A SINGER FROM THE SEA
by AMELIA E. BARR
AUTHOR OF "JAN VEDDER'S WIFE," "THE BOW OF ORANGE RIBBON," "FRIEND OLIVIA," ETC., ETC.
NEW YORK DODD, MEAD & COMPANY PUBLISHERS
Copyright, 1893, by DODD, MEAD & COMPANY.
_All rights reserved._
CONTENTS.
CHAPTER PAGE I. DENAS PENELLES 1 II. OH, THE PITY OF IT! 22 III. THE COTTAGE BY THE SEA 41 IV. THE SEED OF CHANGE 59 V. WHAT SHALL BE DONE FOR ROLAND? 77 VI. ELIZABETH AND DENAS 95 VII. IS THERE ANY SORROW LIKE LOVING? 115 VIII. A SEA OF SORROW 138 IX. A PIECE OF MONEY AND A SONG 161 X. A VISIT TO ST. PENFER 181 XI. FATHERLY AND MOTHERLY 199 XII. A COWARDLY LOVE 225 XIII. DEATH IS DAWN 251 XIV. SORROW BRINGS US ALL HOME 272 XV. ONLY FRIENDS 295 XVI. THE "DARLING DENAS" 314 XVII. DENAS 331
A SINGER FROM THE SEA.
CHAPTER I.
DENAS PENELLES.
"'Tell me, my old friend, tell me why You sit and softly laugh by yourself.' 'It is because I am repeating to myself, Write! write Of the valiant strength, The calm, brave bearing Of the sons of the sea.'" --FRENCH ROWING SONG
"And that is why I have written this book Of the things that live in your noble hearts. You are really the authors of it. I have only put into words The frank simplicity of your sailor life." --GUILLAUME DE LA LAUDELLE.
From Padstow Point to Lundy Race is one of the wildest and grandest portions of the Cornish coast, and on it there is always somewhere a tossing sea, a stiff breeze above, and a sucking tide below. Great cliffs hundreds of feet high guard it, and from the top of them the land rolls away in long ridges, brown and bare. These wild and rocky moors, full of pagan altars, stone crosses, and memorials of the Jew, the Phoenician, and the Cornu-British, are the land of our childhood's fairy-folk--the home of Blunderbore and of Jack the Giant Killer, and the far grander
"Fable of Bellerus old, And the great vision of the Guarded Mount."
But it is the Undercliff which has the perennial charm for humanity, for all along its sloping face there are bewildering hummocks and hollows, checkered with purple rocks and elder-trees. Narrow footpaths curve in and out and up and down among the fields and farms, the orchards and the glimmering glades, and there the foxgloves grow so tall that they lift their dappled bells level with the eyes.
Table of contents (by pages)
- 1: A Singer from the Sea by Barr
- 2: It is like this Denas she be what she is
- 3: Penelles loved her with a sure affection
- 4: Penfer suspicious and not at all respectable
- 5: Roland Tresham had met Denas Penelles
- 6: But Denas never envied her these things
- 7: Penelles went forward to meet them
- 8: Penfer harbour is not much of a place
- 9: Denas is vexed about Roland Tresham
- 10: Penfer was indeed a very poor one
- 11: Tresham had the same opinion in a more positive form
- 12: I respect and like Miss Tresham
- 13: Denas wondered at Elizabeth's want of interest
- 14: Denas nevertheless heard Roland's whole sweet confession
- 15: He believed that Denas believed in herself
- 16: Talking about Denas being false to her father and mother
- 17: Have any love nonsense with Denas Penelles
- 18: And Denas lay dreaming of Roland
- 19: Denas had gone to a neighbouring farm for milk
- 20: Denas herself was knitting a guernsey
- 21: At this hour Denas hated her knitting
- 22: And the presence of Denas did not comfort her
- 23: Then he looked anxiously at Denas
- 24: And Denas has been something like one to me
- 25: Nor was Denas averse to go home
- 26: And finally Denas believed him
- 27: And all the circumstances were against Denas
- 28: And Pyn will bring a message to St
- 29: He kept Denas by his side until the gloaming was quite gone
- 30: And not you that should be vexed at all
- 31: Denas was not really responsible for this change
- 32: But Denas walked there very rapidly
- 33: And no warning outside the letter
- 34: Denas possessed it in anticipation
- 35: 'Tis a good thing Miss Tresham be well married
- 36: Priscilla Mohun was full of news
- 37: Denas related all that Priscilla had told her
- 38: Why have you taken a dislike to Denas
- 39: I daresay he put Caroline up to refuse me
- 40: And Roland took them away with gentle force
- 41: You are very complimentary to Denas
- 42: And Elizabeth and Denas entered together
- 43: So she had Denas all to herself
- 44: Denas went to Priscilla Mohun's
- 45: Denas remained with Priscilla until three o'clock
- 46: I say that Denas behaved very rudely
- 47: And Denas looked up with a smile to answer him
- 48: And Denas was glad that Elizabeth should suffer
- 49: Denas touched a bell and returned to Roland
- 50: Denas had more force of character
- 51: Penfer and on one little cottage on its shingle
- 52: Denas would leave her home as usual on Monday morning
- 53: John Penelles is a busker of a fisherman
- 54: It taught Denas to feel that her secrecy was not her fault
- 55: Then Denas with trembling hands lifted the loaf
- 56: Of course Denas had no idea of taking either way
- 57: Denas put her arms around his neck and kissed him
- 58: She be the fondest little maid
- 59: And when Denas had reached the foot of the cliff
- 60: Then she said Denas Penelles
- 61: I am the daughter of John Penelles
- 62: Denasia Penelles is a very distinguished name
- 63: John Penelles was hastening toward his boat
- 64: Be yourself and tell Joan what is the matter
- 65: And so find out if Denas had been lawfully married
- 66: Every word of his quarrel with Jacob Trenager
- 67: Even as a father pitieth his children
- 68: Denas had a silk robe on and a little pink opera cloak
- 69: If Denas Penelles have gone out of the way
- 70: And not inclined to discuss Roland with a stranger
- 71: And I can reasonably deduce a great deal more
- 72: Roland tired of going a pleasuring
- 73: Silently Roland handed Denas into the waiting cab
- 74: And Denas sang each one better
- 75: We must give them Denasia in small doses
- 76: As they passed John and Joan on their way home
- 77: Joan sat upright with a troubled face
- 78: Denasia did not indeed reason about the event
- 79: Denas is my relative by marriage
- 80: Denas is a noble little darling
- 81: You are the devil incarnate to John Penelles
- 82: I shall make up splendidly as Romeo
- 83: Go afore John Penelles do find you here
- 84: Have you no message to send to Denas
- 85: And in the small parlour Denasia was taking a dancing lesson
- 86: I hate Elizabeth and Elizabeth hates me
- 87: Though not as happy as Denasia had hoped it would be
- 88: Denasia knew her mother's passionate nature
- 89: Penfer post office during a storm
- 90: She was certain that before Denas danced
- 91: Denasia looked up from her writing with a smile
- 92: I cannot take you to Burrell Court
- 93: And she was likely going to sit an hour with Ann Trewillow
- 94: All the time she was thinking of Denas
- 95: Denasia clung closely to Roland
- 96: Roland and Denasia became at last impatient to be off
- 97: Denasia was extremely opposed to this view
- 98: Denasia could not be said to be a success
- 99: Denasia was facing the sorrowful hopes of motherhood
- 100: So the next day Denasia went to the agencies
- 101: Denasia had lost the freshness of her beauty
- 102: Lanhearne received him at once
- 103: He had great financial misfortunes
- 104: Elizabeth was right right even about Denasia
- 105: Denasia came home weary and disappointed
- 106: Lanhearne the old gentleman said This is Ada's church
- 107: If Denasia had been singing anywhere
- 108: Lanhearne grew very fond of him
- 109: Lanhearne did not altogether approve of them
- 110: Lanhearne probably divined its origin
- 111: He went forward and Denasia stood erect
- 112: Lanhearne thought he understood the position exactly
- 113: She felt no anger toward Denasia
- 114: Lanhearne could not avoid weeping
- 115: Lanhearne was a member paid the last pitiful rites
- 116: Lanhearne entered the room as she spoke
- 117: As the Lanhearnes sailed southward Denas sailed eastward
- 118: For Lord Sudleigh was to dine with her
- 119: She stood up and looked at Denasia
- 120: Because Roland desired you to have them
- 121: And Denasia knew that she had made a mistake
- 122: Her lawyer and appraiser were busy when Denasia arrived
- 123: She was silent until Denasia was closing the door
- 124: Penfer she would buy a couple of printed gowns
- 125: As she drew near to her father's cottage
- 126: Denas opened the door and stood just within the room
- 127: When Denas was a babe in the cradle
- 128: Denas became conscious of a change in it
- 129: And when Roland died they were mine
- 130: Arundel was with the coast guard and saw him
- 131: Was all too short for Joan and Denas
- 132: It was such a joy to have Denas beside him
- 133: You may read the Cornish seas like a book
- 134: Called their beloved teacher Denas Penelles
- 135: Denas be 'fraid of her own self
- 136: It must be John Penelles' boat
- 137: Denas Penelles was a veritable romance to them
- 138: This masterful condition impressed Denas greatly
- 139: All their joys and sorrows to Denas
- 140: Arundel was aware of the tradition
- 141: Penfer being nearer than Pentrath
- 142: And Denas gave herself freely to their persuasion
- 143: The long winter months passed happily away to Denas
- 144: Denas regarded the incident as a happy omen
- 145: But Denas knew well that it was unlucky
- 146: Tris rose and offered his hand to Denas