The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1899-11-14
A Tragedy of the Breakwater

/ troubles, and was no more concerned
| about the rice in house rates than were
the foxes Of the fields or the rats of the
Wharves
By day he sat upon the breakwater, one
Of a patient row of fishermen, and by
| night he let himself gently down from
his height by means of a rope ladder. to
a small floating platform before an open
ing in the piers. These piers were the
pillars to his front door. And within the
Dreakwater was Duffs home.
He had framed two rooms in this cave
Of eonjoining stalagmites and stalactites,
rooted them neatly, f1cored them well,
and had run a stove pipe out lateraliy.
In this retreat. visible only from the
water and run in unconscious defiance
of the city authorities, Duff kept the
necessaries of life.
Nothing was needed, except. possibly, a
wife. Duff noticed this lack, being an
observant man. and when he rowed about
the familiar waters in his skif or toast
ed his dry bread over his fire, or lay
in his bed, listening to the sounds Of
his solitude. he thought much about the
matter. Sometimes it made him laugh;
oftener 1t made him little sad.
Duff knew a woman. She was Mat
Hendricks daughter and she wore a red
handkerchief about her head when she
came fishing with her father. Full of his
idea, Duff baited Agatha's hook for her
whole week of windy June days. At
the end of that time he asked her TO go
riding in his boat with him in the moon
light, and she went. Duff listened to her
talking and her laughter, and liked It
much 1t was not so lonesome as the
sound OF the waves. He told her about
his home, and she laughed harder than
before. And he rowed her, all in the
marvellous moonshine, up to the break
water, and persuaded her to pass between
the piers and to stand on the floor of his
house, and then she laughed still more
1T is like story" she cried. ut can
not be true! It is not like other things
I know it is not true! am only dream
ing"
1T is true" protested Duff. "And also
it is true that 1 want you to come here
and live with me. You can help me with
the fish. Some day we shall have money
enough to buy a boat with sails. And
I will give you a wedding present, maybe,
If you will marry me soon.''
agatha laughed.
But whatever we have new. we must
never have a new house" she cried 1--WE
must live here where the fishes can come
to visit me. Tap. tap, I shall hear at
the door, and when 1 open It, there will
be big fish in his Sunday best. Come
in I shall say to him, and in he viii
come, and will call you down and we
will drink tea together" and still laugh
ing, she peered out of the little window at
the shimmering water and clapped her
hands
Duff took it for granted that all was
settled, and ne did nothing but plan for
his marriage. He bought some things for
the house-a cricif1x and some new cook
ing tins and red cover for the table.
In September he noticed that she ceased
to come with her father to the breakwa-
ter.
She wants me TO go after her." he
said to himself, wisely. So he went, much
dressed, and with his curls freshly cut
But she was not at home, though it was
evening; nor did she come to the break
water all that week. The days seem
ed as If they would never end, while he
pretended to watch his lines, yet sat with
his eyes upon the path that led across
the railroad tracks, down which Agatha
always walked. He grew desperate, and
one day went in search of the girl. She
was at home ironing some clothes, and
she looked a little frightened when she
saw him coming in at the door.
Are you going to marry me?" he cried.
His hands were clinched and his eyes
hot
What is the matter? Why do you
speak SOP" faltered Agatha.
You haven't been to the breakwater
for days"
There's no law to make me fish,"
''You were not at home when I came
to see you"
How could I know you were coming?''
81 lie awake most of the night, Agatha,
thinking of you"
more fool you, Duff. Come in and sit
down. My home is not so strange as
yours, but you are welcome to 1t. Out
tof your windows we can see the water
but here we can see only the dirty
street."
He sank into a chair and leaned HIS
head against the wall. He was unhappy
so unhappy that, almost without mean
ing it, Agatha went over and kissed
him
Then, you don't hate mer' he cried,
throwing his arms about her. The girl
grew pale.
''Why should I hate you, Duff? Have
ever acted as If I hated you?''
He went home determined to bring the
marriage to pass as soon as possible. and
he bought a shawl from Bohemia. beau
tiful and with many colors. which he
laid aside to give TO his bride. Also he
arranged with the priest. He got flowers
in pots to place in his home in the
breakwater, and ne thought of how the
two Of them would sing together so loud
that they would drown the sound Of the
waves, even in storm.
Then the days grew so few to the day
he had set for his wedding that he could
count them.
One evening she promised him that she
would go again for a ride in the moon
light 1t was October now, but the
weather was still warm, and the moon
rose the color Of blood. But though ne
waited a long time at the place where
she had promised to meet him. she did
not come. Nor was she with the fishers /
the next day, though the wind was in
shore, and the mon went to the market /
laden with their scaly burdens. The next +
evening he went 10 her home, and her /
father met him at the door.
Agatha wanted me to tell you some /
thing for her" sair the father. She /
is going 70 marry bricklayer who has
a fine furnished fat OF his own He Is I
rich. She was just fooling when she /
said she would live IN the breskwater. !
Hal ha, That was a funny idea. Dur, 1
You didn't really expect she would marry B
YOU uid YOU enc was Only AvoiiHs. SGe /
thought It was funny 20 play she was !
going to live with the fishes. She IS =
good girl. is Agatha. but she likes 70 1
have her play. You must not mind what 4
g girl ike that does. Dun She does 4
nothing but laugh all day long. But when 4
the hTick'ayer talked marriage 70 her 4
told her she must stop her fooiiShness"
Yes" said Duff. and got Up and went /
home.
He found his boat tied where re lett 4
it-and he got IN Il and rowed along tie 4
Inky waters - his door. The piers, black /