The commonwealth. (Greenwood, Miss.) 1896-1923, 1897-10-15
flcck, that their dsrk-haired daughter

neads less ominously when day by day
h found his way 10 Seth Green's cot
tage. or night after night found him sit
ting in Seth Green's doorway. He al
ways had a friendly word. a friendly
pipe for the gray-haired fisherman. lis.
tened 10 his long yarns with keen in
%terest, while ever and anon a new gown
o. handsome shawl would find its way
- Mother Eunice's stores. So the
worthy couple came to greet the hand
some face with honest welcome, listen
to his voice with genuine liking. yet
failed 10 see the bushes play at hide
and-seek on the girls fair cheek, OF
watch the stolen g~lances which passed
from the mans eyes to hers.
A new page in life's history seemed
opening before her wondering gate.
batteries delicately yelled, thoughts
snbtly spoken, led her daily into re-
gions strange and unknown. That
night. upon the beach, when she had
watched with pitying gaze a strong man
wrestle with his agony, seemed passing
from her memory, while a new, deli
cions feeling filed all her heart and life.
Vet = stranga narr sboots ,brorrh har
as now and then she sees Allan Fame
cCme and go. She misses his kindly
smile, his welcoming words, until she
forgets both in the gladness which fills
her heart at Ernest Hammond's com
ing.
The summer has been passing
sweet" he says 10 her one day, but |
must have done with idleness and go
back to my working life. viii you miss
Inc. Mignon"
win | miss YOU? lean scarce tell till
I know what absence means"
".Ah, ! need no absence to assure me of
the void my soul will know. You have
given the summer all its brightness,
Ellie. When | first saw your face. fair
beauty, | wondered what strange wind
could have blown you to this rough
ing breeze. as having waited to my side
the falrest thing on which my eyes had
ever rested. Some day, Ellie, You h
leave this place and make your home
"ttn me My VIE VIII take Sood care
OF YOU
Your wife? are married, then?'
broke from the girls white lips, while
as IN a vision came memories of his
locks. his acts, his words-aU, all
breathing love, and that love for her.
NO, moi married exactly" came the
reply, as though he We're speaking afar
off, although so soon 20 be that | can
play truant no longer. | shah often
think of you. Ellie, often picture your
fair beauty. and | fear. married or
otherwise, / shall envy with mad envy
the MAJ who culls you for his own"
"rhen envy I not the woman whom
YOU call wife. Go back to your gay
world and the Girl who awaits Your
coming: greet both with fair words:
press her Young lips to YOURS, but re-
member one woman lives who would
feel her ears poisoned by our whis-
pered caresses. her lips sullied by the
touch Of yours. | thank you that you
have robbed your going of all its sting"
elsie, Elsie.," exclaimed the man,
who had listened, with a great amaze
ment growing in his eyes. Listen ere
YOU so reproach me. | loved Won ere |
knew il. | meant not to drift into dis
honor nor vet to tell YOU of my love,
since the telling made it such. Listen,
ELSIE. Return that winch mas burst all
bounds to-day Let me see You smile
upon me as OF old and will break every
bond that holds me, so that only can
hold you to my heart and call you
mime
Think you that | would accept your
love at such a price. above ana beyond
all tainted with ~dishohor' am nut a
simple girl, ernest Hammond, bnt the
way of truth and honesty is at least
open to me. You nave proved to me
how false a thihg may be, let the out-
side be fair AS it may. doubt not | shall
be the better for the lesson
Then she turned and left him, with
her words ringing in his ear, her look
of scorn engraven on his heart. 1t had
been pleasant pastime, and now that
it was ended he had expected a rush OF
tears, l~ow-spoken fareweIls, choked by
sobs, and 10, he had met "A woman's
dry-eyed scorn, n fe't a new respect
spring into birth for her who had called
it forth
The hummer waned, the harvest fruits
were gathered. The winter came with
its garb of purity, but Ellie seemed to
take no heed of time. The old people
listened vainly for the ripple of song
they loved so well to hear, and wondered
what had come over the child. But
there was an hour close at hand when
all idle surmises were swallowed up in
one common throb of anxious fear.
Two fishing boats had gone out from
their midst. Allan Fame commanding
them. but only one had rome back in