The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1888-01-06

II that wealthy father Of yours back in the
respectable village of Philadelphia only
knew what a glorious chance there was TO
make million or 20 right here'--- and Mr..
Benton sighed.
swell, he won't know through me,n replied
Brown. "If the worst comes l can always
drive team, but wont ask him for help"
II think you are wrong, old man." said
Benton. "Not on account of the money, but
on general principles However, we will
make our stake just the same And now
about lunch am starved
81 think ought to be made to eat the law
ender," said Brown, looking ruefully at his
purchase, as he disclosed the contents Of the
bundle to his friend. 'There, how is that
for a % investmentf'
"But what is It'll" said Benton, picking up
one Of the lavender sticks and looking at it
suspiciously. "Dynamitel Phiz'z'ztl For
the old womanr with an expressive refer
ence 10 the region occupied by the landlady
mo, you old Anarchist" replied Brown
Then in a fine lady's voice he said: 'Tis
sweet lavender Placed in your bureau
drawer, it will give pleasing odor to your
linen That's right he continued in his own
voice, "laughl was going to give you one
shant now.n =
"Did they throw a bureau inr' said Ben
ton; otherwise, it is not much use to U.S."
use" said Brown, scornfully; 'think of a
man who has TO go without his breakfast
buying SO worth Of lavcnderr'
"Don't make me laugh any more,r said
Benton; "it is weakening, and we can't afford
1t. Tell me, how did you come to buy those
thingsr
Whereupon Mr. Brown narrated the story
Of his purchase.
"Youig," said Benton, at its conclusion,
"and pretty
81 did not say so," interposed Brown.
ut was not necessary replied his friend;
i've must get acquainted with her."
"Whyf" said Brown, in not altogether
pleased surprise.
because she may have friends among the
natives here, who have land that we can
handle for them. Land, my dear boy, land
that is what we want. You don't seem to
fancy the idea,n continued Benton, as Brown
remained silent; "but we cannot afford to be
romantic just now 1t is absolutely necessary
to use every chance You have made a
three-dollar investment, and don't propose
to throw it away. / am superstitious in
money matters, you know, and l have a
fancy that this generous act of yours may
bring us luck. Three dollars worth of bread
on the waters, as it were. | shall make q
point of getting acquainted with your friend,
and should like to have you stand in with
me. If you would rather not, why, OF
course'--
But Mr.. Brown said he would "stand inv
only. be it understood, for the sole purpose Of
keeping Mr.. Benton's business proclivities
within decent bounds
Tulita sat upon the door step Of the white
adobe house looking out upon the shining
waters of the bay. The sun was sinking into
the Pacific behind Point Iona and the
soft air was full of a golden haze.
The Coronados islands and the distant hills
of Mexico were outlined in a purple silhou
cite against the evening sky and everything
was still end peaceful-everything except
Tulita's poor little heart. Her mother had
not been very well for the last two or three
days, and the death Of her father was recent
enough to cause the slightest illness to fill
Tulita with alarmed foreboding. Then they
were SO lonely, she and her mother with no
one to care for them, and they were SO poor;
1t was all very forlorn, and they had just
been crying over it together, they two, in the
twilight. And now, with that vague inter-
est which the mind after great emotion feels
In trifiing matters, Tulita sat on the door
step and idly watched the sea gulls fluttsring
and squabbling over some scraps thrown
from n passing steamer, and then her ewes
followed jack rabbit which loped across the
road and disappeared In the sage brush; then
she saw two men come along and stop at the
house next to hers This latter incident
rather aroused her curiosity, because, while
sea gulls and jack rabbits were plentiful
enough in that neighborhood, gentlemen
were not, and these appeared to be gentle
men. Evidently, from their gestures, they
were inquiring for some one; but what was
her surprise when these gentlemen left the
other house and coming directly to her gar
den gate opened it and approached her.
SIS this where Mrs. Lunavarita livesn said
the elder Of the two gentlemen, as they both
politely removed their hats
Restraining an impulse to take refuge in
the house, Tulita replied that it was.
III it will not disturb her,n continued the
gentleman, may we see her for a moments"
At this juncture the sonora herself, hearing
the voices, came to the door and answered by
bidding them enter.
II hope that we are not intruding,n con-
tinued the stranger who did the talking:
'my name is Benton and this is my friend
Mr.. Brown
The sonora bowed in stately way.
my friend here" continued Mr. Benton,
bought some lavender sticks at the Blank
hotel this morning which we understand
were made by you"
Lavender sticks" repeated the sonora,
slowly, shaking her head II do not know
what that is that you call lavender sticks.
Tulita," she continued, turning to her daugh-
ter, "de que esta hablando el caballero! Que
son palitos de lavandrila, hija mia, sabes tut
Yes, Tulita knew. At the sound of the fa-
miliar words her face flushed hotly, and then
grew very pale. What was the matter? Had
she offended some law in regard to the sale of
lavender sticks, and were these sheriffs come
to arrest heri Or-more dreadful thought
were hers so badly made that the people who
had bought them came to make complaint to
her mother2 Then she heard the gentlemen
say something about souvenirs of California,
aunts in the east, all of the lavender sticks at
the hotel being sold, and taking the liberty
OF coming to Mrs. Lunavarita herself to see
II she would make him dozen more. All of
her lavender sticks sold Could it be possible.
Tulita's heart gave happy bound, and in
the excitement Of the moment she turned to
her bewildersd mother and poured forth her
confession, in what Mr. Brown afterward de-
clared was the most musical Spanish he had
ever heard in his life. This was followed by
quick, sharp questions from the mother, and
pleading, faltering answers from the girl
anu tnen What seemed a torrent of repreach
and protest fell from the lips of the sonora.
"lt seems,h said Mr.. Benton, in a low tone
to his friend, that the old lady was not
posted
mo, confound you," Indignantly whis-
pered MIR. Brown, 'you have let the little
girl in for nice scoldingn
Then the Sonora Lunavarita, with flushed
face and glistening eyes, turned to the two
gentlemen and said, with dignity and pathos;
''Senores, l have 70 make the apology to
you. 1t is my daughter that makes these
thesem-
Lavender sticks" suggested Benton,
pleasantly.
"These lavender sticks, and did not know.
She is young lady, and would not have
her do work. Sainted Motherl it is bad
enough for me, who am old. And did not
know, you understand Not that my daugh-
ter ever does anything without telling me, u
she added, hastily; mo, senior, neverl She
has no secrets from her mother. But her
father is dead and We are poor.n Here the
senora's voice faltered little, and one of the
tears that had been gathering in her eyes
rolled slowly down her face. I'VE ore poor.
and l have to work, and my daughter, she
loves me, and she says II makes her sad "a
see me sew, sew, all the time sew, and she
do nothing, and so she makes these things Ia
help her poor mother. That is the way of IL.
Sba 10