The Arizona sentinel. [volume] (Arizona City [Yuma], Yuma County, A.T. [Ariz.]) 1872-1911, 1889-08-17
LYSANDER'S WELL.
A 3 one of Contention That Became
q Bond of Union.

When LYsander Whiting, coming in
TO small property and little ready
money very unexpectedly, made up his
mind to leave the sea, which he had
followed" to use his own expression,
ever since he ran away from home at
fourteen years of age, it also occurred
to him that it was incumbent upon
him to choose a wife for himself-one
who should cook his dinners, iron his
shirt bosoms, keep his house in good
order, darn his stockings, and go to
church with him on Sunday. 1t was
very well, as he said to himself, for a
sailor TO have sweetheart in every
port but a landsman with property
should cultivate the domestic virtues.
Accordingly he proposed to Esmeralda
Archer and was accepted.
1t was not love match. Esmeralda
had given up the idea of matrimony
years before, and had settled down as
the village tailoress. She could, how
ever, turn her hand to any thing, and
coming to Mrs. Connover's one morn
ing, had helped her to get breakfast.
L4ysander Whiting boarded at Mrs.
Connover's, and as he sat at table he
watched Esmeralda going to and fro
with her light, true step and bright
smile. Her face, flushed from the
warmth of the kitchen, out of its usual
paleness, and that satisfaction in serv-
ing a meal to hungry folk that is as
natural to some women as their love
for babies, gave her pleasant. home
Ike look.
''She'd make a good wife," he said
to himself And the proposal was the
result of the conviction.
The tailoress said to herself that the
ex-sailor had a good-humored face, and
would be kind to her. He had also
home 10 offer her. which she could
make comfortable for him. The domes-
tic affections seemed very beautiful to
the lonely, middle-aged girl, who had
no relatives; and if there was no
romance in either heart there was no
fear of the future.
However, the Widow Bedott was
right when she declared that we "kant
kalculate on nothin' airtlly." Before
year had passed over their heads the
newly-wedded pair began to find them
selves unhappy. What happened ex
actly it is hard to tell. The mans
code of morals and manners was not
that of the woman. She, Puritan of
the Puritans, brought up in a village,
could not understand the sea-faring
man, with his nightly glasses of grog,
his desire to throw the parlor windows
wide and let the sun in. his unconven-
tional disregard of neighbors and his
horrible habit of kissing pretty girls
She tried in vain to force him to be
''gentee" and proper. He strove,
with disastrous results, to induce her
TO be ''jolly," or at least to allow him
to be so. At last he secretly wished
that he had never left the sea, and she
that she were still tailoress.
1t was just about this time that the
old well gave out. 1t had not been
sweet for long while, and there
could be no doubt that there should
have been new one long before.
Esmeralda was anxious to send for GER
tain men whose mission it was to dig
wells. and have all done in good and
workmanlike manner, but Lysander
was resolved that he would dig it
himself. The two argued over this,
as they argued over every thing, and
could not agree as to the site of the
well, or whether it should have one or
the other of certain improvements of
the pump-sort attached. And at last
Lysander began his work in utter ig-
norance of all precautions taken by
well-diggers, in the very worst spot
possible.
He dug a great deal, and accom-
plished very little; and Esmeralda, in
dignant at his want of consideration
for her comfort, and his carelessness
of her approval, never went to inspect
his work. In fact, that well seemed to
be the straw that broke the camel's
back; the fern reed too much.
I'm going to get up early and finish
the well" said Lysander, one morning
at five o'clock, as he pulled on his
shoes. "rll expect breakfast at seven"
Very well, - said Esmeralda, Grossly;
"rll be up in time to get it; but shall
take another nap now."
She turned on her side and drew the
cOunterpane over her face. Afterward
she remembered that he drew down
the shade, and went out of the room
softly, as with kindly wish not to
disturb her.
Such little kindness comforts a
woman. Esmeralda began to think
that her husband might have banged
the door, or been cross about her TAX
ing another nap, and she resolved to
get him a very good breakfast; and
thinking what it should be, fell into
pleasant sleep, and forgot all about it.
When she was wakened with start,
the sun was high, and tall clock on
the mantelpiece pointed to the hour of
ten