Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1883-12-15

came agaia-these ''fShermen"-with clothing
sotled and worn. and right beneath the cliff
whore the water was deepest they threw out
their lines and tished. as they had gathered far
Gots. idly. Then the young men came bounding
up the narrow cleft between the rocks and told
her all about the clouds and the blue ocean once
again. and whispered that her face was fairer
than the pictur one that he had seen. though
very. very like It. And while he recined Ian
guidly. near where she sat. for he was tired of
fishing. he told her. the men below raised
shout and called him down to them. He whis-
Tered he would soon come back TO her. and
joining his mates. learned that they had Caught
a large FISH, and strangest OF all. in dressing it
had discovered in its stomach a gold cross
fastened to tiny broken chain. Returning to
the girl. the young man tossed the jewel in her.
lap, asking if it was not a strange thing to find
in such place: while Elsie. more aStonished
than she knew how to express told him it had
belonged to her. and related how granny had
taken II from her neck the very day he first
came there toto gather t;iIOts
Then he asked if he might keep it for her
rromisin" to take better care of it than granny
would, and gave her instead a ring which ne
hung around her neck. using the tny gold
chain from the cross for the purpose. and he
CHARGED her furthermore not to snow it to gran
ny. but to keep it always hidden in her bosom.
Poor William had grown very sad and pale in
these last weeks. as Elsie avo dad him now alto
Tether. Tor she was very tired of that word love,
which only seemed to mean sitting BY the hour
and Oeng begged for kisses. when She had none
.Or him About this time the old farmer came
t. see granny about the paSiurage OF the sheep,
telling her if the girl DID not marry William very
soon ne must take half the flock for their feed
ing. Granny was iii great trouble. for She knew
the sheep We're her main dependence. and there
was no pasturamc for them on the rough head
land. as the scanty soil scarce covered the rocks
save where she made her little garden. So
Elsie was told she must marry William very
soon and 90 TO live in the farmhouse or the
sheep would all be taken by Williams father
, for their paSturage. The Girl listened respect-
fully. acting the same rs when William first
came to WOO her-iUotinT seward and answer
i'm not word Then granny struck her with
her fist. and told her VIXEN the moon should full
again. that day would see her Will ANS wife or
SHE would hurl her from the Cliff down into the
ocean.
A week passed. One evening a. the sun was
sinking, and the Girl had StYayei muS.ngly.
down the sandy crescent for the first time in
long weeks. the fishermen appear. suddenly,
though she did not knew their ship was near.
T1en the Garh-haired handsome one Sprarg from
the boat, and running to her Sida took her hand
in his SO warmly that she felt her cheeks were
burning. though She could not tell the reason.
Nor did he loose her hand. but held it LONG and
/ walked with her up the slope toward the head
land until the path grew narrow. and together
they came slowly back again She told him all
about the sheep. and the debt to Williams
father and the horrible fate which awaited her
by the next moon. if she could not learn before
that time TO love Will am. when she did not even
know the meaning of the word. The Young
man smiled. and counting upon MS fingers told
her ten more days Were I"fI to her. Again he
spoke Of the picture. and " l!spered that a gown
of silk. and jewels in her hair, would make her
Iairer than q SAINT.
And he askP1 her which Of three things he
could name would please her moSt-tO tumble
headong from the Cliff, down to the curve rocks;
to live with William at the farmhouse and
grow sick and weary of life: or to sail away
with these good fishermen. beyond the sea- and
become a faIrer sweeter lady than the painted
/ one that he had told her of SO MANY times
Again he showed her the cross aud some curious
letters engraved upon it. and whispered that
While Elsie was pretty name she had another
and sweeter one. that he would tell to her
sometime Then she. smiling. placed her hand
timdiy upon his arm. and looking with her
great brown eyes into his kindly black ones
I while he held the other hand. told him she could
not. ,rOuld not 90 to William; that everything
was bright and beautiful and she did not want
to de. Soft he irOttii take her-she would
rather sail away-with him-and-she would hy
to learn what love meant-if-if-he knew how
TO teach her
He kissed her then. and telling her to count
the ten days upon her fingers. as they passed
and meet him on the fat rock at shutdown of the
( tenth, he sprang into the boat and sailed away
When he had gone she glanced up and saw
William standing beside her. with looks OF fury
iii his face; and fierce oath crossed his lips and
She almost tainted. Then granny came to her
and rud'ly led her back TO the black hut on the
Gift telling the frightened girl it was to be her
dungeon for the next ten days. when William
would provide another somewhere else ii need
be.
It was a sad time for the little sea-brd and
Shit drftered her. Wings against the bars of her
cage in such grief aud terror. that when the
last day finally came she almost wished to die
She knew it was the day the fishermen We're
Coming and she struggled hard to free herself.
but rad not strength She remembered the
ring now. and kissing it fondly. made many
pretty wishes. wondering if the giver had not
power to fad her even here
When granny brought her her dinner-as
though she ever cared to eat arain-the woman
told her the sea was risnE and tne clouds fore
Doued notninT good To mariners: and when the
wind crew fPrcer, and the storm came wh;stIInr
wildly through the hemlocks and the dead pine
! branches. the girl trrmbied W tin terror for her
last hope was shattered. Wilder howird the
tempest, and when the day wa, almost done the
old hag opened W de the prison door and h d.
din@ the T!ri get ready tor her marriage pushed
her out into the storm.
She looked across the dark waters white with
foam. and her heart died within her int two
things now We're left to her the farmhouse and
UYinG death with aim she hated or the wild
dizzy plunGe down the face OF the Cliff into the
black gulf below. She was not long in choos-
in@. for granny's Voice heard shriekine
louder Than the blast. and starting like a fright
ened deer she flew upon the wings OF the wind
to the face of the head and. A seconds pause
upon the brink. and breatliiessiy she dashed
down the narrow rayine. grasping the tangled
vines and sedLeS in her course until bruised
and bleeding. she found herself upon the broad
fiat rock. and heard the Old hag's curses from
the summit OF the cliff
She stood moment there wondering if death
came peace. uily to Young girls who loved to
I've. out wished 10 die. and if the angry waters
We're a. cold and cruel as they lookpd-and
what came after death. Then she stppprd nm
boldly to the high part of the rock facing TIN,
storin-tossed pillows, thinking how she might
throw herself into their chill embrace To d q
most quickly. when Of a sudden a rush of faliin,r
stones and eartn attracted her. and turning
around She saw to her horror the old har who
was almost down TIE cliff BUt size iatlrhrJ
nercely. Il moment later. for a great sea >yyenf
in and she was standing upon the rock alone
with the wild waves rolling on every SIDE
She heard a glad shout: a sturdy boat manned
by stout arInS-and stOnter heartS-coines
punGiuG over the white b IioWs toward her
On it sweeps. rsiny hi@h In air. nov. sinkinn
down. down. until it seemed enpufpd in rho
angry ocean; aLain it Uses and the handsome
dark-ha'red fisherman. leap.ng unOn tha orn-
vale. tells hey to cast herself Ear out into thu
sea moment pause, as a mighty wave lifts
IFS white crest. and comes crash mr. down unon
the rock. and The SURFING waters with hiss and
roar. gather and rush back again: then with -
glad scream the gifl filings hrrse into the
IN ~ Il AL.