New Ulm weekly review. [volume] (New Ulm, Minn.) 1878-1892, 1886-08-25

waves as the fishes that swim beneath
or the gulls that float above. Soft
was that when Willie grew discomfort
ed with his earnings as a fisherman. he
went to sea to make more money in
the hope OF wedding ME the sooner.
II was not strong enough for a fish
erman's wife,; he said, tfand he hoped
to be able to keep me like a lady,"
just asst | cared!
Though was small was not deli
cate, and 1 could, and indeed did, car
ry the creel as well as the best of
them. For my mother married
again, and when she died there we're
more little mouths to fill, and no one
but me to do it; for their father was
a lazy, drunken good-for-nothing, who
fell over the cliff one night when he
was rolling home from the cold Ship
Inn" land did no good after. Lucky
for them and for me, though itsounds
queer to say it, he did not live long
to pea burden; but we had some hard
times now and then, when the weather
was rough and there was no fish to
sell. Only for the BARNS l would
have been h,usemaid at the vicarage,
for which Nj Ashford had had me
trained befo1 mother died, but ]
could earn more money doing as the
rest did, and look after the little ones
at the same time.
The men favored me in the matter
Of fish, because they thought I had a
stiffish hill to climb and / will say
that nobody was kinder than Edam
Carr. I believe he was really fond OF
me, and ! often reproached myself
that | could not help shrinking from
him. But | was not alone III that
dread. They called him "Black
Edam' for a nickname, because he
looked so grim and dour. None OF the
men exchanged greetings with him
when he stalked along past their
friendly groups; nor did any Of the
girls laugh and joke with him. With
one consent he was left alone.
Well, you see, here was bond of
union between us in his eyes. They
looked on me as on one doomed, and
which means the same to them. Otis
no use fghtin' fate, Elsie!" he would
say, looking down at me with his
great gloomy eyes; 1--WE were made for
one another, we two"
But used to shake my head and
run away, though l dared not offend
him by contradicting him otherwise.
He got grimmer and %blacker as time
went on, and | did not forget my,
Willie, as perhaps Edam hoped I
should.
The weather was uncertain that
Autumn, and there was little depend
ence On the fish. Some days the boats
were not off at all, some days they
had no fish when they landed. Igot
work where l could, but those three
mouths at home took lot of salts
flying, and often went to bed hungry
and cold along with them.
One afternoon, was wandering rath-
or disconsolately on the beach, feeling
low and hopeless, wishing for Willie
and better days, when Edam, who was
busy in his boat, called ME as pass
ed by. "Elsie, come here and tell mo
what you think O. my boat?' he cried
in a more CHEEKY voice than usual,
and, glad to be good-natured when l
could, stopped and admired the fine
new boat he had just bought with the
money an unlce had left him.
"But you've got no name for her."
I said at last; "what are you going to
call her?''
''That depends on you," he replied,
looking up quickly; eff yedon't object
l would name her The Bonnie
Elsie?'"
That would never do thought in a
minute, it would be all over the place
at once that Edam Carr had called
his boat after Elsie Wilson, and that
she was "off with the old love and on
with the new"
"You mustn't do that I demurred
as gently as could; "there's prettier
names and lasses, too, for that mat
ter, in the place!"
His face changed for the worse in a
moment, and an angry light blazed in
his eyes.
"Pm not to heve yer name, then,
forbye yerself?"
cit wouldn't do, Edam; folks would
talk, and-and Willie might be vexed,"
I went on hesitatingly. What a cow
ard was to be sure! It was with the
greatest difficulty in the world | man
aged to bring out my real objection.
Ard yet | was SO proud OF being Willie's
sweetheart.
"He's not yer man yet that he
should mind" Edam replied sulkily,
and then under his breath. "Maybe
he never will be either"
[ heard the end Of the sentence, low
as it was muttered.
can what's to hinder, if we're both
OF one mind about it?' Isaid sharply,
losing my temper a bit at his obsti-
macy.
"Who knows? He might get a wife
where he's gone, and he might never
come back at all"
dye want to quarrel wi me,
Edam?"
''No, no, Elsie, we Wilma quarrel, !"
he said at once. Pm bit queer in the
temper, but l wouldn't like to vex
you"
"Pm goin' to try tn new boat, will
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