Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1892-01-29

| recalled all the young Iaoles Oh my ac-
quaintance, to see if any of them would
do for wife. Some were more Or less
attractive, but there were many difficult
ties in the way OF really marrying any
one of them. After time turned from
consideration of the individual femlle
to a consideration Of the money question.
That seemed less doubtful, for l had be-
gun to know my own powers and to
trust them. l then and there resolved
that would work no longer for another
master, but go into business for myself
when Ireturned to San Francisco. hal
q little capital laid by, and Of course there
were many schemes for using it proftably
already formed in my mind. I may be
pardoned for saying that iny resolve was
carried out, though perhaps not as had
hoped.
''It was evening when l relchei the
city, with its narrow streets and low,
leaf-thatched houses, rudely ald weekly
built, but having some show Of neatness
on the inside. all the buildings SCENE
alike, and there were no stores or big
signs OF hotels or restaurants. The dusky,
half-savage people stared ooldly at me,
and made me feel more alone than ever.
l wandered along, hoping to see ia.
miliar sign Of some sort, at least some
show of decent nights lodging and
good square meal. The tough-look;ng
guides on the other side Of the mount
aims had robbed me of most of my
money, but had little left. Yet it was
growing dusk and l did not know what
to do, for could not speak the ordinary
patois of the people to make any in
quiries.
cat last, however, my happy eyes saw
the Spanish word for Restaurant,
printed on a slip Of white pape: with
lead pencil and stuck in glass window.
Without ceremony entered. There was
a large room of rough, plain boards, and
in the middle of it one long table GOV.
cred with white cloth. AZ first l
thought that there was no one present.
But as grew used to the faint light |
made out the form OF girl sitting at
the farther end of the table, with her
head burie in her arms. l tapped on
the table to attract her attention, and she
quickly raised her head. AS we'll as
could see thought she was good-looG-
ing and a young woman. vaguely felt
happy and wondered what language she
spoke. As revolved in my mind the
possible methods of finding this out, and
was about to begin with English and try
all Ikaew,I picked up an earthen plate,
and rs toyed with it on the table il
NV embarrassment, l accidentally let i
fall to the floor, where 1t broke in sew.
eral pieces, much to my astOnishment.
At this the girl started quickly to hei
feet in little alright, exclaiming very
distinctly.
"'Graciousn
$50 she was English. In my delight
at the discovery forgot all about the
plate, but stepped quickly forward and
took her hand, now quite without en-
barrassuent, aud explained, as briefly a'
I could, wao l was and what l wanted
You NAV be sure she was as delighted Il
see me as l was to see her. For who'll
year the only kindred face she had seer
was her fathers, and that, she remarked
was covered with shaggy beard. Sh'
confessed that when l came in she wa
shedding a few tears of homesicknes
: herself and wondering if no friend would
come to see her, or if her father could
not be persuaded to take her back Il
Cuba, where her home had been.
81 think l was never happier ia my
life than / was that night. We two
| seemed to have come to each other a
lust the roment that eacd was most
welcome, and we found our thoughts Sc
alike and our tastes so congenial that we
sat and talked full hour before my
, hungry stomach even hal a chance tC
assert itself. You may be sure l wa
+ we'll served with a good supper, as no
: and steaming and dainty as au Eugisa
} piri could make it. Then when we had
spent another hour IN eating it and chat
ting over it, aud l had helped clear the
dishes away and wash them, and m.
friend had decided to let the sweeping
20 until the morning, because l mus
start early, the old father, bluff
taciturn man, came in aud joined tn
conversation with us, and quite forge
my weariness until it was very late.
sMy nex-found friend, the ol'
gentleman, was person of som
authority in the place, aoi offered t
provide me with an escort Of twelve
mounted men to Baeaos Ayres, whlc1
was some nine hundred miles across opel
plains, where two hostile tribes were at
war. Each tribe hal cockade as
= badge, one of rel the other OF waite
: By having both of these sorts OF cock
adcs in our pockets AMI dexteriousl
; pulling out the right one whe1 com
c pany of armed men approached US, W
: hoped to pass all lines safely, AMI th
/ event proved happy, though we ha