,
and we'd better see what we can do"
Ben caught me in his arms and kissed me.
"Good-by, sweetheart ~ he called out, as
ne ran down the steep stairs, and left me
alone. went up to the window again,
shading my ewes with nv hand and trv-