Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1884-01-20

Sould make her fsirer than saint.
And he asked her which OF three
things he could name would please her
most-to tumble hesdloLg from the
cliff down to the curve rocks; to 1--we
with William Ut the farm house and
grow sick and weary OF life; or tosi
away with these good fishermen be-
yond the sea, and become . fsirer,
sweeter lady than the painted one ne
had told her of 90 many times. Again
he showed her the cross and so me Curl
Gus letters engraved upon ii, and whis-
pered that while Erie was pretty
name, she had another and . sweeter
one that lie would tell to her sometime.
Then she, smiling, placed her hand
upon his arm, and looking with her
great brown eyes into his kindly black
ones, while he held the other hand
told him she could not, would not, go
to William; that everything was bright
and beautiful aud she did not want to
die, he would take her-she would
rat her sail away with him and-she
would try TO learn what love meant-ii
-if-he knt W how 10 teach her.
He kissed her then, and telling her to
count the ten days UPON her fingers ~
they passed, and meet him, on the fiat
rock, at SHUTDOWN of the tenth, he sprang
into his boat aud sailed away.
When he had gone she glanced up
and saw William standing beside her,
with looks of fury in his face; and =
fierce oath crossed his lips anu she al
most tainted. The granny came to her
and rudely led her back to the black hut
Oh the clifi, telling the frightened girl 1t
was to he her dungeon for the next ten
days, when William would provide an
other somewhere else If need be.
1t was q sad time for the little sea-
bird, and she fluttered her wings against
the bars Of her cage in such grief and
terror, that when the last day finally
came she almost wished to die, She
know 1t was the day the fishermen
were coming, and she struggled hard to
tree herself, but had not strength. she
remembered the ring now, and kissed
il fOnd!y, made many pretty wishes,
wondering if the giver had not power
TO find her even here.
When granny brought her her dinner
as though she never cared to eat
again-the woman told her the sea was
rising, and the clouds forebUding moth
ing good to mariners; and when the
wind grew fiercer and the storm came
whistling wildly through the hemlocks
and the dead pine branches, the girl
tIembled with terror, for her last hope
WAS shattered. Wilder howled the
tempest, and when the day was almost
done the old bag opened the prison
door, aHd, bidding the girl 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. But two things now were
lett to her-a farm house and a living
d, ath with him she hated, or the wild,
dizzy plunge down the face of the
cliff into the gulf below. She was not
long in choosing, for granny's voice was
heard shrieking louder than the blast,
and starting like a frightened deer she
flew upon the wings of the wind to the
face of the brink, and breathlessly she
dashed down the narrow rayine, grasp
ipg the tangled vines and sedges IN her
course uCtil, bruised aud bleeding, she
iound herself upon the broad, Hat rock,
md heard the old hays curses from the
of the cliff.
She stood there moment, wonder
ing if death came peacefully to young
girls who love to live, but wished to die,
aud if the angry waters were as cold
apd cruel as they lOoked-and what
came after death! Then she stepped
up boldly TO the high part of the rock,
facing the storm-tOssed pillows, think
ing how she might throw herself into
Il cir chilly embrace, to die most quick
", when sudden rush of fallen stones
and earth attracted her, and turning
around she saw to horror the old hag,
who was almost down the cliff. But
-he laughed fiercely, a moment later, for
a great sea swept in and she was stand
my upon the rock alone, with the wild
waves rolling on every 81 lie.
She heard y glad shout. A sturdy boat
named by stout armS-aud stouter
plunging over the white
pillows toward her. On IL sweeps, rising
high in air, now sinking down, down,
until it seemed engulted in the angry
Dceau; again il rises, and the
handsome, dark haired fisherman
Gaping upon the gunwale, tells
her to cast herself far into the sea. A
pause, as a mighty wave
lifts its white crest and curues crashing
down upon the rock, and the surginS
waters, with hiss and roar, gather aud
ush back again: then, w"h glad
cream, the girl filings herself into the
cauldron. Aud now her lover
Ie APPS toward her, as she floats there
helpless sinking. He strikes out bold
strong arms strain at the ash-blade5 till
they bend like reeds, they rise to the
surface, they are caught by eager out
hand, and they are saved.
That night the old hays sheep were
ali drowned in the ocean, crossing the
low b r, which rs the story goes, for the
first time began 10 wash away, And
when the early morning came, aud the
un rose, anu the storm was done, the
he. p washed no from the deep aud old
body W 8 e upl with them.
They Say she cuTsel the rock where
Elsie (, und her true love, aud the farm
I'D pasture where the poor sheep fed.
However, that may be, the high part of
Ilf lOIh auh 10
now no more to be s-en, and the strip
i land where the sheep graZed Is the
same where now the cattle find such
fatal pasturage.
The hut has long since vanished, the
trees are dead, aud the narrow bar for
ever sunk from sight; but the summer
,un still shines upon the grassy slope,
the ocean waves come dancing in as
brightly as in Eisie's time, aud fairy
feet Of maids as fair rs she still Chamber
ser the rocks and watch for dark haired
youthful fishermen.
You cannot fail to find the island, for
It lies east by northeast from Marble
head, within a half league Of the Rse,
ii NOTman's Woe.
Different AnceSlFT.