The Arizona sentinel., 1888-01-21

m&id' was carrying parties early and
 late. Yet she did not miss him so
 much as she had expected to do. The young gentleman boarder and she
 soon became good friends. He had no
 intention of falling in love with this
 drowned maiden of the sea-"
 as he rather scntimentally called
 her in letter to a friend;
 but he found the island. rather dull,
 and was content to while away the
 time by talking with young girl who,
 if not pretty, had the charm of inno-
 cenee and freshness. He had travelled
 all over Europe in attendance upon
 his invalid father, and could talk en-
 tertainingly, He liked to watch the
 bewilderment and wonder in her face
 as he tried to give her some idea of
 the great world, He even flattered himself that he was doing a sort of missionary work in broadening the
 thoughts of this simple girl, who had never been off that little island. Grad
 ually he fell into the habit of lightly
 ridiculing the islanders and their life.
 Even on the physical side they are
 inferior to cultured men," he said one
 day. T know they are strong; but it
 is the strength of an OK, slow and clumsy. What islander can do thisP" and laying his hand upon the top bar of high gate, he vaulted over with the grace of gray hound. And Nellie looked shyly at
 the tall, 1.-the form, the careless yet elegant dress, and the handsome face,
 and found herself secretly comparing him with-no, not John, but the other young men of the island.
 Daily association with this polished man of the world began 10 work a gradual change in Nellie. She was too sensible a girl to fall in love with
 MT. Frank. even if she had not been engaged to J ohn. Besides, Frank did not flirt with her; she was hardly pretty enough for that. But little by
 little she grew ashamed of the island
 ways. She did wish her father would wear his coat atdinner. and her mother talk more like the boarders. And one night, when John ran up from the harbor to make her nasty visit she was surprised to find how rough and homely he had grown, and she was secretly glad that Mr. Frank was away at the time.
 As the days went she found herself again and again comparing. the two young men. As her simple admira- ton and respect for Frank increased,
 she was vaguely conscious that her old love and admiration of John were melting away. She fought against this blndly, but she seemed power less.
 And she did admire Mir Frank more and more. He became to her the rep resentative of that more cultured life of which she had caught glimpse from afar How handsome and grace full he was! How eloquently he could talk! How beautifully he played the violin! And John-what could he do but sail a boat and catch fish?
 Now and then, indeed, Nellie's finer sense was half conscious of something lacking in Frank. He never sacrificed his own comforts even to oblige his sick father. and once he kicked his dog cruelty. But these things were only specks upon the sun.
 One afternoon Nellie had an errand to the harbor and Frank offered his escort On inc way back-he gathered a bunch of lilies from one of the in- numerable little ponds beside the road, and placed one, laughing, in her hair. Just then a man carrying a string of mackerel came around the bend of the road. When he caught sight of Nellie and Frank he stopped, turned back. then suddenly wheeled about and walked rapidly up the road. overriding the two at the gate.
 Poor John! The night before he had overheard some gossip on the wharf that struck him like thunderbolt. All day he had been manfully fighting the suspicion and jealousy that heaved 1 within him like the dark waves around his boat. But now he had just seen a of it all? Why was she l out walking with this good-looking 1 city chapP Why did she let him put | flowers in her hair? Had Nellie, his | little Nellie, become tired. of himp | "'Taint usin' me right" he muttered, | and deep anger began to burn slow ly in his breast.
 He called to Nellie. She stopped | at the gate, while Frank entered the | house. It was only moment or two that they talked together; but years of friendship may :be undone by half | ! dozen bitter works. John, poor | fellow, was too deeply distressed to | choose his phrases wisely; and the | 1iscontent which had been yelling up | n Nellie's heart for weeks found sud | len vent in her reply. In a flash it | vas all over between them. She had ,alled him "clumsy fsherman," md he had fercely released her from Ter engagement and strode furiously Town the road.
 The next afternoon Nellie was iron ing in the kitchen. She had slept lis le during the night and felt weak md sick. Yet she kept at work in a istless way thinking. thinking in- ,essahtfy. Her old life, once so pleasant, had become dull and monot- 'nous, and she despaired of ever en- ering the other life that had been re- .ealed to her. And Joln-yes. John