Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1885-02-21
These three wor
LOVE AND DUTY.

traction for bold sterling youth like Owen
Glenn But a visitor had of late frightened
up its precincts young girl named An
MS. named after the aged grandmother who
dozed by the hearth through the long even,
ings, content to watch the bright flames as
they shot up from the broad fireplace, and
perhaps to see visions Of the past with her
dim eyes.
Dame Frere was sharp-voiced, busting
woman, long past middle age, and not hav-
ing the name Of possessing very sweet
temper. but she had soft place in her
heart for granny, and it was to please her
that she had invited her pretty name-child
to come and visit them for few months.
Annis was tall, slight girl, as straight
as pine tree and as graceful as a fawn.
Her yellow hair hung in perfect maze OF
shining curls all about her shoulders and
far down below her waist. Imagine 4
sweet, innocent face lighted with great Ius-
trous dark eyes, and red mouth almost
always curving into smiles, and you have
some idea Of Annis.
Most of the young girls in the vicinity
were huxom, merry lasses with hair and
eyes to match-both of intense blackness-
and with more or less of the hoyden in
them Their laughter was loud and hearty
and their ways more frolicsome than re-
fined. So that it is not strange that when
this graceful, quiet stranger came among
them, with her shy ways and blonde color
a
native ease of manner, she was at once
taken into the hearts of all the young peo-
pie in the neighborhood.
1t is great mistake to think that one
girl is insensible to another maiden's beau
ty Sometimes, to be sure, she may have a
feeling of jealousy with regard to it wher
she is naturally of that disposition, but
oftener she loves the object of her admira-
ton all the more because she embOdies all
that ideal which exists in every human
soul to greater or less degree
Owen Glenn had fallen head over heels
in love at his first meeting With Annis, and
had not missed an opportunity of meeting
her at the various rustic gatherings tc
which she had been invited and to might
he was going to seal his fate by telling An
mis- that he loved her, and ask if he could
hope for a response to the ardent feeling
with which he had been inspired by her.
Owen was not at all certain as TO the
success Of his suit, for there was another
who admired Annis, and who was far above
him in worldly station and wealth, and as
Owen in MS freedom from vanity, also
thought, in good looks and in other quail
ties calculated to win girls heart.
Annis had received the pleasant little
coErtesies and attentions of both in a way
calculated to wound neither though, as to
that, it would have been an imposSibility
Tor her to be other tlan 50 sweet and gra-
cious as not to enkindle hope in each pas
sionate young heart.
Thus matters stood as Owen started from
his home to take the long and tedious walk
over the cliffs, which must be traversed be
fore he could reach the cottage which shell
tered the object of his love-
II had been raining steadily all day long,
and as night came on the wind had risen to
a gale.
But, wrapped in his water proof cloak
and lighted on his way by lantern, Owen
cared not for the threatening elements, and
walked along, whistling softly, now and
then pausing to shake himself after the
fashion of some huge water dog.
Then he would trudge on again, think
ing what terrible night it must be at sea,
and breathing PRAYER for the wave-tossed
mariners far from home.
suddenly dull, booming sound reached
his ear.
1t came from a seward direction, but at
first he kept ON his way, thinking:
This is not the barber, and every one
who has She slightest knowledge of the
locality viii be sure to avoid such a danger
Gus coast; so it's no business Of mine"
Again the sound came This time Owen
stopped and listened.
4 thought came into his mind as he did
so, but it initiated so directly against his
inclinations to give heed to it that with an
impatient Pshaw" he started on.
But he could not rid himself of it. II was
this: If ship is in peril and has lost her
way, the only thug that could save her
would be huge beacon fire 70 east light
upon her surroundings.
TO build fire would he a work of time
and Of hard labor.
To keep one up long enough to do any
.-Nbh NbHAA thNt HUNS va NhttiitullltN-, anu
lie would have to abandon all hope Of see
ing Annis that evening.
1t was a hard struggle, hut inclination
proved - be made Of material which
could not hold its own against his strong
sense Of duty,
He gave up all thought of the pleasant
greeting he had been living upon in his
heart all day long, and set himself to work
to gather fuel for the beacon fire.
After several hurried journeys to the
woodland, which lay little distance away,
he succeeded in accumulating a pile of
branches and dry twigs, which he had
raked outwith his hands from a deserted hut
which stood on the confines of the thicket,
and had evidently been gathered together
for some purpose but under the circum-
stances Owen felt himself justified in tax
ing ii, as it would have been almost i'm
possible to have kindled flame Of green
wood.
/, Just As he had succeeded in coaxing a
splendid blaze into life, voice cried:
Halo. Glenn, is that you? What in
the name of wonder are you doing
q | am answering to signal of distress.
Hark ~ as dull sound came again from
the sea.
"Well, old fellow, wish You JOY Of
your posi-, and hope it'll do the good YOU
expect. For my part, Pm off to old Mar
tins. hear little Annis IS going away to-
morrow, and | don't want to miss sight OF
her beaming face tonight. It's bright and
sweet enough to be mans beacon light for
all his life. Good-by, and good fortune at
tend your work. Its lucky all are not such
selfish fellows as | am"
1t was as if a thousand fends were tug
ginp for the mastery of Gwen Glenns
heart, as he listened to the rafting talk OF
the gay, light-hearted youth.
Should he give Robert this chance Of see
ing Annis, and of perhaps asking her to be