The Elk County advocate. [volume] (Ridgway, Pa.) 1868-1883, 1881-03-10

OF my knowing Spanish.
When the bell sounded for dinner, l
took her down. Ny arm, which was
rather timidly offered, being promptly
and gratefully accepted. After that /
used to seek her always before meals
and take her in with me, and once, when
something detained me and was little
late, L found her waiting for me. / think
the people of the vessel thought that we
were companions from the start, and some
one alluded to her once as my daughter,
| and although L hastily corrected this,
willingly let it be supposed that she was
| travelling under my care. In the SIM
plest and most natural fashion she
learned to defer to me and lean on my
decisions, and, by-and-bye, to confide in
me.
It was one evening that we had beer
sitting together long time, idly talking
about the weather and the ship, and
wondering how long we should have il
so fair, when she turned to me, in hel
soft Spanish Speech that loses so incal
culably by translation, and said
" / want you to tell me about YOU
people and your home"
l felt as if her little, soft, plump hand
had dealt blow upon my bare heart
but L answered, simply:
II have no home, and my people are
all dead or gone from me-that is, my
parents and sisters and brothers, for
never had Il wife OF child, which II
what you meant, perhaps"
"Yes meant that. 1t is so sad.
thought, perhaps, you might have {
daughter like me, and that made you 81
kind"
"No, / have no daughter I sale
slowly; Though 1 am in truth, ole
enough to be your father"
And you have never loved any one
never wanted to be married to some on,
who was good and beautiful and kind
How strange
These questions We're scarcely marked
by any interogative accent. She seemed
to be merely stating them as facts, will
gentle reluctance, But, though sh
expected no answer from me, was ire
sistibly prompted to confession.
"Yes. Lola" / said, Il knew som
one like that once, and l loved her. Blu
it was long ago, and we were parted"
"Oh, why did you part" she said
passionately "Why did you suffer any
thing to part you? Was she not willin
to give up all, to leave home and friend
and country and everything to folloN
love. as have done?"
Urged on by a deep excitement, sh
had revealed her secret, and half feare
she would repent and try to retract il
but she did not. She seemed eithe
to be unconscious that anything had bee
divulged. on unconscious of the fac
that [ had not known it all the time.
You do WELL said, fervently. Il
is worth the sacrifice. God grant yo
do not repent it"
u have no fear" she said, contidentl,
Fear could not live in my heart, whic
holds perfect love"
: Then, 50 simply and naturally, 81
told me her story. She had become el
: gagged to young American sent out
5 Spain rs agent for some New York bus
= ness firm, and he had gone home a fe
5 months ago, expecting to return: bl
his supeliOrs had made other arran%
| ments, and he had written that althOuG
= he would he stationary in New AOI
: thereafter, he was coming back to mar
2 her and bring her to her home in Il
I new world. At the time set for his a
t rival, however he had sent a letter i
e stead, saving an attack of illness pr
I vented his coming. but he was now 60
| valescent though the physicians said
4 must not take the voyage for some tim
2 "When l got that letter." said Lol
1 Il could do nothing but cry and fret f
the first two or three days. / did not e
| or sleep, and my aunt, whom l hv,
with, said | would die, and was We
t hard and cross. was utterly wretche
until one night as / lay thinking it q
over / resolved that / would go to hiI
4 He had once, half-hesitatingly, suggest'
: it, saying it would save so much eXpens
9 and he is not at all we'll Off; but it hI
: frightened me so that he gave it up. sa
i ing he would spend all he had, soon
e than give me the anxiety and trouble
e such a voyage. But nOw-now that
+ was i'll and alone-I could think
S longer of my dread indeed, it was gon
S and all thought of was to go to hil
l and comfort and nurse and take care
e him. So got my aunts consent, thoue
l she would not give it at first, and / to,
: the very next steamer. And see hC
V easy and pleasant it has been! He ne,
Y not have been afraid for me; but, the
K he could not know, and neither could
: that | should find you!"
+ Her ardent tone and look, as she sa
t these last words, thrilled me strangel
D 1t was a spontaneous, atfectionate OF
: burst that panied while it caressed m
e And beside my own personal feeling,
1 dreadful misgiving about her weigh,
70 on my heart She was so confident,
, full of trust-what if she should be d
l ceived in this man? What if the Alta
of illness We're a mere subterfuge? Su,
e things had been. Iturned cold and tn
| hot at the mere suggestion. lasked h
e lovers name, but it was unknown to III
S though the name of the house he repI
e sented was familiar. But that went f
e nothing as to the mans personal chara
e ter, and the fear that this might
. treacherous made me sick with drea
It What would be the end, if my app
+ tensions proved correct? What won
t become of the poor child? A wi
thought suggested itself. 1t was
e strange mixture of deep pity for her al
t deep Joy, tempered with pain and y
!, sweet with hope, for myself.
y At last the voyage was over, and t
e realization of this fact made me una
e countably sad. For Lola was dearer
}, me every day. In her little attacks
. illness, which she had not altogeth
; escaped, 1 had carried her about in 1
r arms, like child, and she had lean
on me and looked ND to me with q chill