The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1893-02-17

al am Chonita lturbi Moncada. and
he is Diego Estenega. | could no more
love him than could the equator kiss the
poles. Only, much as hate him. wish
| could see him again. He knows so
much more than any one else. | should
like to talk to him. to ask him many
things. He has sworn to marry me-"
Her lip curled scornfully. but sudden
glow rushed over her. Had he not
been an Estenega-yes. | could have
loved him-thst calm. clear sighted love
that is born OF regard; not whirlwind
and a collapse, like most love. l should
like to sit with my hands in my lap and
hear him talk forever. And we cannot
even be friends. 1t is pity"
The girls mind was like a splendid
castle only one wing of which had ever
been illuminated. BY the light OF the
books she had read and of acute observa-
ton in a little sphere she strove to pene-
trate the thick walls and carry the torch
into broader halls and lofty towers. But
superstition, prejudice. bitter pride, in
experience of life. joined their shoulders
and barred the way. As Diego Estenega
had discerned, under the thick Old
World she'll OF inherited impressions
was plastic being of all womanly pos.
sibilities. But so little did she know of
herself, so futile was her struggle in the
dark with only sudden flashes to blind
her and distort all she saw. that with no
one to shape that molding kernel it
would shrink and wither, and in n few
years she would be but polished shell,
perfect OF proportion. hollow at the core.
But If strong hands sank into that
sweet. plant kernel. molding it into tho
perfected form Of woman. establishing
the current between the brain and the
passions, finishing the work or leaving it
half completed, as circumstances voucb-
safed-what then?
Aye. senor!" exclaimed Prudencia as
two people. mounted on horses glistening
with silver, galloped into the courtyard.
Valencia and Adanl'
came ont of the sala at that moment
and watched them alight--Adan, that
faithful. doglike adorer Of whose kind
every beautiful woman has half dozen
or more; Valencia Menendez. the bitter
hearted rival Of Chonita. She was tall
splendid creature. with flaming black
eyes, large and heavily lashed, and a fig
ure so 1.-the that she seemed to sweep
downward from her horse rather than
spring TO the ground. She had the dark
rich skin Of Mexico-another source Of
envy and hatred, for the lturbi Mon
cada's, like most of the aristocracy of the
country, was of pure Castilian blood and
as white as porcelain in consequence
and red. full mouth.
Welcome, my Chonitaw she cried. |
"Valgame Dios but / am glad to see thee |
backW She kissed Chonita effusively |
AYE, my poor brotherw she whispered |
hurriedly. Tell him that thou art glad |
TO see him. And then she welcomed /
me with words that fell as softly as rose
leaves in n zephyr, and patted Pruden-
rias head
Chonita. with faint flush on her |
cheek, gave Adam her hand to kiss. She
had given this faithful suitor little en-
but his answering and |
honest devotion had wrung from her a
sort Of careless affection. and she told |
me that first night in Monterey that If
She ever made up her mind to marry
she thought she would select Adam; he
was more tolerable than any one she
knew
IL is doubtful IL he had crossed her
mind since. and now. with all a woman's
unreason. she conceived a sudden and
violent dislike for him because she had
treated him too kindly in her thoughts.
liked Adam Menendez-there was some
thing manly and sure about him-the
latter restful II not fascinating quail
ity And ! liked his appearance His
clear brown eyes had kind direct re-
gard. His chin was round and his pro-
hle little thick. but the gray hair
brushed up and away from his low fore
head gave dignity 10 his face. His figure
was pervaded with the Incidence of the
Californian
AT your feet. senorita mia" he muir
his voice trembling.
1T gives me pleasure N sec thee aRain