The true northerner., 1897-10-06
ALLAN FAME.
BY HELEN BEEKMAN.
TWO figures slowly paced the bea


peeping from behind a line of fieecy
clouds, seemed to look amazed at the
unwonted scene, for in the quiet little
fishing village the sight of human be-
ings, the sound of human voices, after
the church clock had pealed forth nine
positive strokes, were rare occurrences
indeed.
Fine food for village gossip would
make, Allan Fame, were to be seen n t
this hour with you," said one of the
TWO, girl, whose tall, 1.-THE figure
seemed like reed beside the stalwart
form of her companion, but seemed
sitting up there and felt l must come
down and listen to the sea. How was
i to know i should find you here"
Il am always here, Ellie, watching
the light in your easement window till
it fiickers and dies, then enyying even
the darkness which surrounds you, en-
veloping you in its presence, till wan
der home and toss about on my bed till
morning. You should not come down
here alone. 1t is not safe"
Not safee Indeed. Is not the sea my
only mother? Did she not bear me on
her great white reastand east me here,
a little helpless child, with her golden
hair all drenched with salt spray, her
little white garments clinging TO her
limbs? All, Father Green is very kind,
and so is Mother Eunice, but some
times i fancy a tall man in soldiers
uniform, with much glitter Of gold, toss
ing a baby girl high upon his shoulder,
sometimes listens TO the lispipg of a
Childish tongue, with head bent low at
the knee of a fair-haired woman with
delicate white hands sparkling with
rings, who stoops and kisses the kneel-
ing child with loving tenderness. Then
1 stifle> and if could not rush out into
'he air, could not stand beside the dear
old sea and listen to the stories my ear
alone can understand l would go mad"
Poor Ellie! Poor little girl" the
man replied. mo wonder these people
cannot understand you, with your pref
~, dainty ways SO unlike their own,
with your sweet, fair beauty, instrange
contrast to the flashing black eyes and
bright red cheeks of their own buxom
laSsies. All, we'll | remember the day
when, rs you say, the sea cast YOU at
our feet. Seth Green had just come in
in his fishing smack, and il was his keen
eye which first detected the white atom
the waves seemed to bear so tenderly.
Then when il came nearer and he saw
it was little child lashed to a spar, his
arms were the first TO receive YOU.
When you opened your eyes you smiled
up into his face, and with that smile you
won his heart. He is only fisherman
like myself, with rough exterior like
mine. but l think, Ellie, he would lay
down his life rather than too rough
wind should blow upon, his one eve
lamb. even as l would do for your sake"
"Ah, Allan" sobbed the girl, "how un-
grateful you make me seem. Am / not
as ignorant as you, save what little
learning the good cure has given me?
Is not all / have been telling YOU the
freak of an idle Imagination? And yet
at times ii seems so real"
$50 il may be, Ellie, dear, but if, after
all this lapse of time, some one should
come from the great world TO claim you.
would it give you no pain TO say fare
well? Ab, if, instead of vain repnings,
you would come to the shelter of an hon
est mans home, humble enough, God
knows, for your little feet 10 enter. but
where you should be guarded as a
jewel beyond price; where your white
hands should ne'er be soiled or your
brow bear evidence of single care,
would it not be better, dear? Come,
10 haa a,+
put it in fine words but never man
loved woman better than love YOU.
don't ask answering love from you.
How could you give it TO such as ann?
i only want your smile TO light my
hearthstone, your voice to give me gen
tie greeting, the right TO feed that YOU
are mine to work for. fight for, if need
be, die for!"
And for all this you ask so little, AL
Ian! You think me so ungrateful as to
take it all when can yield so meager a
return? All, no. This fancy will pass,
and when there waits your Homecoming
some woman whose hands are not
afraid of honest work for her husba nd's
comfort, whose voice can give you back
your words of love. whose lips can echo
your kisses, you will thank me then for
turning from the bright picture you
paint for me. Our hearts are strange
things, Allan, and serve us strange
tricks. but we cannot force them. For
give me and forget me. Good night"
and the girl turned wearily away, while
the strong man threw himself pros
trate on the sand and lay there motion
less for hours. He had known his dream
was vain, but il had taken none the less
hold upon him. Since the hour he had
held the little childish hand in his boy
ish grasp, neither as child nor woman
had she made of him an unheeded re-
quest. And now that he had only put in
words the story his reason had long
known. it yet came upon him like a new
blow from an unseen hand. All night
he lay where he had thrown himself,
and when at last, reused by the suns
beams, he rose, his face bore sad traces
Of the nights conflict.
1t was somewhat surprise to the
stolid villagers when Ernest Hammond,
who had come amongst them for a
months fshinp let one month Olide