San Marcos free press. [volume] (San Marcos, Tex.) 1877-1892, 1890-06-19


fully as one treasures the ashes Of BE-
loved creature in scaled urn.
He could not, therefore, calm himself.
notwithstanding the great effort he made
TO control himself. Without saying an
other word, he arose from tho table, and,
after he was ont of Garments presence,
he hurried to his room in search Of soil
tude, there TO solve nll tho questions TINT
woro rising In his troubled brain.
No; ho could not harbor the least sus-
picion against Consuelo II must DO a
mistake Who knows2 II was not
ut all therefore from any misgtving
that Don Juan turned 10 that little cof-
fer where he preserved all the letters OF
Consuelo like priceless jewel-those Of
their courtship and those which the ton
derness of the wife had inspired In hei
during her marriage Of three years, un'
iii death came 10 rob him Of his com
panion. Since that time he had never
parted, even for moment, with the key
to this Golfer; it was always attached to
his watch chain; for II seemed to him
that ho was there also preserving some
thing of the soul of the departed.
Out of his trembling fingers small
package OF letters fell on the table.
Their envelopes were all covered with
post marks which indicated the stations
Of their great journeys. aud carried the
address;
"Senorcs Ramirez s. Co., for Don Juan
Crisostomo Lopez. Habana."
He soon found the letter sought In the
package, and the date June 3, 1866,
sprang before his eyes. She had written
it on tho day that followed that myste
rious anniversary that was inscribed
on the ring.
Did he mistake, or was the letter really
written with n trembling hand2
Don Juan read:
"At Inst, after many weeks, took
my first walk Manuel persuaded me to
do it. He tried it several times before,
but in vain! But yesterday / yielded,
and we walked along the beach,"
And in postscript Consuelo added:
"You may imagine that ut the sight Of
the pillows thought of you, since you
live so far away, far, far beyond yonder
blue line of the horizon"
Don Juan dropped the letter. lie
also was looking at n distant, indefinite
point, with the unfathomablc expression
Of one who seeks to explore the past
Then he read hurriedly the four last let
ters of tho package. The name OF Man
uel did not again appear.
This silence appeared to him like lie
p;, ha
turn that Manuel, his younger brother,
who looked SO handsome in his ship Off
GERS uniform, was stin in Malaga. And
he was now inseparable from them and
gave them the plainest proofs of the
greatest attachment. And how intent
he was on becoming the godfather Of
Carmen! And then only he returned to
his ship and set his sails for distant SEAS
But suddenly the ship stranded, and no
one but u boatswain could save himself.
But in tho letter which Manuel wrote a
few days before he left the harbor for
the last time, lie inquired after all with
much sympathy.
And in Don Juan's memory the recol-
lections followed each other prophetical-
ly. The inconsolable pain with which
Consuelo received the report of the ship
wreck. The despairing effort with which
she asked his forgiveness in her last mo-
ments.
"Forgivenessl What for?"
Don Juan struck his forehead with
terrible indignation, and he almost
screamed out when Carmen gently raped
ut tho door.
"Whatl" exclaimed the girl, entering.
"you have not yet put on your fine
coatp
Carmen was dressed to 60 out, with
parasol in her hand and hat on her head.
Don Juan arose violently and like a
surprised criminal. Without looking at
her, he murmured,
"Where are we goingT
''Why, to the cemetery, papa, as every
year."
Soon he was ready and the two started
on their way. On the street Carmen felt
how her fathers arm trembled in hers.
Don Juan was talking to himself.
"What are you saying, papa" Carmen
asked him.
81 am counting"
"Paces!"
mo, months
"But, my God, have never seen you
like this. OF what are you thinkingT
They entered the cemetery, and pro
ceeded to their family graves. Before
Don Juan opened the gate, he stood still
for moment and viewed the individual
stones
Two names were inscribed on them:
Manuel Antonio Lopez, ship ensign, died
on the ocean, July II, 1867, and Consuelo
Arias de Lopez, died May @, 1868 There
were two other stones on the same bury
ing plot that were awaiting their inscrip-
tions.
Don Juan sank his head and knelt
down.
Carmen was already accustomed to
those gloomy meditations She left him,
therefore, undisturbed, passed to and fro
in the little garden that surrounded the
graves, touched up the flowers and nib
bons Of the wreaths, and added fresh
ones. But when about twenty minutes
later she saw that her father still did not
move, she called him with a soft voice
Don Juan did not answer.
Poor papa" said Carmen, "he loved
her 30 muchl'
She again went away and read the in
scriptiOns on the long rows Of graves.
When she returned her father was in
the same bent attitude, his forehead al
most touching the earth. Already q
few curious persons were observing him.
Carmen felt n little ashamed on ac-
count Of this strange manifestation Of
his great soTrOw and approached him,
saying:
'But. papa, you VIII take cold Il is
time to return home. Gomez
Don Juan did not move.
He rgzse1nble,l a statue. Carmen
- sf.e. - r~rez