Rock Island daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1886-1893, 1891-05-02


had no male relations in that part of the
country, to act as his representative and
| TO demand in his name the consent of
Senior Sanchez. He could not understand
his friends hesitation and timidity, and
found himself profoundly puzzled by
them. Rafael, as rule, was not wont
to ats in this way. But when Pope spoke
to his father that wise old man advised
him to let matters take their own course.
81 am told, my son." he remarked
quizzically, that enjoyed gazing at the
balcony on which thy mother sat, and
conclude that folly is as sweet to Rafael
as it was to me. OF course no man in
the world would be more acceptable to
me. But let them have their pleasure
while they may, and do not thou inter
fere. The young ass drinketh milk,
which the old ass careth not for To
thee, my son, will the time of the bear
come in due season, and l know not that
thou wilt be wiser than thy father" So
Pope was perforce content.
The pretty comedy went on between
this man and this maid, and the tragedy
of the civil war deepened. Pope was
anxious to join the government forces,
but without Rafael he never thought to
leave. His father, too, scarcely approved
of his going then. Senior Sanchez had
not seen his only son for four years, and
he may be pardoned for thinking that
Others might bear the burden for time
at least. So Rafael lived in that land of
enchantment, lovers paradise. where
the flowers take on more brilliant hues,
the very air intoxicates and every one is
so wonderfully pleasant, while Pepe
listened eagerly to the rumors of battles
and thought deeply over what should be
a mans duty. The two were more apart
than ever before in their lives. And
Elodia?
/ cannot tell what Elodia was think
ing of, but she seemed to become more
beautiful every day, and amazed her
brother by her ingenuity in finding ser
vices to render him, as well as by her
eagerness to hear stories of the life in
Paris. Her father noticed this latter
popularity, smiling under his grim gray
mustache with visible satisfaction, and
when he rode out to the hacienda of the
Sonora Cordoba one afternoon to talk
over business matters he prolonged his
visit somewhat, and the conversation
ran to other things beside the affairs of
the estate. There was an unusual fond
ness in the kiss which the mother gave
her son that night when Rafael re-
turned.
Duly attired in formal dress was Pope
when, in accordance with Rafael's re-
quest, he called on his father to demand
Elodia's hand for his friend. Ordinarily
this Office should have been filed by the
oldest male relative of the sutton, but as
all RafaeIs uncles and cousins were in
far off Bogota Jose Maria represented
them. In formal fashion did the friend
explain Rafaels position financially and
socially, and in equally formal fashion
did Rafaels guardian listen. Formal,
too, was the Offering of cigars and wine
t. the ambassador: and most formal of
all was the manner in which the two
men stood during the interview. Senior
Sanchez the elder was pleased to say to
Senior Sanchez the younger that he
would lay the subject matter of the re-
quest before the Sonora Sanchez, his
honored wife, and the Senorita Sanchez,
his no less honored daughter, and he was
also pleased TO express his personal re-
gard and respect for the Senior Don
Rafael Cordoba. He fastened to in
clude in this regard and respect Don
Rafael's representative, Senior Don Jose
Maria Sanchez. Then, / am told, Senior
Sanchez winked cautiously, whereat
his son frowned, for Pope does not seem
to have had as strong q sense of humor
as that which helped to make his father
so wise and shrewd.
At any rate, the ambassador was able
to inform the anxious lover that the af-
fair was ''in progress" and then hurried
back to the house to take part in the
family council at which the offer was
70 be considered in due and ancient man
ner. Present We're his mother. n hand
some old lady in whose face the some
what stern features of the son were re-
Elected in softened fashion, his father
and himself 1t should not have taken
them two minutes to come to that con-
Clusion which was foregone, but the
sonora and her son debated as grave.y
over Rafael as they would had he been
an Antioqueno. Senior Sanchez himself
did not say much, but from the kindly
twinkle in his eye one would have sup
posed he was much amused at some
thing