1828.] The Winter Cruise. 585 
« There,” said the young woman, “in that very hollow of the fire; I 
can almost fancy I see my James on the deck of the Mary, looking 
through his glass to catch a glimpse of some distant sail. Ah! now it 
has fallen in, and all looks like a rough sea.—Poor fellow!” This was 
spoken in that abstracted tone of voice, that monotonous sound of melan- 
choly, where every word is given in one note, as if the speaker had not 
the spirit, or even wish. to vary the sound. 
« That’s what I so repeatedly tell you of,” said a fat oid woman of the 
group; “ you will have no other theught ; morning and night hear but 
the same cry from you. Look at me—is'n't it fifteen years ago since my 
William, rest his soul, was shot dead while running his boat ashore on 
Romney Marsh? and am I any the worse for it? I loved him dearly ; 
and when I was told of the bad news, I did nothing but cry for whole 
days ; but me - was soon over—lI knew that fretting wouldn’t set him 
on his legs aga so I made the best of a bad berth, epee thought, if I 
should have pink a husband, all well and good ; if not, _why, I must 
live and die Widow Major—and there was an end of it.” 
« Ah! neighbour,” replied the young woman, “ you knew the fate of 
your husband—you were acquainted with the worst—you had not to live 
in the cruel suspense I endure: but if I knew that he was dead”—(and 
her voice grew louder, while the blood rushed into her fair cheek)— 
“ T should think of him as much as I do now, and would think and. 
think, and try to bring thoughts every day heavier on my heart, ull it 
sunk into the grave.’ 
This burst of affection fer her husband was amen’d with a loud laugh 
* by a young, black-eyed, round-faced girl, sitting in the opposite corner, 
‘ who, leaning over to the speaker, laying one hand en her knee, and 
: looking archly in her face, chuckled out—“< Come, come! she sha’n’t 
j take on so; if her first husband is gone, Susan shall have a second to 
comfort her.” ; 
_ © A’second husband, Anne!—No! no second husband for me. I Grud 
never wake in the morning, and look on a face sleeping on the pillow 
__ beside me, where had rested the head of one I had loyed, and who was 
> dead. No—I was asked three times in church, and married to ‘him 
lawfully ; ; and I am certain that, when a couple are once joined ‘in mar- 
riage—and in true love—their only separation is in death; and that is 
but for a time—they will hereafter meet, and never, never part again.’ 
—And then she locked up with her sweet blue eyes, and heaved such a 
sigh, and smiled sucha smile, that preved to her gossips how confirmed, 
was her innocent belief. 
« How fast it rains!” ejaculated a shrivelled old woman, who had 
hitherto remained silent. “ How fast it rains !’—and she drew her chair 
closer to the fire. “ It was just such a night as this when What's 
that—the wind? Ah! ’tis a rough night; I suppose it must be near. 
eleven o’clock.—Now, I'll tell you a story that shall make you cold as, 
stones, though you crowd ever so close to this blazing fire. It was just. 
such a night as this i! 
__ “ Gracious Heaven!” cried Susan, “I hear a footfall coming down 
the street so ‘like that which I knew so well ,—listen !—No, all is silent. 
~—Well, Margery, what were you going to tell us?” : 
_. “ Eh! bless us!” replied Margery, “ you tremble terrible bad, surely ; 
a, 8 the matter ?” 
« Nothing—nothing, dame ;—go on.” 
M.M. New Series—Vou. VI. No. 36. 4 F 
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