Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1885-12-12
CUPID In LETTERS.
LoyE-MAKING IN THE LAND OF
THE MONTEZUMAS.

IN ~
THE MoNTEZUMAS.
When / was In Cuba / was for
tunate enough to form the acquaint-
ance of a lady of noble Mexican fam
lily, who had been settled IN the is
land for many years. She must
have been between 60 and 20, but,
except that her hair was NOW white
and her form somewhat bent, she
showed little sign of age, while her
skin still preserved its smoothness,
and her eyes sparkled with the Vi
vacity Of youth. She was one OF
the most charming takers I have
met. One evening, in conversation
with her, | alluded to the passage in
the "Barbiere" where Don Bartolo
examines his niece's fingers to see
if she had been writing to Almaviva.
Surely l said, cit is out OF the
nature of things to suppose that
Don Bartolo would exercise so strict
a watch upon his ward.n
Donna Juana smiled.
Well" said she, after a moments
pause, 81 will tell you of a case in
point, which shows that when l was
a girl such extreme vigilance was by
no means uncommon. / was edu-
Gated with my sisters at a convent
near Mexico. / was the youngest,
and when | was 10 l returned to my
fathers house. My sisters had mar
ried, andI was alone with my faith
er and my duenna. l led a very
happy life whatever / wished for
al mine at once, and / was care.
full not to give u~tterances to I'M.
reasonable desires. In the morning
| sat in the house or walked with
my duenna; in the afternoon we
drove, my father riding by the side
of the carriage. -Four things were
denied me-pen, ink, pencil, paper.
But / had no one to write to and
did not feel the restriction o hard
one ; you see, senior, that your Don
Bartolo is not such an exaggerated
character, for my fathers views
were but those OF his countrymen."
"But, tell me, sonora" said | did
the time never come when you found
these restrictions burdensome ~
"You shall hear" she said, "that
is, if you are to listen to the love
story of all old woman like myself.
/ vas seated one morning at the
window when | noticed a young
cavalier come riding up the street,
He was superbly dressed and mount.
ed he wore a broad brimmed som.
brero, trimmed with silver lace; bis
large black riding cloak was lined
with scarlet, and his heavy silver
spurs jingled as he rode. | thought
| never in my life had e so hand.
some a cavalier. He saw me sitting
at the window, and looked so fixed.
ly at me that l drew the curtain in
embarrassment. He must have
turned his horse at the head OF the
street, for while | was still tremb.
ling with excitement be came riding
past again, and this time as he pass.
ed he took off his sombrero and bow
ed. l scarcely slept that night.
Next morning | accompanied my
dnenna to mass at the cathedral
As We left the church l raised my
eyes and saw the cavalier who had
bowed to me the day before stand.
ing at the entrance. Senior, / need
not tell you that l had never had
any experience in affairs of the
heart | was fresh from the convent
and had scarcely spoken to any man
except my confessor and father; but
1 felt instinctively that this hand
some gentleman had come there to
see me. AS we passed | felt his
hand touch mine, and a little note
was placed between my fingers.
When we returned to the house
| managed, not without difficulty, to
open and read my letter alone. II
is fifty years since / received it, and
/ have it stlll-my first loyo-letter
Can you enter into the feelings of a
Mexican girl when she is told fol-
the first time that her eyes are
brighter than the stars, more tender
than the gazelIe's and that her heart
surely cannot be colder than heI
smile? But l will not weary you
with the repetition of my precious
letter, every line of which / still
know by heart. / read and re-read
it, and then sat down to consider
how | was to answer it.D
"There your difficulty must have
been insnrmountable. ~
"Truly it did at first seem so.
Writing materials / had none. Con.
fide in my duenna | dared not she
was a relative of my fathers, stern
and severe. Still, | was determined
to answer the letter. So kind a
note SO handsome a cavalier; il
would be cruel to leave him without