The Louisiana Democrat. [volume] (Alexandria, La.) 1845-1918, 1889-08-21

be as delightfully."- romantic as
dream"
Eyes, MISS" said Marena.
But as she spoke she looked first
into the stars, then at her mistress,
and then back again, with a curious
expression. She was much the pref
tier Of the two, and who can blame
her if she knew it?
Every thing seemed to prosper The
resa's plan. Miss Smith wrote that
the illness of relative must detain
her yet longer than she had expected.
A card arrived that afternoon in
which, in true Spanish style, Don
Diego expressed his hope Of kissing
the hands of Miss Theresa Parola on
the morrow.
The dresses needed no attention, for
Marena was exactly the same size as
her mistress, and when the don was
announced Theresa sat in window
embroidering, while Marena, looking
very pretty in q pink silk shot with
gray, which was rather unbecoming to
Theresa, arose to receive him.
The don was something of disap-
pointment He was very stocky and
had an immense nose, and though
his eyes were large and black, the seas
in which they swan were orange
color. He was formal to a degree,
and Theresa could not understand what
he said to Marena in his fluent Span
ish, with that pure accent which gives
the effect of a bad lisp. In fact, when
the interview was over she was not de-
lighted with the success of her plan,
since he had not once looked at her
at least she thought so; but Marena's
version of the affair was different.
What did he say, miss?" she cried
in surprise. why, surely you under
stood! You only want me to tell it
over again. He kept asking who that
lovely lady by the window was, and l
said you were only my maid, and pre-
tended to be naughty; and he said you
looked like a queen, and | should have
been dreadfully vexed if I'd really been
a lady"
"Oh, delicious!'' cried Theresa.
"What a romance!'
Splendid, miss!'' repeated Marena;
land I am sure it will turn out we'll"
You shan't regret helping me, Ma
rena." said the young lady.
sTm sure | shan't MISS" replied the
maid.
Still it was not quite as interesting
to Theresa as it might have been. The
don was apparently very conscientious;
he paid strict attention TO the lady he
supposed himself to have been sent to
court, although Marena constantly re-
ported speeches that satisfied Theresa's
vanity.
By and by letter arrived from the
distant grandfather. "Are you pleased
with Don Carlos?" he asked, with
many hourishes.
Theresa replied that she was. She
was not pleased with herself, but what
could she do? The grandfather had
added that he should buy the partner
ship at once if her reply were favora-
BILE, and that they could marry imme.
diately.
Surely the time would come very
soon, judging from Marena's reports,
when Don Carlos would cast himself
at her feet and exclaim: 81 can bear
this no longer! Love has triumphedm
But the weeks were flying, and he had
not done it yet.
Miss Smith was coming home-the
farce must be ended.
"You must manage it, Maizena, she
said. 1.-The next time he says how
lovely am, tell him ALL
II will, miss" said Marena. "Oh,
the partnership is bought; he told me
so to-day; and he'll roll iu gold some
time, he says. What's yellow-whites
to the eyes to that?"
II wish they were not SO yellow"
said Theresa; land l wish he was as
tall as | am; but no matter. This aft
ernoon I'll sit in the garden and read,
and you can tell him all, and send him
to me-"
Theresa sat in the garden that after
noon and waited, but the don did not
appear. After awhile she went into
the house, but Marena was not to be
found. Having changed her dress, she
went down into the kitchen to inquire
of the cook.
81 am glad you spoke, miss" said
that functionary. "Marena has gone
out; and more betoken, she had your
best bonnet on, and a silk doubt you'd
give away yet. 1t amt my place to
interfere; but I've noticed goings-on,
and feel must speak up"
THANK you; I'll attend to it," said
Theresa
She went up to her own room. On
the bed lay letter addressed to her.
self. She opened it; it was from Ma
rena, who wrote English very we'll,
and was as follows:
MISS THERESA: Remember it was all your
| plan. I've performed my part at your bidding.
Don Diego fell in love with me at once. AS for
you, he said he thought you dreadfu:ly plain,
ana only said that much when l asked his opin-
ION. only say this because you are so con.
| celteo-peSSlnS your pardon, miss-that you
| neea taxing down for your own good.
we are married-or will be when you read
this. He says, now the partnership is bought,
the old gentleman can't unbuy it, 1 told him
| the trick after il WAS hnnpht We wara on