, 1888-11-22

| nl1uc US illCtl Us lllAI DciOfe hOW-
In stocks, yes" said Brown, but they
| have ns stocks here"
No said Benton, but they have some
| thing :, hundred times better; they have a
! magnificent climate, and harbor, and every
thing to make c big city. And you mark
my word, there is going to be one of the big
| gcst booTS right here that the world has
| ever seen. Kansas City won't be q circum-
| stance to it. Why the climate alonen-
''Oh, come down." interrupted Brown If
| reverently.
Benton laughed and said, Seriously,
Frank, if we only can manage to get hold of
| some land our fortune is made I am as sure
| of that rs that at present we are dead broke
If that wealthy father of yours back in the
respectable village of Philadelphia only
| knew what glorious chance there was to
make million or 50 right here'- and Mr.
Benton sighed
well, he won't know through me, = replied
Brown. If the worst comes l can always
drive team, but won't ask him for help u
Il 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; l am starved"
Il think / ought to be made to cat 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 So inveStmCntE'
But what is itt" said Benton, picking up
one of the lavender sticks and looking at it
suspiciously. ''Dynamitei Phizz'zt! For
the old womanI' with an expressive refer
"uce to the region occupied by the landlady
mo, you old Anarchist" replied Brown
Then III fine ladys 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, laugh! was going TO give you one
l shan't now"
''Did they throw bureau in!" said Ben
ton; otherwise, it is not much use to US"
User said Brown, scornfully; think of
man who has TO go without his breakfast
buying s. worth OF lavender!"
Don't mako me laugh any more" said
Benton; lit is weakening, and we can't afford
it. Tell me, how did you come to buy those
thingsf'
Whcrcupon Mr. Brown narrated the story
of his purchase.
"Young,n said Benton, at its conclusion,
and pretty
II did not say So" interposed Brown.
1T was not necessary replied his friend
1--WE must get acquainted with her."
"WhyH 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," continued Benton, Us Brown
remained silent; "but we cannot afford to be
romantic Just now. 1t is absolutely necessary
to use every chance. You have made
fbraaa- 1nIi inua md don't
to throw it away. l am superstitious in
money matters, you know, and l have q
fancy that this generous act of yours may
bring us luck. Three dollars worth of bread
on tho waters, as il were l shall make
point of getting acquainted with your friend,
and ] should like to have You stand in with
inc. II you would rather not, why, of
course"--
But Mr. Brown said he would ''stand inr
only, 10 it understood, foI the sole purposs oi
within decent bounds.
Tuiita 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 dir was full of q golden haze
4hc 1tl4 It1S
of Mexico were outlined in q purple silhou-
cite against the evening sky and everything
was still and pcaceful-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:
it 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
sep and idly watched the sea gulls auttering
and squabbling over some scraps thrown
from q passing steamer, and then her eyes
followed a 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 heXt to hers. This latter incident
rather aroused her curiosity, because, while
sea gulls and jack rabbits were plentiful
enough in that neiShborhood, 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 livesF' 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.
''If it will not disturb her" continued the
gentleman, ''may We see her for a momentln
At this juncture the sonora herself, hearing
the voices, came to the door and answered by
bidding them enter.
= xl..A.
tinued the stranger who did the talking:
''my name is Benton and this is my friend
Mr.. Brown"
The sonora bowed in a 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,n 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 caballeroi Que
son palitos de lavandrila, hija mia, sabes tu!"
Yes, Tulita knew. At the sound of the ia
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 her2 Or-more dreadful thought
were neFS 50 Dduiy nlaue tnttC tne peOple WIZ
had bought them came 10 make complaint to
her motheri 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. Lunayarita herself to see
if 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 bewildered 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 tho girl,
and then what seemed torrent of repreach
and protest fell from the lips of the sonora.
at seems said Mr.. Benton, in a low tone
10 his friend, "that the old lady was not
posted"
mo, confound you," Indignantly whis-
pered Mr.. Brown, 'you have let the little