The weekly Thibodaux sentinel and journal of the 8th Senatorial District. [volume] (Thibodaux, Lna. [i.e. La.]) 1875-1898, 1893-09-23

"".Sh Vic P4dy VI tue young sanger
face.
During the service 1 noticed 4 woman
far back in the church to whom the
boy was evidently dear, for the dark
eyes watched him with a softened light
shining in them. l waited after the
service for Ben, and found this woman
waiting too. Ben's curls were uncov-
cred in a moment at my greeting, and
with simple straightforwardness he in
troduced his companion as Aunt
Mary"
The face / now looked on for the
first time was a strong, true face. with
a tried soul behind it. This l knew at
the first glance. l resolved to cult
l expected in Mary McAllister-a
| grand, true woman. we'll fitted to de-
velop the fine material in the boy she
loved so tenderly.
She lived in a long, low cottage on
the outskirts of the village, and kept a
small shop, filled with very miscella-
neous wares l paid numerous visits to
the cottage. and bought enough curios-
tiles to last a lifetime.
l rowed about with Ben for a boat
man, and went OIL many excursions
with Ben for guide, and gradually l
awoke Ito the fact that a strong, new
interest had sprung up in my life, and
this bright-faced, sweet-voiced lad was
its center.
l fingered on at my lodgings long
after the other visitors had left, much
to the delight of my landlady. l told
all inquirers that the air of Sandy
Beach agreed with me; really, 1 was
planning day and night how 1 could
get Ben with me. l could find no pleas
ure in going back to my lonely, though
stately home, which had come into my
possession too late to brighten tho
care-dimmed eyes of my mother, or to
straighten the bowed shoulders of my
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 1 felt like a sick man,
surrounded with dainties, but utterly
lacking the power to enjoy them. If 1
could only transport this boy, who
looked at me with Jennie Morton's
eyes, over to my lonely rooms. what a
difference it would make; but what Of
the true. loving pima whose light
and joy he was? Gradually, link by
link, l pieccd 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 tho
bosom friend Of her only brother Alick.
This was all I could gather from Mary
for some time, and not until l had my
5 self coafided in her did l gain any more
[ information; but when l told her of my
early struggles, and my early love laid
) beneath the daisies many years ago,
l then the reserve melted away, and she
3 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
8 honorable positions in various profess
sions, but the lad he loved best was
Ben Rolston. Alick McAllister and
n Ben Rolston were friends from child
hood, and as they grew up into young
s men the bond grew closer, though, as
is often the case in friends, their ma
lures We're directly opposite to each
. other. Alick was slow, but steady as a
rock; Ben was quick as a flash. bril-
liant ven in intellect, but impulsive
and changeable, easily carried about
BY a stronger will, yet withal possess
n ing the gift Of winning love-a gift his
friend eagerly desired, but had not.
d The love thus easily won Ben looked
on as a matter Of course, without g
S thought of its p~reciousness. Alick, or
r the other hand, from the very depth o.
v his nature, was understood by few, anc
q loved by these only, but between Mary
f and her brother there was perfect un
Outstanding; all the strange complex
a tiles Of his nature were to her as al
E open book, and springing in from thi!
kinship of soul there existed a deel
O tender love between the brother an
r sister.
s Mary was companion TO both tn,
S boys all through childhood, and scarce
d ly could have told which she lovet
n best; but as she grew up into maiden
g hood she felt in her heart thas Bel
Rolston was first in her affection
When Mary was twenty and Ben TWEEN
ty-two, they were acknowledged lovers
n and only delayed their marriage a
Mary's request to remain q little longe
# with her father.
About this time a new coastguar'
- $4,000 - D~.1.u 80
the chief officer was a bronzed marin,