St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1890-08-17
JACK LEvERINCTON'S CHOICE.
A Romance of the Singing Beach.
ny MARK ADAMS.


high, and a glorious surf was rolling in
over the musical sands. The rocks at
the eastern end of the beach were still
dark with shadows. but at the western
end they were bright with the colorS OF
morning.
AS the sun came above the distant
somber waves a young girl, wearing a
white serge gown, and with white
sailor hat Oh her blonde head, came
climbing briskly down the rocks to
the sandy bank above the row OF bath
houses.
She brushed past the last clump of
stunted oaks and heSitated for moment
above the bank of white sand. She
looked at the incline before her, then
ND and down the beach. No one was in
sight at this surprise hour.
She hesitated for a moment only,
then gathering her skirts about her,
tossed her hat to the beach below,
dropped to the ground and rolled over
and over like a child down the sandy
bank. 1t was short, abrupt descent,
but she managed it as well as a child
might have done. springing to her feet
as she reached the hard beach.
Good for you, katharine" cried a
mans voice.
Maude Gessley looked about her in
great surprise and saw a tall, dark
young man moving towards her from
one of the most distant bath houses.
His sun-burnt arms waved applause as
he rushed forward. In a moment he
had come near enough to discover that
this startled blushing girl was no one he
had seen. and he stopped, calling out:
IL beg your pardon! l thought it was
Miss DumareSQue."
Then he turned. ran down the shore
and plunged into the surf.
Maude had often seen Katharine
Dumaresque Oh the stage, and had
heard that she was staying for the sum-
mer at Manchester. This was probably
one OF her fellow actors.
He must be very strong, she thought,
he was swimming so FAR to sea. She
walked up towards Dana'S beach, en-
loving the sunrise as well as girl
might who could not forget ridiculous
descent of sandbank before an I'M
guessed spectator.
Jack LeveringtOn came out of the
water while Miss Gesslev was still far
distant on the beach. When he diSap-
peared into his bath house she walked
westward again, close by the waters
edge.
She meant to wait until she had seen
the stranger go up towards the hotel,
then she would go quietly home to
breakfast at "The LEDGE" and say
nothing about the rencontre to her
friends, the Earles, whose guest she
had been since the day before.
She had stolen away from the house
at daybreak, moved by wish to see the
famous singing beach, for the first
time at sunrise. The charm that she
had hoped to find now suddenly took
possession of her as she walked along
the shore.
She quite forgot the man in the bath
house as she looked out upon the sea
and listened to the singing of the waves
as they broke upon the sands at her
feet.
The Weakening sweetness of the early
day gave her exquisite delight: She
stood still, presently, and looked for a
long time at the surf and at the distant
sails glowing with light.
Her pure young face reflected the
light that was Oh sea and land.
Il beg your pardon" said voice.
and she turned with the sympathy of
her communion with the morning still
shining in her eyes.
II beg your pardon" said Jack Lev
erington. his hat in his hand, his face
frightening with lively admiration: II
couldn't help coming down TO you to
know if / am excused Tor calling out to
you.''
Certainly" said Maude, with dig
nifty, but bushing as she met his gaze.
''YOu lovely grip cried Jack Lever
ington, as if he could not help it.
Maude's lasheS fell.
IL supposed you had gone up to
the hotel" she faltercd.
Il don't live at the hotel. My name
is Leverington. We have the Island
View cottage" He kept on looking at
her, and his fervent gaze drew her
glance up again to meet his.
II never in all my life saw any one
like you!" he exclaimed.
"Thank YOU" said Maude. dimpling
and demure. you have the art OF
frankness in an unusual degree"
II don't know what you mean by
that" said Leverington; "but if you
why Pm not. l meant it. Why shouldn't
/ say it?"
You are very kind" said Maude.
"Do | look like Miss Dumaresque?'
mot a particle. But she's always
saying that she will come down to the
beach some sunrise and nobody else is
ever here. | have a notion for early
dips, myself"
He had been fumbling in his pocket
and now brought out letter head.
IL never have a card. but will you
take this for an introductiOnT
Maude took it and read the name Of
one of the great Western railroads, anC
below it "office Of John lowering ton
superintendent
"Why, thought, of course, you were
an actor"
Because l know Miss Dumaresque'
clever woman, My mother and sister
like her very much. | wish you'd tel
me your name"
Doesn't the beach sing we'll this
morning." evaded Maude.
"A fine crunch. Most beaches do"
"It's4ike music" said Maude, walk
Ing along. Its like great organ"
sIs it? Does it strike you that way?''
said Jack, coming beside her. "Now
to me it sounds about like the sort O
music used to make with comb ant
piece of paper when was boy"
II used to think when was a littl,
girl that a singing beach meant beech
the tree. you know; and there was
Deecn ny my WluuOW DIT NY SIdllu
fathers house and always when WI
were there and heard it rustling it
branches at night thought it was sing
ing to me. And it was! 1t used to sins
the most beautiful songs"
There" said Jack, that proves it
"Honestly, never in my life saw cir
bit like you. You are different from
everybody. like you better than an.
girl have ever SEEM"
He spoke with convincing sincerity
81 am in earnest" he said, and hi
tones and looks would have won tn
coolest heart to a moments kindness a
least.
Maude walked beside him as if in
dream, remembering distinctly that sh
was young woman from world of sc
cial forms where spontaneous conf
dences and instant likings are who'll
unapproved, yet feeling as if it wer
quite the most natural thing in tn
world for her to hear this mans voic
saying:
Il not only like you. Pm in love wit
you. You are so different. You struc
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