Spirit of Jefferson. [volume] (Charles Town, Va. [W. Va.]) 1844-1948, 1900-01-23


glow of red handkerchief bound about
black braids. The lake filed the little
rooms within the breakwater with 4
thousand voices that seemed to call out
to Dun that he was a fool, ana 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
at the door,
Are you going to marry me?p ne
cried. His hands were clinched and his
eyes hot.
s.What is the matter2 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 came
to see you"
'How could know you we're com
ing?"
Il lie awake most Of the night, Aga
tina, 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 of your windows we can see the
water, but here we can only see the
dirty street"
he sank into a chair and leaned his
head against the wall. He was unhap-
py-so unhappy that, almost without
meaning it, Agatha went over and
kissed him.
.'Then you don't hate mef'' he cried.
throwing his arms about her. The girl
grew pale.
s'Why should hate you, Duff2 Have
ever acted as If hated you?''
He went home determined to bring
the marriage to pass as soon as possi-
BILE. and he bought shawl from Bohe-
mia beautiful with many colors, which
he laid aside to give his bride. Also he
arranged with the priest. He got flow
ers in pots to place in his home in the
breakwater, and he thought of how the
two of them would sing together so
loud that they would drown the sound
of the waves even in a 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
moonlight. 1t was October now, but
moon rose the color of blood. But,
though he waited 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 inshore and the men
went to the market laden with their
scaly burdens. The next evening he
went to her home. and her father met
him at the door.
Agatha wanted me TO tell you some
thing for her. said the father. .'She
is going to marry bricklayer who has
fine furnished fiat of his own He is
rich. She was just fooling when she
said she would live in the breaiw
Ea, ha! That was n funny idea, Duff!
You didn't really expect she would
marry you, did you? She was only
fooling She thought it was funny to
play she was going to live with the
fishes. She is good girl, is Agatha,
but she likes to have her play. You
must not mind what a girl like that
does, Duff. She does nothing but laugh
all day long. But when the brIcklayer
talked marriage to her l told her she
must stop her foolishness"
Yes said Duff and got up and went
home.
he found his boat tied where he left
1.-THE knew the trick of hiding boat-
and he got in it and rowed along the
inky waters to his door. The piers,
black against the bIackness, were like
the teeth of monster, and his door
seemed to be In the cavity made by
lost tooth. Within it was cold, but he
lay down without covering himself be-
fore the crucifix and let all the voices
of the waste yell "Fool! Foolg
through his dwelling. He let the voices
have their way because he knew that
he and Agatha would never sing them
down. Agatha would never be there
again, and as for him-was it likely
that he would sing?-Exchange