The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1893-09-22

vate the acquaintance, and found VIVA
expected in Mary McAllister-
grand, true woman. well fitted 70 do
velop the fine material In the boy sh
loved SO tepderly.
She lived in long. low cottage O,
the outskirts Of the village, and kept
small shop. filed with very miscella
neous wares ] paid numerous visits I.
the cottage, and bought enough curios
tiles TO last lifetime.
! rowed about with Ben for . boat
man. and went on many excursion,
with Ben for guide, and gradually
awoke TO the fact that strong. new
interest had sprung up In my life, ant
this bright-faced. sweet-voiced lad wa
its center.
l fingered on 1T my lodgings louc
after the other visitors had left. much
TO the delight Of my landlady. / told
all inquirers that the air of Sandy
Beach agreed with me; really, I was
planning day and night how / could
get Ben with me- could find no pleas
ure In going back to my lonely, though
stately home, which had come into nv
possession too late to brighten the
care-dimmed eyes of my mother, or TO
strengthen the bowed shoulders of nv
father; both had sunk into the grave
under the hard pressure of genteel pow
erty.
My miser aunt had held all in her
greedy clutch till death had loosed her
grip, and now felt like a sick man.
surrounded with daintics, but utterly
lacking the power to enjoy them. If /
could only transport this boy, who
looked at me with Jennie Morton's
eyes, over to my lonely rooms. what a
difference 1t would make; but what of
the true, loving woman whose light
and joy he was? Gradually, link by
link. pieced together the life history
OF Mary McAllister, and with it the
history of Ben, which was closely
wrapped up with it. She was not the
boys aunt, though he called her such.
she told me, very quietly, but only an
Old friend of his fathers, who was one
OF the brightest pupils her father had
ever taught. and, besides this, was the
bosom friend Of her only brother Alick.
This was all ! could gather from Mary
for acme time, and not until had my
self coafded in her did gain any more
information; but when told her OF nv
early struggles, and my early love laid
beneath the daisies many years ago,
then the reserve melted away, and she
told me all Her father. Donald Meal
lister. had been schoolmaster in the
village OF Rock Point for over twenty
years Many Of his pupils had won
positions in various profess
sions, but the lad he loved best was
Ben Rolston. Alick McAllistcr and
Ben Rolston were friends from child |
hood. and ms they grew up into voting
men the bond grew closer, though, as |
Is often the case in friends, their ma
lures were directly opposite to each
other Alick was slow. but steady as a
rock; Ben was quick as a fash, bril-
liant even in intellect, but impulsive
and changeable, easily carried about
BY stronger will, yet withal possess
ing the gift Of winning love--a gift hil
friend eagerly desired, but had not
The love thus easily won Ben looked
IN as . matter of course, without a
.hought of its preciousness. Alick, on
he other hand, from the very depth of
lis nature, was understood BY few, and
owed by these only. but between Mary
md her brother there was perfect un-
|erstanding; all the strange complex
ties of his nature were TO her as an
pen book. and springing in from this
;inshfp Of soul there existed a deep
ender love between the brother and
lister.
Mary was companion 70 both the
oys all through childhood, and scarce
Y could have told which she loved
est; but as she grew up into maiden
God she felt in her heart thai Ben
'olston was first in her affection.
When Mary was twenty and Ben twen-
v-two, they were acknowledged lovers,
nd only delayed their marriage at |
Iary's request to remain little Longer
18th her father.
About this time q new coastguard
alton was opened ut Rocky Point. and
lie chief officer was bronzed marine
no had served in many countries.
lille stationed At Gibraltar he had
et with and married very handsome
panish girl. Several children had
cen born to them. but only one had
lrvived, daughter. the image of her
other in youth. 1t was not strange
lat this dark-eyed southern girl
nong the commonplace girls of Rocky u
ONT should be the center of ATTRACTION
all the young men of the place. She
rs like gorgeous scarlet lily among =
I'D flowers. and when added TO fine
yure. flashing black eyes. and luxuri- =
1t black hair, she possessed the still =
ore subtle charm of superb voice, it
N easily be imagined that she carried q
! hearts by storm. Before she was =
rec months In Rocky Point Mary q
'Allister knew in her secret heart
at her brother and Ben Rolston both T
we'd this dark-eyed stranger. With
any keen heart-pang she heard her P
daily. and saw her dearly &
we'd brSther suffering intensely In
ence and her own lover drifting q way q
yond her reach.
Women are said to be the severest =
tiles of their sex. This is true, sim
Y because a woman, when unpreju- =
ced, can appraise another woman at =
n true yaluc as n man nevar can The -