The daily herald. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1886-1887, 1886-11-30
THE ENGAGEMENT.

since their immigration to Louisiana
from Cuba In 1S4S They had come TO
these shores on the same vessel, and
though the Roveros were little over
bearing on account of their family con
'ections in Havana, and the Escuedos
we're prone Co refer on all occasions to
their past possessions at Cardlnas, yet,
after their arrival on American soil, they
fsaternized as IL they had all been Dor n
under one roof
S ortly after the arrival of the two
families In New Orleans, they selected
residences down on the Rue Dumaine,
about two squares apart, aud barely n
day passed but found Rovero at the
Escuedo residence or an Esccuedo sip.
l'ing delicious Heres at the Rovero table.
Old man Escuedo started in the sugar
trade, and the delicate Castilian Rovero
opened a wholesale cigar store. Both
prospered we'll, aud In few months had
succeeded in accommodating quite hand
some sum as the result of shrewd specula-
ton. Both drove out on afternoons In
their carriages, and both dined frequently
together down on the lake. 1t was almost
touching to see the fond affection existing
between these two famalies and their
neighbors could not but believe they were
closely related.
~ was uOJ lOuR DblOT6 JHtb SOTb VI prO-
miscuous brotherly love that had grown
up between them became more concen-
trated, and Jose Rovero became deeply
enaInored with Juanita Escuedo. Hewas
"a and she was Ia, and their fathers looked
upon their espousal as a thing extremely
desirable for both. of afternoons they
talked the matter over together, as they
smoked their Regatta Chicas after dinner,
and laid their little plans for setting up
the young folks in handsome domestic
establishment when the happy event
nhould take place
One unfortunate afternoon Mr.. Gle
burne, a gentleman of the highest re-
spectability called at the Rovero house
on friendly visit. In the course of con-
versation he alluded to the recent compile
ton of a new cock pit were gentlemen
spent their leisure moments watching the
game chickens battle with one another.
He, himself, he said, was quite fond
of It,
This remark electrified old man Rovero.
4 brighter luster came to his eye, and a
rlddier glow to his cheek. He regretted
he had not known this before. Why, he
was the happy sossessor of the champion
cock of all Havana and nothing could
give him more pleasure than to show
American birds what Spanish game
cock was made of He thanked his visitor
FOR the Information he had given, and
said that he was probably the Oldest cock
fighter in all Cuba.
The next day old man Escuedo dined
at the Rovero's, and the new cockpit was
mentioned If the announcement of its
existence had pleased Rovero, it de-
lighted the whole E=cuedo family. OF
III amusements this, TO them, was para
,,,t 10 Nx.rfof al to .t,T1u
"a ische vigorously Since he was 10 years
old he had raised game chickens, and he
informed his friends confidentialy that
ne had brought the greatest fighting
chicken ever known In Cuba. This
caused Senior Revere to raise his eyelids
if establishment, md to shrug his Shout
ders. He, too, had brought over the pride
Of all Havana He ventured to suggest
that perhaps his amiable friends chicken
could whip all Cardenas but his own was
the champion of all Cuba
In the most courtly Cas- lillian they dis
cussed the merits of their favorite birds,
waxing warmer and warmer all the time.
The family, having adjourned to the
broad gallery after the cafe noir,
heard with astonishment loud words
In the dining-room, and on enter
ing were astonished to see both
BCuOlculCu OhC uiOohCA
pale and excited. The temperance of
the ladies brought them to their senses,
and they became the polished courtiers of
half an hour before. The result of this
dttle encounter was a match for 81, 900
between the Rovero and Escuedo birds,
to take place at the new cockpit In q
month from that day.
1t is impossible to forecast the results
that may follow from so slight a circum-
stance as the possession of game rooster
From that afternoon it was noticed the two
old gentlemen grew more polite to each
other, and there was q reserve In their
manner that betokened an underlying
coolness 1t was bruited about that
there was to be the greatest cock-dght at
the new cockpit New Orleans ever saw,
and there were formed two parties, the
one favoring the Rovero bird, the other
swearing by Escuedo's AS day after
day passed the excitement over the event
increased, and the two chickens, having
fully recovered from their sea trip from
Havana, were duly trained and groomeu
each morning
While the alarms of war were mar
shalling together the adherents of "Pe-
pite," the bellicose chanticleer of Rovero,
and Zip" the fierce-eyed chicken of Es-
cuedo, the two SWANS, Jose and Juan
ita billed and cooed In loving half tones
utterly oblivious Of the coming fray.
II the heads of their houses, the old
gentlemen, chose to exhibit strong feel
:Dgs on account of their feathered pets,
1t mattered little to them, for they moved
in an atmosphere OF love entirely above
such sublunary things as chicken fights.
At last the great day approached. The
papers had announced the event in fam
ing advertisements, and seats had been
sold In advance, some of them bringing
as much as $40 apiece. Such was the in
terest taken in the fight 1t was found inn
possible to afford even standing room to
the throng that desired to attend, and so
an arrangement was made that the vary
Ing progress of the combat should be
given to the crowd In the street by a
stentorian-voiced lawyer from the upper
window OF the cockpit.
The two families had almost ceased to
speak to one another, and Jose thought
he noticed slight GOODNESS in his ina