Rock Island daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1886-1893, 1888-11-17

to her. Marie! Mariel You were so differ
ent, so utterly different, so foreign to my
life You came to us from the seattle sea
that had bereft me, yet given me my bread
you brought me something out of the world
barred to me, simple fisherman You gave
me soul. Deny it those who dare. was
a clod before you came. l shall never, never,
be clod again
What Kitty Robbins told mother don't
know, but into mothers manner toward
Marie chill crept, the GOODNESS that comes
to all good women toward sister who has
fallen Mrs Robbins and mother had been
life long friends, and the suspicious Kitty
planted in that kind heart fingered. The
time passed painfully enough, Marie growing
pale and silent, Kitty cold and proud, rarely |
speaking to the stranger l was glad to see |
Robbins come and Kitty go away, and it |
was only when the boat was out of sight |
that l remembered that had not kissed |
Kitty good-by, and everybody said we were |
to be married in the spring.
That night a cold wintry wind howled |
around the tower, buffeting the wet spray in
my face when | opened the door. stepped
out. In the glare of light saw her-Marie
standing looking at the gloomy sea.
"You will get your death" | said, angrily
Come in" dragged her to the fire, chat
ing her cold little hands She shivered and
| coughed.
81 could see through the glass that you
and your dear mother had some trouble" she
said quietly. Don't speak, Gideon. You
have ink and pens there. VIII you write
| letter for meF
81 never could | had no education. |
write like a clown. Do it yourself; or,
| rather, write no letter You have said often
that you never wanted to leave the island
You have picked out a spot near the cove
where you wanted TO be buried-that, when
dead, you might still know of our coming
and going. We have told you how welcome
you are, and yet-yet You talk Of writing,
which know means to so away"
Men could never rule me, Gideon, you
least of all You, child in heart and ex-
perience. You, dear son, wish | had
brother like you, a big, strong, bearded man,
who would protect me. Look at ne kindly,
Gideon, out of those deep, dark eyes, where
can see your honest soul. Pity me- That
letter is so repugnant, so dreadful to me, that
l wish your kind hand TO write it."
So wrote:
Robert Julian:
lam yet alive. Does this world still hold you
in its weary toils9 At the entrance to the Sheep
! SCOT where. wide and blue. with stormy waves
and treacherous reefs it ends its life in the ocean
is a frowning headlRnd and tower. In Hend-
ricks Head Light have been living IN enchanted
life since September-a princess in a tower. l
, wait for you. MARIE.
One day letter came for Marie, and that
| ,sr-lk u. ~
!. mother. Gideon" she said, read the letter
aloud you and your mother must know the
, worst of me-
: She stood away from mothers chair, hold,
ing tiny hand between her face and the
lamp
81 have no right to read your letter.
p said, rudely.
:. "Read it, and II obeyed
DEAR MARIE have been at deaths door fol
V two months, but am now recovered he was IN
hurt. shall come for you. weather permitting
q and breezes favorable, the 20th Of December.
- JULIAN
n "Your father, dear2" asked mother.
mo; l am an orphan. Six years ago
4 was married TOTO an Englishnan l die
= not love him; my father, who lived only
"a year after my marriage, forced me into il
=, Ny husband was twice my age. We wer,
\ unhappy | reached the end of all suffering
my heart became stone. When my baby wa
i, years old it died and l ran away. How
can tell you! To be revenged on my bus
n band fed with the man he hated-Juhan
- who has written me the letter that Gideol
= holds"
n l dropped the paper as # it s.uag NE.
:, And you l said aus-rily, got me t
" write to your lover" Mothers face grew
- cold aid stern.
r. "NGsyou meaning TO 60 again with hin
this other onef she asked
ma YES. there was nothing e!se. neve
A. loved him. Hear me out. Ny husband TO
- lowed Us found Us hidden in a quiet seapor
~ town. He offered me my choice Of deaths
be was very kim, You see, for he meant 7
kill Us unseen at frs I begged him to tax
bo me out TO sea in E.s yacE0. and on some darl
~ teulpesy nous NIGHT 10 set ne adTfU in the boa
~ Julian did rcJ know that had seen my hu
= band stole away il the afternoon, We s.
,a sail, and one night Tar beyond Seguin, II
no husband set ne adrift, He intended tn,
~ the sailors should believe had gone away
- my sleep in the boat de could buy belief.
~ The awful creetur'.7 said my mother
- mo. / deserved it. Marie went on, drea
- ily Then be went back TO XII Julian.
- nv life belongs TO tine man who was woundt
for me-he-he loves me She turned towal
20 the door, but l saw tears in her beautif
~ eyes 'Ihave brought shame on your hone
L- roof, betrayed your generous hospitalit
~ Oh, forgive me! Ny punishment is bitt
enough, for love you, mother. Your go
~; word, your faith and affection, mean more
Nd me than all else il life
"a She went quietly down the stairs. Moth
hat not stirred
Ats the Lords Will said mother soft
''it's a skein we carn't unravel She "
drove to It bv WAYS that we carnt fatho
-. Gideon" cried mother sharply, don't Y
~ get set ag'in her, too Let's you an me ST.
- the worlds tide an treat her well 1t wo
- be for long, the sin an sorrer for her,
70 there is death writ in her pretty face"
fancied that brave. small figure stemmi
70 the worlds tide Pity for a woman frou
~, woman is, alas. so rare, and yet so beautif
:, 'If Kitty won't come, she needn't, eide
hot She is good girl, but narrer, an she could
ri, fall We must try to keep Marie to the e
-. We fetched her out of the sea; we muslin t
70 her drown now"
90 There were tears in my eyes when l b
ma and kissed my mother,
- We could not persuade Marie, and, thol
(, . hUb" sue WIS WI Diiss / tOulti upt tOuue
10 her determination to do her duty to the L
IA who bad wrecked his life for her Ala
H. envied him with n sulien hate.
The morning of the 205h a neat vac
vial boat rowed out to the Light, and sailo
d. trim uniform brought letter to Marie
Let him come tonight" she said. sal
Tho as there anchorage in the river near,
eonr
mr. "A mile up" answered shortly. In
wretched sleep-for l tried to lie dow
- heard mother and Marie talking broke
- At last darkness came ana l. who had
,,nd myself all day, went up to the tower. V
beating heart | listened-listened for
co. light footstep on the stairs. At last
tho came, the golden cloak about her, gathe
, tbo warmth and brightness from the light.
was very pale, her mouth dropping, her b
who'd tiful eyes so wofully sad
a no 81 climbed up, Gideon, every step a T
vol They have been my Jacobs ladder, brin
ne to heaven and peace. l have been
,bers almost happy You will not forget
When the great yellow eye flames owe
cams sea you will think of me drifting. driftiI
ann the darkness of sin and regret as l DIR
said that night. You and your mother will
of me sometimes, pray for me, pity
' this She covered neF race, soooihs bitterly
.,d "Marie! Mariel' | cried, stay with
go the end You shall not gol'
-. 81 must Oh, the folly of fools who