The Afro-American advance. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1899-19??, 1900-08-11

/ In the pleasant northern twilight the
fishermen foregathered to smoke and
talk
Sometimes the young schoolmaster
smoked and talked with them, in pur-
suance Of wise pedagogical policy.
Far more frequently, howefer,Zhe
went TO a large house which stood
apart from the village. And thereby
hangs this tale.
II was because OF the girl-the
brown-eyed daughter Of old John
Shea. Her natural eleyerness attract
ed him. jusaas her simplicity and
ably more than all the world to the
young fisherman. Paul Fralic.
Paul Fraiic was handsome man
and a strong. with the roughness Of
his kind. but with much Of its ten
derness as well. He had loved old
shea's daughter as long as he Ind been
able TO love anything. and Tenants
conceded his position by calling her
"Pauls girl.2,The more so asZhe
sailed his own sehooner-which sigui-
fled much And that very summer,
he-wlth a tremor In his deep voice
asked the girl TO help him run" q
little cOttnge that was rising near the
harbor Then the scboolmnster came,
and before long Paul found the maid
en- was less eager TO listen 10 his sea
tales or TO admire the new cottage,
where the smell OF fresh-cut timber
lay sweet on the air.
Aud the summer wore away. Paul
was absent for days at n time, fish
ing on the off-shore soundings. Al
each return he found more to anger
him. but never chance TO clear up
his doubts. When he visited the big
house IL was 10 sit outside with the
father smoking in black silence
while the sch0olmaster read or talked
TO the girl.
Paul was n man Of few words. but
his heart was brave. Therefore he
went down one day TO the cottage.
II was nearly completed and he
looked 1t over grimly. Then he adj
dressed the carpenter who had saun-
tered up
Guess you needn't finish this yer
shack jest yet, Sam. Mebbe | won't
want IL so soon, arter all"
whats up now2' asked Sam. who
was also fisherman. and had rejoiced
In Pauls good luck.
"Wal, I'm a-goin' 10 take the schoon-
err out Boston way. n try fer cargo
this winter. An ! guess you can leave
the house wait a bit now "
The other man stared, but Paul
turned away, walking slowly toward
the village, and the cottage was left
TO the sun by day and the moon by
night, and always to the moaning
wind.
The year grew on TO autumn, and
the school was In full swing. Paul
never went 10 the big house.
lie was fitting out the sehoon-
er for the winter. In the In
tervals Of work he sought the
bluff at the harbor mouth that
watched the troubled waters round
the Bull Kinder cranky" said the
village fishermen. Once he saw In
the distance the schoolmaster APP
proachIng with the girl. After that
he went there no more.
II was a week later that The first
OF the autumn gales swept In from
the Atlantic. Now, on the dry that
the storm was getting up 20 seward
Paul Fralic went TO his schooner early
In the morning 10 prepare for a start
when the weather moderated. Gray
was the sky In the offing, with patches
of flying cloud-rack. while the ground
swell grumbled all along the coast.
sending great smooth waves to rock
the vessels anchored az Tenants.
There was no cause for anyone to
leave the harhor; yet, as day bright
ened over the water Paul saw a small
rowboat put out from one of the
wharves and head for the open sea.
He looked at II euriously, knowing
that all the fishermen were busy on
shiphoard and that none OF them had
any business at the hnrhor mouth in
the face OF big storm.
The boat--a light thing with n
single occnpant--kcpt well under the
shore. and II was with difficulty that
Paul recognized the tall. slim figure
of the oarsmau, When he did, three
things came TO his remembrance.
That old John shea had treated the
schoolmaster with oathS and con
tumely and finally had fatty refused
him as a son-in-iaw; that II was only
six miles coastwise 10 the next village.
where the railroad ran 20 the city;
and lastly. that the youth himself was
hot headed and lmpulsiye. Also, there
was a hidden path by which anyone
even girl--could go from the big
house 20 the shore outside the village
To these thoughts seems 20 have
succeeded very logical conclusion.
Paurs reasoning may have been prim.
tive hut a duty lay upon him. He
cherished no illusions in his heart,
what he did know was the imnossi.
blllty Of any rover reaching the next
village before the storm smashed him
against the granite cliffs Therefore
said rover must be brought back
and his companion likewise. As the
strange craft rounded the lighthouse
point Paul jumped into the boat lying
astern OF his chooner.
Coin out ter the light" he ex.
planned to- the heads that looked over
from above. Keep To work ON them
sails"
At the haFhor mouth he rested on
4 H.