Smyrna times., 1900-01-31
:. TRAGEDY OF THE 5,
BREAKN4TER.
A Story of Coquette and a Fool

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There are creatures who can be made
hOmeless-men who save pennies to
pay for rent and women who are
afraid of evictions. But Duff Green |
knew no such troubles and was no |
more concerned about the rise in house |
rates than were the foxes of the fields |
or the rats of the wharfs He had |
peculiar habits and might have been |
called amphibious if it had not been
for the fact that he lived neither upon
the land nor the lake, but upon and
within the breakwater.
That is to say. by day he sat upon
the breakwater, one of a patient row
of fishermen, and by night he let him
self gently down from his height by
means of rope ladder to a small float
ing platform before an opening in the
piers. These piers were the pillars
to his front door. And within the
breakwater was Duff's home.
He had framed two rooms in this
cave of conjoining stalagmites and
stalactites, rooted them neatly, floored
them well and had run a stovepipe
out laterally. In this retreat. visible
only from the water and run in Gncon-
scious defiance of the city authorities,
Duff kept the necessaries of life-fOod
in his cupboard, fuel for his stove.
chairs for himself and two friends. a
clock and a calendar.
Nothing was needed except perhaps
a wife. Duff noticed this lack, being
an observant man, and when he rowed
about the familiar waters in his skiff
or toasted 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; ofteper it made him little sad.
Duff loved the singing of the water
better than any sound in the world,
and he was not quite certain to what
degree a woman's voice would add to
the harmony of tapping waters and
wailing winds.
Duff knew a woman. She was Mat
Hendricks daughter, and she wore
ed handkerchief about her head when
he came fishing with her father. Full
Of his idea, Duff baited Agatha's hook
for her a whole week of windy June
days. At the end of. that time he ask
ed her to go riding in his boat with
him in the moonlight, 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 moon
shine, up to the breakwater and per-
suaded her to pass between the piers
and to stand on the floor of his house
and then she laughed still more.
1T is like a story" she cried. "It
cannot be truel 1t is not like othel
thngs-I know it is not true! l an
only dreaming"
\ 1T is true" protested Duff. "Ant
also it is true that | want you to come
i here and live with me. You can hell
n me with the fish. Some day we shal
n have money enough to buy boat witt
sails. And | will give you a wedding
present. maybe, if you will marry IN
Soon"
Agatha laughed.
n Dul WIdleNtE We hdNC hC"f
must never have a new house." sh
cried 1--WE must live here where tn
fishes can come to visit me. Tap, tai
/ shall hear at the door. and when
open it there will be big fish all in hi
Sunday best Come in shall say
him, and in he will come, and l WI
call you down, and we will drink te
together" And, still laughing, she loo
ed out of the little window at IL
shimmering water and clapped h'
hands.
Duff took it for granted that all wa
settled, and he did nothing but pla
Tor his marriage. He bought son
things for the house-a crucifx M
Some new cooking tins and a red Gov
Tor the table. And he saved as mu'
money as he could. for he knew I'd
MS wedding would cost him gre
deal At night he slept only part
Ile time, and he dreamed and dream
Oh Agatha. while the water witho
inflated her laugh
In September he noticed that $
ceased to come with her father to I
breakwater.
one wants me to go aIter heI'
sad to himself wisely. So he we
much dressed and with his curls frei
cut. But she was not at hOr
nough 1t was evening, nor did
come to the breakwater all that we
Inc days seemed as If they would n
81 end, while he pretended to wa
us lines. yet sat with his eyes vi
.ue path that led across the railrC
uacks down which Agatha alwi
walked. But though he saw ms
coming that way he did not catch