The anti-monopolist. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1874-1878, 1878-03-28


army ofbusy workers which populates
the Balearic Islands.
The subject of his comment, an old
brig with high bow and towering poop,
elaborate with quaint chrvings, to
which some furnished remnant of it's
ancient gliding chung, rode easily at
anchor amid a feet of other smaller
but similarly abandoned craft in the
neglected corner of the harbOr to
which all such marine veterans were
relegated until some enterprising
speculator undertook to break them
up.
What is the history?' asked.
''The senior would like to hear it y
Il would, indeed.
My new friend deliberately drew a
leaf Of tobacco from his pocket, rolled
into cigar, which he ignited from
mine, blew d cloud of pungent smoke
out in the direction of the brig, and,
seating himself on one Of the stone
mooring posts, with his eyes fixed
upon the vessel. he said
"Then you shall.
This is his story as closely as l can
recOllect it, word for world
Fifteen years ago two people who
loved one another more than well lived
at the farm house of the Finca Suber-
ney in the Barranco valley de AL
granular.
One was the girl of the farm, crea-
ture of a beauty as pure and sweet as
our summer sky; and a spirit as loving
and maynard as the wind that blows
from the orange gardens of Alayor.
The other, lad Of twenty, half
sailor, half husbandman, but all true
lover, had been anchored in the valley
by the cable of his heart, and in her
eyes forgotten to long for the free air
and salt spray.
They were man and wife of but a
few months standing-man and wife
who went to labor, in the lime groves
and orange orchards side by side. and
to whom. even with its weary work
and common fare, the valley was a
paradise.
In the third month Of their mar
riage a stranger appeared i'll the val
ley.
He was an Englishman, traveller
for pleasure. whose idle lounge
brought him to the farm. The place
pleased him, the people as everywhere
in the islands, were hospitable, and
proud of the presence of a guest: so
he remained.
Days wore to weeks, weeks became
months, and still he fingered. To-day
it was an excursion among the shep-
herds of the desolate heights that
hem the valley in; tomorrow a sturdy
climb up his Monte del Tow, with
it's wind-worn convent ruins; again. a
long ride through fields of golden
grain and gardens sof olives, fruit
groves and fertile farms. Whatever
the amusement was, he followed it mp
earnestly, as his countrymen always
do.
At the end of his second month 8
stay one Of these excursions brought
him down the mountain side after
nightfall, with wild gale blowing
from the north. sweeping over the
bare hills with bitter breath.
AS he rode in the daeknesS, his at
tention was attracted by woman S
shrek. Itpierced the night and the
gale, sharp and clear, full of wild APP
peal for aid, and pushing toward it
without hesitation, he found himself
before one of those high pyramidal
structures of loose stones, in which
the Balearid shepherds shelter their
sheep.
A fire was burning under the lee of
this stall. and by its light he saw a
woman-a girl. Notwithstanding in
the arms OF u hurry, skin-clad rutiian,
while two others looked on with saw
age laughs.
To ride one of these down, fell the
other TO the earth, and with fierce
the third to release his prey, was the
work of as little time as it takes to tell
it, and before the shepherds had re-
covered from their stupefaction, the
creator of it had cantered out of
reach of the volley of stones they sent
after them. claspiHg the rescued girl
to his breast.
Her story was soon told. She was
the young bride of the farm, on her
WAY home from another hacienda, had
been stopped by the half-savage shep-
herds. rs he had seen: so. riding and
talking they came to the door of the
house where he was an honored guest
and she drudge.
Great as the social difference be-
tween them was, her gratitude and his
admiration bridged it over. They
met often, he always loftily kind, law
ish, on his return from an occasional
visit to town, with trifling gifts; she
ever humbly proud Of his notice. truly
grateful for his magnificence.
The husband saw this. too. and saw
it with pride. Poor fool he thought
that the valley, where mel honored
women as their own mothers, wives,
and sisters, was the world.
At last the guest departed. Next
day peddler from Mercadel passed
through the valley. 1t was afterward
recollected that he held some speech
with her while exhibiting his wares
to the people of the farm.
Many other things we're recollected
too. when next night. her place at the
table in the great kitchen was vacant:
her side of her husband 5 bed was cold
Then the country all about was scour-
oA only RI Hsranrar An~S 1ofa