Gave up its Dead.

Observer, 21 December 1893, Page 26

Gave up its Dead.

Written foe, the Observer by Dick Ward. *^j 'HERE was a footstep on the scoria-ash footpath B(SS outside the weatherboard cottage, the front \3jS gate was unlatched, and the wayfarer ap•f proached the verandah in a slow, hesitating manner. Here he paused for a few moments, as tnough doubtful of seeking admittance, but finally tapped in a peculiar way upon the panel of the front door. There was a light inside the house, a dim light that flickered fitfully across the drawn blind. A moment's silence followed upon the light knock, then a hurried footfall was heard along the passage, and a low voice enquired, " "Who is there ?" " Mary," answered the visitor, "it is I !" "George! my George!" the voice within responded, accompanied by a scream of terrified pleasure. And the door was shot open and man and wife were clasped in each other's arms. ' " God has heard my prayer at last ! at last ! They all told me you were dead, George, but I never quite believed it. It is my own George !" she cried again, leading him into the little sitting-room. " Aye, Mary, nay girl, I was near it ; it was a narrow squeak, but the sweet little cherub (you know) watched over me, stood by, and brought me back to you. Now, I want to hear all about yourself, Mary. But, how are the boys?" he asked, abruptly. " Oh ! George, they are beauties. Come and see them, they are asleep." And by the light of a lamp they both entered the room, where, in each other's arms, two curlyheaded youngsters slept serenely in their cot, their ages three and five respectively. The strong man looked upon them with a moist eye, his lips quivered, as he stooped his bearded face and kissed them.

"Bless you, Mary," he whispered, "you have not denied them — But, my girl, you look thin and pinched." " I have been worrying about you," she replied, smiling faintly. " Come, I want to hear all your troubles," said he. • They must have come pretty thick, .Mary." . " Ah ! George, they have all fled now that you have returned to me. How I have prayed for this — No, I would not believe it was true," she murmured, and nestled her head upon his broad chest." " Now, lass, this is what I have dreamt of many a night away on the old briny.' And he dropped into a seat before the sitting-room fire. ; ' It is two years, George, next month, since you kissed m e on the deck of the ' Rebe,' and said good-bye ; three

months after, I heard of the wreck with all hands lost at the Islands. The owners here were kind enough to me, but, oh ! the hopeless despair which settled around my life ; if it had not been for the children I should have gone mad. I tried for their sake to be a woman ! And away in the corner of my heart there was a glimmer of hope — a hope that you were not dead. I kept it alive, George. And now lam so glad," and she looked up into Ms eyes fondly. "They paid me your life insurance claim, hut, even then, I would not believe you dead. And it lies at the bank untouched. I have managed without. "With my needle I have supplied all our wants. For I would never, so long as I had my health, accept charity." " That's my girl. And they paid over the insurance money," said he, thoughtfully. " You never used it. I have been uneasy about that also. Poor lass ! you must have been in tight places at times. Anyhow, I've enough now to keep me ashore. No more voyages foi' me, Mary. Listen, now, to my yarn ; it is not altogether an everyday one. You heard the particulars of the wreck ?" " Yes, George, I have the papers." " Well, after we struck I was borne out to sea. I had been two days in the water, astride of a boom, when to my great joy an island hove in sight, the current drifted right abeam, and eventually stranded my boom on the beach. Here on this island I lived a sort of Robinson Crusoe life for three months. ■ (It was lonely, Mary.) There was plenty to eat in the shape of bananas, cocoanuts, and shellfish, and I snared a bird occasionally. Well, in roaming over this beautiful but uninhabited spot I came across a cave, in the corner of which lay the bones of some poor beggar who, like myself, had been cast away. I rested my hand on the rocky side of the cave, and stood for a few minutes thinking of the chances I had of meeting a similar fate. I was in the act of turning away to leave the place, intending to cover the bones later on, when I found my hand stuck to the rock. I gave my arm a tug, and away came about two feet of the wall of the cave, disclosing a cavity. In the mouth of this opening lay a piece of white bark covered with Spanish characters. I took it outside to the light and read. Here it is, Mary. You don't understand Spanish ? Well, it says : — ' Year 1740. Here lies the body of CorrezeFeszio, the last of the crew of the " Inquisitono." Pray for the repose of his soul, and give him a Christian burial/ In the hole find the box. May it prove as great a blessing to the finder as it lias been a curse to me. — C.F. Now what do you think of that, Mary ?" "Oh, George, it is awful, but what was in the box?" she asked.

" Ha ! ha ! that's lite a woman. Well, I went back to the hole and sure enough there the box was, a strong iron one ; heavy and all as it was I soon had it outside, and with my jack-knife opened the rusty hasp. It was fall, Mary." "Of what?" " Bright golden ingots, lass ; enough to place us beyond the reach of the cold breath of poverty for the rest of our lives, and something left after that for the boys. I pave those remains a Christian burial, my girl, on the lonel hillside. Two days after this a ship appeared, and stood off the island. And only those who have been in a position, like I was can realise my joy at seeing a boat pnt off and make for the beach. It was water they came for, and they found me up to my waist in the laeoon to welcome them. The ship I found was English, and bound for the Pacific seaboard. The captain was a gentleman, and when I told him my tale he welcomed me to the best on board, and saw my treasure was safely stowed away. We touched at Valparaiso, from whence I wrote to you. Here, small -pox broke out, and we were quarantined for six months. At this port I converted the greater part of my gold into a draft on the Bank of England, payable at Sydney or Auckland to you, as my letter advised, or to myself. From Valparaiso, we sailed for New York and, as a ship was about to leave that port for Syd- • ney, I took passage in it. We had a long, stormy voyage, and when I got to Sydney shipped in the first boat to Auckland, and here I am, in time to spend Christmas with you." " George, I am so happy, but I never got your letter." " Yes, I know, for I took up the draft at Sydney. Aye, lass, it has been a long wait for me, but it must have been a fearful suspense to yon. No more of the sea for me, Mary. Ah, what's that I Someone singing, surely?" [and he rose to his feet. " Oh, George, 'tis the Christmas waits. We will go out to the verandah." And out in the moonlight they saw a band of people raising on the clear, warm air — as the distant town clock was chiming the midnight hour — the simple message of

many climes, of "Peace on Earth and Goodwill towards Men."