The herald., 1893-12-25

'Onde esta Carlottafn Jerry asked And
a slight frown contracted the don's face.
but Jerry hurried on, inquiring for his fa-
ther, Don Francisco, and his mother, Donna
Julia, in his rapid Irish way, hardly giving
him time to answer.
THANK you many times" said Benito;
"they are all well'
Jerry went on inquiring further but his
questions were all answered coldly though
politely. 1t seemed to me that the subject
was unpleasant, and / pulled Jerry's arm
We passed on.
"The mannerless churl," Jerry exclaimed,
mot to invite us to his fathers house; the
finest place and the prettiest girl in Me
ridal ! have no patience with him!"
We stopped before refreshment table,
behind which sat an old fat woman, scrv-
ing the guests with Wines liquors, nuts,
cakes cigaritas or coffee, as suited their
various tastes, and receiving the reals
which each paid for his entertainment.
This was the only ball bill TO pay. Each
cavalier, after dancing, took his partner to
the table, il she desired refrcshment, drank
something himself or took cigarita, and
paid his money. "Those who danced paid
the bill, including music, too, | suppose,
for those who did not dance had nothing to
pay unless they chose. We took a glass of
the wine of the country--a white wine
made from small, yellow grape-and were
leaving the table when Jerry turne, I'd
denly to the right, having been tappc va
fan.
"By Jove Tom, here she is now!' *
claimed, and seized the small, thin lite
hand of very beautiful girl wis had
called his attention. She smiled very sweet
ly, and her large black eyes seemed to
smile even more than her small, white
teeth. O'Farrcll lowered his voice and
moderated the boisterousness of his man
ner, for, like all lrishmen, he was constitu-
tionally gentleman.
"When did you come to Merida againY"
she asked in those sweet, liquid tones which
only southern beauty is mistress of.
"Only to night; not an hour ago." said
O'Farrell. "But we are going to stay as
long as you will let us"
"Wel' she exclaimed, looking steadily at
me. "Wer'
my young friend and travelling compan-
ion, Tom Conover," said Jerry, dragging
me nearer. la Sonora Carlotta de la Tore,
the prettiest girl in Merida" he added in a
whisper. which of course she heard, as he
intended She gave me her hand in the
most artlegs manner possible. l took it
and pressed it warmly.
II hope his visit to our city will be pleas
ant" said she.
'If / meet you often, it certainly will" !"
said boldly; at least l thought it boldly,
for then but IS summers had rolled over
my head.
"Oh, that you shall do certainly" she
said, and in five minutes more we had Joined
the walters and were whirling around the
long room in the graceful gyrations of that
giddy dance.
This lasted long time, until | was dizzy,
and then we went to window. Opening
the grating, we found ourselves upon a bal
cony without, where the moon was shining
\ down calm and still, and the city lay be
meath us as quiet as the "City of the Dead. y
We walked away from the window till the
hum and hustle of the fandango were hard
ly audible, and the liquid notes of flageo-
let came up in the quiet street from an
orange grove, through which was visible a
] little stream. shining in the moonlight
! among the dark green foliage like silver
thread.
We listened long time and talked in
subdued tones, like two romantic children
as we WERE And she showed me her un-
cle's residence, dimly visible in the moon
light across the tops of the low, fat rooted
houses. The gardens around it were fun OF
trees, whose tropical foliage looked like a
deep shade upon an exquisite picture. She
told me she lived with her uncle, and in
vited me to ccme there often, and of course
I / promised to do SO, and then dimly con.
scious perhaps that she was getting
along very fast, she apologized by saying
that Twas friend OF Senor O'Farrell, and
therefore her friend
But when questioned her about her ac
quaintance with him she only said she had
known him the year before and proposed
/ to return to the dancing room. Return we
did and danced another figure, la taran-