Phillipsburg herald. [volume] (Phillipsburg, Kan.) 1882-1905, 1894-02-01


small shop, filed with very miscella-
neous wares paid numerous visits TO
the cottage, and bought enough curios-
tiles TO last lifetime.
rowed about with Ben for a boat
man, and went on many excursions
with Ben for guide, and gradually I
awoke to the fact that a strong, new
interest had sprung up in my life, and
this bright-faced, sweet-voiced lad was
its center.
/ fingered on at my lodgings long
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, 1 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 my
possession too late to brighten the
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 felt like sick man,
surrounded with dainties, but utterly
lacking the power to enjoy them. If I
could only transport this boy, who
looked at me with Jennie Morton's
eyes, over to my lonely rooms, what
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 some time, and not until / had my
self confided in her did gain any more
information; but when told her of my
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
honorable positions in various profess
sions but the lad he loved best was
Ben Rolston. Alick McAllister and
Ben Rolston were friends from child
hood, and as they grew up into young
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 q
rock; Ben was quick as flash, brill
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 his
friend eagerly desired, but had not
The love thus easily won Ben looked
on as a matter of course, without a
thought of its preciousness, Alick, on
the other hand, from the very depth of
his nature, was understood by few, and
loved by these only, but between Mary
and her brother there was perfect un-
Outstanding; all the strange complex
tiles of his nature were to her as an
open book and springing in from this
kinship of soul there existed q deep
tender love between the brother and
sister.
Mary was companion TO both the
boys all through childhood, and scarce
ly could have told which she loved
best; but as she grew up into maiden
hood she felt in her heart that Ben
Rolston was first In her affection.
When Mary was twenty and Ben TWEEN
ty-two, they were acknowledged lovers,
and only delayed their marriage at
Mary's request to remain a little longer
with her father
About this time a new coastguard
station was opened at Rocky Point, and
the chief officer was q bronzed marine
who had served in many countries.
While stationed at Gibraltar he had
met with and married very handsome
Spanish girl. Several children had
been born to them, but only one had
survived, daughter, the image of her
mother in youth. 1t was not strange
that this dark-eyed southern girl
among the commonplace girls of Rocky
Point should be the center of attraction
to all the young men of the place. She
was like gorgeous scarlet lily among
field flowers, and when added to fine
figure, flashing black eyes, and luxuri-
ant black hair, she possessed the still
more subtle charm of a superb voice, it
can easily be imagined that she carried
all hearts by storm. Before she was
three months in Rocky Point Mary
M'Allister knew in her secret heart
that her brother and Ben Rolston both
loved this dark-eyed stranger. With
many keen heart-pang she heard her
discussed daily, and saw her dearly
loved brother suffering intensely in
silence and her own lover drifting away
beyond her reach.
Women are said to be the severest
critics of their SEX This is true, sim
ply because q woman, when unpreju-
diced, can appraise another woman at
her true value as man never can. The
tricks Of manner practised by shallow
women, which seem so artless and be-
witching to most men, to Q keen, in
telligent woman mean the perfection
of practised art. To Mary NTcAllister