The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1893-02-09

Delfina, the first child Of Alvarado
born in the purple at the governors man
sion in Monterey, was about 10 be bap-
tized with all the pomp and ceremony Of
the church and time. Dona Martina, the
wife Of q year, was unable to 90 TO the
church. but lay beneath her lace and
satin coverlet. her heavy black hair half
covering the other side of the bed. Be-
side her stood the nurse, IA fat, brown,
high beaked old crone, holding mass
of grunting lace. stood at the foot Of
the bed admiring the picture
"Be careful for the sun. Tomasa, said
the mother. Her eyes must be strong
like the Alvarados os'-black and keen and
strong"
"Sure, senora."
"And let her not smother nor yet take
cold. She must grow tall and strong,
like the Alvarados."
Sure. sonora"
Where is his excellencyT
II am here" And Alvarado entered
the room He looked amused and prob
ably had overheard the conversation.
He justified, however, the admiration Of
his young wife. His tall, military figure
had the perfect poise and suggestion Of
power natural TO a man whose genius
had been recognized by the Mexican
government before he had entered his
twenties. The clean cut face, with its
calm profile and fiery eyes. was not that
OF the Washington of his emulation, and
never understood why he chose 80 tame
amodel. Perhaps because of the meager-
ness Of that early prescribed literature,
or did the title Father Of His Country
appeal irresistibly to that restive and
doomed ambition?
He passed his hand over his wifes long,
white fingers, but did not offer her any
other caress in my presence.
"How dost thou feelY
well, but shall be lonely. Do not
stay long at the church. No? How glad
/ am that Chonita came in time for the
christening! What beautiful comadre
she will be! | have just seen her. Aye,
poor Diego! He will fall in love with
her, and what them"
1T would have been better had she
come too late, think. To avoid asking
Diego to stand for my first child was inn
possible. for he is the man of men to me-
To avoid asking Dona Chonita was equal
ly impossible, | suppose, and it will DO
painful for both. He serenaded her last
night, not knowing who she was. but
having seen her at her grating He only
returned yesterday. l hope she plants
no thorns in his heart"
Perhaps they will marry and bind
the wounds" suggested the woman.
"An Estenega and an Iturbi Mon
cada will not marry. he might forget,
for he is passionate and of a nature 10
break down barriers when a wish is
dear; but she has all tho wrongs of all
the Iturbi y Moncadas on her white
shoulders. and all their pride in the car
riage of her head, 20 say nothing of that
brother whom she adores. She learned
this morning that il was Diego's deter
mined opposition that kept Reinaldo out
of the departmental junta. and meets
him In no tender frame Of mind
Dona Martina raised her hand. Cho-
nita stood in the doorway She was
quito beautiful enough TO plant thorns
where she listed Her tall, supple figure
was clothed IN white. and over her gold
hair-lurid and brilliant, but without a
tinge OF red she wore white lace man.
tilla. Her straight, narrow brows aud
heavy las mes were black: hut her skin
was more purely white than her gown
Her nose was finely cut the arch almost
indisccrnible, and che had the most
sculptured mouth have ever seen. Her
long ewes were green. dark and very
luminous. Sometimes they had the look
of a child; sometimes she allowed them
..-ss. al. a.. II