Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1903-05-07
Observation-Disclosures
GABRIELLES
W0O'NG
By IzoLA FORESTER
Copyright, 1902. by McClurc's
Newspaper Syndicate

|
When Put Mandego came down the
straits from Chicago way, every girl
| from Mackinac to Moose island sent
out her heart to greet the dirty gray
| sails of his schooner.
Not to greet Put; no, indeed. For tif-
teen years he had passed through the
| straits once week from May to No
vember, and not Il girl had waved her
/ hand to him except Joe Nevaire's Ca
| brielle. She had watched for him from
| the first year when he had swabbed
| the decks of the Bon Ami, and now the
| last year he returned her master. steer
| ing her as captain and owner both.
| The word had gone before him like a
| silver tongued herald that with the
schooner had also come to him as an
| Inheritance from old Scott Mandego,
his father, the little house down on
Mandego point and matter of $4,000
or $1,000.
So Put sailed as conqueror, and of
all the bright eyes along the shore that
glanced to greet him the only ones
which lured him on belonged to Gay
Nevaire and were the only pair that
had no welcome for him.
II was the first time in all the fifteen
years. AS boy he had rowed over to
the island to chat with Joe and watch
him mend the great sails that We're
sent to him from the twin shores and
weave and knot his fish nets. Joe's
deft fingers We're as noted along the
straits as the black eyes aud red lips
of his five daughters.
And Gay was the youngest. She was
eighteen now, slim and dark eyed, with
the poise and step of demoiselle Of
Gascony and wondrous trick of the
eyes. a sidelong look between narrowed
lids, with long curved lashes to cast a
shade. All of Nevaire's girls had it,
but little Gabrielle had it worst, and it
took the heart out of man.
Only mile to the southeast of
Moose island lies Mandego point. From
his shore on a sunny day Put could
catch the fash of a pink petticoat here
and there around the old weather
came to him to seek her and tell her
what had been in his heart all the way
from Chicago.
You forget old friends when the
good luck flies your way. Is it not SO,
Put?" laughed old Nevaire when they
met ut the half breed Petit jeans
place on the mainland. "Is it Marie?
Fanchon? Babette? Elise? No? Mon
Dieu. 1t is the little one, thenY
ut is Gabrielle" said Put stolidly.
However he might fear his love, he
had no fear for Nevaire himself nor
ten like him. But she has no smiles
for me this year." he added modify.
futter near until she heard the decoy?
Was Gay a girl to lay her heart bare
before she was wooed?
Put listened and smiled as he awak-
ened to his folly.
II will WOO her." he said, and he
Kept his word. He sent Danny Der
mot, his successor to the deck swab-
bling question on the Bon Ami.
Danny was blue eyed, the best
dancer along the shore ana still q Win |
ters length from twenty. He listened
to Puts instructions of what he should |
tell his love and straightway forgot |
Put and all else as he leaned across
the open window sill ut Nevaire's chat !,
ting with Gabrielle and catching the
trick Of her long dark eyes.
The dreamy golden days of summer
passed, and the sumac Haunted scarlet
banners on every hillside that dipped
to meet the straits, and still the Bon
Ami swung idly on her ropes at the
old half sunk landing at Mandego
point. Puts pulses leaped every time
he looked from her to the broad sweep
IT blue water that called to him to
come back, but every breeze that cir
lied around the point bore the love of
lis heart to Gabrielle as it danced
IN down to the island, 80 he stayed on
Ind trusted his fate to Danny's soft
ongue.
Under the rose vine Gabrielle would
listen, rose stem between her teeth.
While Danny spoke of Mandego point.
Hes too old for you, Gay. darling.
It's thirty-two he is If he's q day, and