The Prince George's enquirer and southern Maryland advertiser. (Upper Marlborough, Md.) 1882-1925, 1904-02-12
geleet @isrellany.
Bread and Love.

"I'll have to tell her tonight said
Jean Modesto.
He swept the last brown folds of a
net together, and, rising slowly, hung
them on a nail behind the door. He
stood for moment looking round the
little broken down shed which smelt
80 strongly of fish and tar. His
straight, dark features wore, for once,
a look of distaste. The narrow bed in
the corner, the wet nets that draped
the walls, the old sea-chest upon which
he had been sitting, the gaudy Virgin
and Child which his dead mother had
pinned long ago beside the tiny win
dow-tbey were so poor and wretched,
these things, after all. And yet, un-
less be obeyed his father now, even
these few poverty stricken possessions
would be his no longer.
He turned away with sudden, i'm
patient movement, and went. out. 1t
was evening, and men were lounging
against the low wall of the quay.
Snatches of talk and laughter came
and went upon the still air. At sea a
mist was rising after the heat of the
day, like a thin white curtain which
an unseen hand kept moving to and fro.
Jean Modesto strobe along the quay
in silence. The loungers turned to
look at him as be went, and one or two
flung a jovial remark after him. He
heard the word "wedding' at least
twice, and each time his black head
went a little higher in the air, and his
eyes cleaned sullenly. Someone
laughed as he passed, and he set his
teeth and muttered curse under his
breath. His father had not been long
about publishing bis victory.
He left the quay and struck through
the pines along the shore. Under the
red rocks that jutted out in a little
promontory into the sea girl was
waiting. He caught the flutter Of her
dress, the CLEAN of her hair as she
came, and set bis teeth again. 1t was
that cleaning mass of hair, SO unusual
to bis Southern eyes, which had caught
his fancy first when he saw her lean
ing over the wall Of the quay.
She saw him long before be reached
her, but she did not come to meet him,
as she had always done before. In
stead, she stood very still, her hands
hanging at her sides, only her dress
fluttering now and then as the sea air
caught it. When at last he came close
to her he saw that her face was very
pale, ber wide, soft eyes had strained
look. Even the bright Lair that be
loved was ruffled and wild, as though
she had not cared to smooth it back
before she came out. -.
He held out his hands, but, with a
sudden movement, she shrank back.
For moment neither spoke. He
stood suddenly before her, his head
bent, his eyes full of a sombre fire;
mad anger against her, himself, his
father-the whole world-tearing at
his heart.
20, JEAN" her voice was thin and
hoarse, sit isn't trut?'
He could not look at her. He tried
to find words to answer, but they
would not come. Suddenly she turned
from bin, and dropping on to red
footstool Of rock, covered her face with
her hands.
20, Jean!''-he heard the sobs chok-
ing her as she spoke-'you promised
me-you promised"
She was still, save for the grief that
shook her as she sat there rocking her
self to and fro with the dreadful me-
chanical regularity of despair. He
stood before her, mute, sullen, tall
blue figuare possessed by all the devils