Catoctin clarion. [volume] (Mechanicstown, Md.) 1871-1940, 1886-12-16
MechMcsown Frederick County, Maryland Thursday Dec IS, 1885,
The Sea-Gull Plaque.

| :
glad or sorry?'
/ The speaker, tall, handsome young
man, stood behind the girl he address :
ed, and his deep gray eyes rested upon
her face with evident interest.
No wonder, for a loylier one never
greeted the eyes Of a lover. Pale and
pure, with no shade of crlmson stain.
ing the warm ivory white of the smooth h
oval check. Ltrge brown eyes, the
same int as ripe hazlenut, and heIr
of the same hue, with natural ripple.
The features were refined and clear,
without sharpness Of outline or hard
ness, and the expression Of the face
chlld-lik and loving.
II am glad and am sorry replied
the girl, in sweet, sad accents.
"Rathcr an eguivocal reply sai |
the gentleman, his fine dark face Ii -,ht-
ing up wonderfully as he smiled down
upon the sweet face in its petty frame
work of crimson wool. Like all your
sex, Lucctte. you are at liberty to
change your mind, and don't wish to
commit yourSelf>
mo. it is not that returned the soft
tone 81 AN thinking Of papa
Frank RdIy looked away now, for
he knew th,re We're tears IN the soft,
nut brown eyes, though the voice "ts
50 sadly calm.
They stood on the deck Of an ocean
steamer, he, a man of about twenty
four, she, Il Girl of sixteen. Twilight
was fast deepening into darkness over
the calm, purpletinted oceln and
deep azure sky. Not a cloud broke
the wide explnSe of color save Ole!
light snow drift Of lace work gently
touched with goll.
How beauufa it is to-nish:.' said
the girl, after Il long silence.
EVERY warm enough to be eaSan:
With Just enough.of cool sA,tness to be
braclnG.
The Young girl stool with cIasp'l
hands hanging loosely before her, her
face upturned to The sky.
See she said, with upNttcd hani.
'See that solitary bird. Is he not
beautiful? A bird Of hope.'
RidIv looked in the direction in1i
Gated. A large, pnre.wh.te sea gull
was poised against the deep back
ground of the heavens, just below the
tleccy, amber tinted cion1. Nothing
else in sight but sea an sky. H.
wings were ont<preal, aul its snowy
breast upturncd
81 trust it may prove a bird Of hope
to YOU, Lucett',' he stl IN a low tone,
more move than lie wished to appear
As they watched the lonely bird.
which remained seemingly motion!ess,
- It ward appeared on deck.
MISS Monrhouse, he SAID, "vour
father j. awake and is asking for vou.
"Gool night, Mr.. Rl)y,' and the
g,rl was gone.
Frank watched her slender form as
she FASTENED away, and sighed deeply
as she descended the comp lnion way.
Poor little girl--poor child " he
said in low, tel der accents.
"Yes,' rrjoinrd another voice: Il
wu- just thinking the same thing. Her
father is dyln.; every one knows It but
hcr and fear they are peor.
Luce,te Moorhouee and her father
were ret lrning to New York after five
years snjouru in Rome. Mr.. Moor
house was an artist of no mean dent,
but i'll herlth had prevented him from
acquiring the reputation his abilities
deserved. Now he Was going home to
die; he knew it bat to- we'll. A heart
sickness, more than home sickness,
inpcllei him to seek again the land
of his birth, for be dreaded to leave
his notherlcss child alone in Il far
country.
Frank Kn1Iy had seen much Of father
aud daughter, and the Girl $ tender de-
votion to her invalid parent, even more
than her great beauty, had won his
heart.
Yes, 1t was useless to disguise the
fact; he loved Lucrt'e, and he was the
promised husband of the beautiful
Maud Chamberlain, one of tn, proulcst
bellies of Murray Hill.
When Frank found his heart prompt
ing him to speak words which honor
forbade TO pass his lips, he Stunned
the beautf Il Girl whose fresh beauty
and sweet, unseltish nature made HIM
long to sever his bonds and take her
to his heart. forgetting all else in her
love