The morning times., 1896-07-21
A PARIAH.
(From the cornhilI Magazine,

| Mason's Chop House stands at the lowe
Corner Ut Siyne's CLare-Mason's Cboi
| House, where genera lions Of honest Tyne
side sailors have Consumed pounds VI homes
| mutton and beef, and onions Herewith.
A man comes in, after Moments awk
ward pause al the open door, and seek
secluded seat where the gas overhea'
hardly affords illumination. He is q
broad-built mana TyDesider; not SO yer.
| Dig Tor South Shields;a matter of six fee
one, perhaps. He carries blue spottet
handkerchief against his left check, ant
tie hoy with the pewter pots stares eagerly
4 at the other.
| ''iot the toothache?" inquiries the tactless
| youth.
The newcomer replies in the negative and
| orQers cup of tea and a herring. 1t is
Annie who brings the simple meal ard sets
4 IL down without looking at the man.
Thanks" he growis in his BROWN beard,
and the woman pauses suddenly. She
listers, as II hearing Zone distant sound.
Then she slowly turns for She has gone il
| step or two from the table and makes a
pretense Of setting the salt and pepper
| closer to him.
Three ships had come up with the after
| neon tide IA Coaster, Norwegian tarque
in ballast, and a full-rigged ship with nj
trate from the west coast of South merica
Just ashore?" inquired Annie econoni-
ical with her words. as they mostly are
| round the Northern River.
''Aye!"
''Froa the west coast?"
'Ay,' grunibles the man. He holds the
handkerchief to his cheek and turns the
herring tentatively with the fork.
The clock strikes 9, AID the 10y, more
mindful OF his own tea than his neigfhor's
ailments, slips on his Jacket and gues home.
The last customers dawdle out with a
grunt intendedfor salutatitn. Mrs. Mason
Is softly heard to sroFe. And all the while
Bnie Mason all the colCr vanished from
her wholesome face stands with her hands
ciutching her dress, gazng down Ut the
man. who atilI examines the herring with
a self-conscious awkwariness
"Geordiei" she says. They are all
called Geordie in South Shields.
.'Ay. iass!' he answers. slamefacedly
Annie Mason sits down suddenly -op-
post to him. He does not look up, but re-
mains, his face half hidden y'the spotted
blue handkerchief, a picture of self
conscious g nit and shame.
What did we do IL for. Geordie?" she
asked breathlessly- Eleven years. come
March oh. it was cruel!''
what did l do 1T for?" lie rereats
What did l do IL for? Why, lass, can't
We see my face?''
'-Ay, see your face" she answers, with
note of tenderness for the poor Scared
cheek Il hope you haven't been at
the drink
He shakes his head with a little sad
smile that twists up his one-sidcd mouth
rs IL because you wanted TO get shot
Of me-" asks the woman with u sort Of
breathlessness. She has large gray-blue
eyes with look OF constant waiting in
them-a habit Of looking up at the open
door ut the sound Of every footstep.
''D--n IL, Annie. Could / come back to
you with Il face like this. and you the
prettiest lass oil the Tyueside?"
She is funibling with her apron-string.
There is half ooquettish bend OF her
head with the gray hairs already at the
tciupIe awakened perhaps by some far
Off echo in his passionate voice. She
looks up slowly, and does not answer his
question.
Tell u.s. she says slowly. Tell US
where we've been"
'-Heen oh, cont know, lass I don't
rightly remember. Not that it matters
Up The West Coast trading backwards and
forwards I've got my masters certificate
now. Serving first mate on board the
Mallard TO Falmouth for orders, and they
ordered US to the Tyne. / brought her
he married lass. But may be ye are?"
Maybe I'm daft," puts in Annie, oooliy
Il greatly feared" the man goes on wph
the slow Sclf-oonsciOusness of one unac-
customed To talk OF hin self. Il greatly
feared I'D meet up with BARN of yours
pia ying in the doorway. Losh, / Gould
not have stood that Eut that's why /
stayed away, Annie, lassi- So that you
might marry man with a face on him.
1 thought You would not know me if j
held my handkerchief over my other cheekr'
There is strange CLEAN in the woman's
-eyes-a CLEAN that one or two Of the old
masters have succeeded in catching and
i;nparting To the faces OF their Madonnas,
but only one ortwo.
How did You come by your hurt?' she
asks in her low voice.
BOARD the old Waterloo going out You
mind the old ship. We had a fire in the
hold, and the skipper he would go down
alone TO locate it before we cut a hole in
the deck and shipped the hose in. The old
man did not Come up again. Ye mind him
Old Rutherford OF Jarrow. And 1 went
down and looked for him. 1t was a hell
of smoke and fire, and Something in the
cargo sinking lKe-like he'll fire as it
burnt. got hold of the old nan, and
was fetching him out on my hands and
knees, when something busts up and sends
US all through the deck. / had three
months in Valparaiso Hospital: but saved
old Jack Rutherford OF JHrrow. And
when I got up and looked at my face I
saw that it was not in the nature of hings
that could ever ask n lass to have me.
So Just stayed away and made believe
tfat-that l had changed nay mind"
The man pauses. He is mot glib of speech,
though quick enough at sea- As he takes
up the little teapot and shakes it round
wise. after the manner of the galley, his
great brown hand shakes too
Il would not have come back here" he
goes on after a silence: but the Mallard
was ordered to the Tyne. And chap must
do his duty by his shipmates and his own
ers. And / thought 1t would be safe
after eleven years. When 1 saw the old
place and srnelt the smell OF the old wo-
mans frying pan. I could not get past
the deor. But l hung around, looking to
make sure there were no BARNS piayiHg
IN the floor I have only come in. lass I
to pass the time of day and to tell you
yere free woman"
He is net looking at her. He seems to find ]
That difficult. So he does not see the queer /
little smile-rather sadder, in ITSELF than
tears.
And you stayed away eleven years
because o. that" says the woman slowly.
"Ay, you know lass. I'm no great hand
1t the preaching and Bibles ami the like:
but 1t seems pretty clear that them
who's working things did not think it -fft
that we should marry. And soit'was sent.
got to think it so in time-least, l thinkit's
hat sometimes AMI no woman would like