The weekly standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1869-18??, 1869-12-15
SELECTED STORIES.
How a Quarrel Ended.
BY KATHARINE S. MAceuo1D.
aAnd I say it isn't

aAnd I say it isn't"
"Fanny pa pause after the word, as if
the speaker tried to get rid of lump in his
throat s.you're playing the fool: you've no
more notion how I love you than you have
of the height you're standing at above the
sea. I tell you, I'd rather see you lying
down there, washed up by the tide, than
know that you want to go back again to
the beach of your own will, and be looked
at BY that lath-and-plaster fellow of a cap
tain" g-~-
And vet, while the fierce words pass the
young fisherman's lips, he takes firm grasp
of his companions arm, lest some sudden
movement should draw her nearer the gid
dy edge. 81
The sun had begun to set when these two,
John Fry and Fanny Haywood, began to
quarrel, and now he has just sunk into the
purple bed of clouds, risen up from the sea
to receive him. There has been scene of
magnificent and fast changing color; Grim
SON, and purple, and gold-now by turns,
now all at once-have held their places on
the tender ground of chrysolite-green, fast
fading into gray; though its final hue ling
ers among the rock-pools below the cliffs,
mingled with rosy CLEANS that reflect them
selve from scattered cloud-lines. The rag
ged, perpendicular cliff rises some four hun
bred feet above the sea, and about third
way down its steep side runs the path or
ledge on which the lovers stand. They
care nothing for the sunset, nor for the e1-
quisite scene below them. On the right,
the tiny village, nesting in the gorge of
high hills-on one side wooded to the base,
on the other a precipice of rock, rich in
brown and purple shadows-every here
and there in its depths revealing glimpse
of the white, .foaming river, that comes
struggling and tumbling over huge gray
stones to the sea while farther still, on the
right, stretches range of lofty cliffs, the
hues of which mock the power of words to
render, as successfully as they elude the
painters resources TO depict-crimson, pur
pie, violet, of richest tones, everywhere re-
lieYed by tufts of bright, golden blossoms,
and the fresh green of lady-fern, that firing
es the jagged edges.
John and Fanny have disputed before
this evening, but only for few sentences;
and then kiss from him, or tear in her
sweet eyes, has brought the matter to
standstill. But this quarrel wears more
serious aspect. John looks absolutely
threatening. He is strong, wellbuilt
young fellow, with true South Eng
land face-a face that is saturated with
sunshine, that puts one in mind, all at once,
of ripe August cornfelds; and, taken in
conjunction with his rich, curly hair and
beard, of October nuts and squirrels. But
the deep, black eyes, that match so well
with this golden brown, have none Of their
usual expression; they are full of angry
CLEANS, and, through his parted lips, you
can see his teeth set hard.
Fanny looks up, and meets this stern,
compelling glance; meets it, too-as you
may tell by the culver of her rosy mouth
just when loving name or caress might
have prevailed over the perVerse spirit that
was rising.
It is puzzle that she has been able Civ
ing so near the sea- to keep her skin so
white and delicate looking. Her hair near
ly matches her lovers, but her eyes are not
so deep in color; there is a tinge of true ha-
eel in hers, that shines out with almost q.
golden glitter as John takes hold of her
arm. She thinks he means to make her
prisoner. LIB
"Let me go, will you7 Pm notIyour;wife
yet, John; and don't know that ever will
be-" .-s. r.
He draws his hand away. q
Come Fanny; you're talking
nonsense now. was, minute ago. may
be. Why should you and me quarrel about
a thing which cannot happen, if you will
only let yourself be guided-2" "a
The girls eyes fill with sudden, angry
tears.
I'm not quarrelling; only say you don't
put any trust in me. Why, even if choose
to go home by the beach, and Mr.. Russell
and Captain Standish are there, and they
say civil word to me-what am the
verse for it, I'd like to know9 suppose
you'd like me to wear q mask next, with
just two holes to see out of Everything
that is pretty is lookedirat, you know it is,
and why not girls as well as anything else
I say again, yours isn't'-- what call having
trust in me-that it isn't
The golden light is. quenched in the
tears, that fairly ran over. Fannys ewes
now are almost as dark as her lovers and
tenderness seems to be swimming in them,
1t John could only have held out against
them for two minutes, he might have made
his own terms with the pretty, hayward,
spoiled girl; but sensible lover would be
a phenomenon worthy of exhibition, and
John was not phenomenon. e
The next. minute he had Fanny in his
arms, straining her to his heart, kissing off
her tears, and calling himself trough, ZEAL
ous fool" for having brought them there.
No, John-you're not a TOOL; but you
are jealous, you know you are; and if YOU
90 on like this when we're married, you'll
break my heart, john" comes out of those
pouting, coral lips sa .saaE
III never be jealous unless you give me
'ause, Fanny" he says, his honest face i
growing grave again. "But, you see, men
md women have different natures. You
an fly in passion and get out of it, all in |
10 time, and be as sweet and smiling as if |
lotAing had happened but that is not. the |
way with us-anyhow, its not with such a /
'ulky chap as me. a. Once I'm put up, / GET |
put OF bounds, and as to seeing you laugh |
ng and talking with that young fool Of a
,aptaln-why, if l was to catch you at il. i
don't know what mightn't be tempted
to-
"You're threatening now, john" Fanny
pouts, and draws herself away little.
There is an uneasy look on her lovers
face. He loves Fanny with all his heart
and strength. He has known her from the
time they went crab-hunting together among
the rocks, with the rest of the village chill
dren. and yet, though his heart is SO fast
bound to her that he could never tear it
away, he has no sure trust in the wilfll, be-
witching girl. When he thinks of the ful
ture-Fanny as his wife and the mistress of
his house-an underlined, shifting fear is ant
to come between John and his certainty of
happiness, and fear near akin to that he
has felt among the treachereus quicksands
farther east, when he has been seeking an.
chorage. ~ - fFG 2 -
He answers, almost solemnly :-nAm Il
threatening, darling? Then Idon,t mean
it. i mean warning, not threatening. You
see, I haven't got SO many words to fit nv
meanings to, as such little clever lass as
you, Fanny; all I mean is, 7 want to prt II
clear to you that when you're, maybe, mean
ing no harm, only q little teasing in play,
you're playing with feelings man can't
keep under; it lis if the devil was let leossin