Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1894-09-08

reception room Were hung with mellow
and l feel quite sure that there were some
old masters among them. but they were
hung so high above the hne'' that a step
ladder would have been necessary to as
certain their merits, And then the lights
were 30 exasperating There were candles
and candles. They sputtered in half dozens
In branching silver candelabra that were SO
old they made my fingers itch to get pos
session Of them. They dripped grease from
all sorts Of unexpected places. in old brass
holders and tin sockets on the walls.
The couches and dtvans, big easy chairs
richly upholstered in red velvet, with en-
Droldery OF gold. In the four corners Of
the room were four freplaces. with richly
carved mantels OF wood. There was any
amount of bric-a-brac scattered around,
but 1t was all old, very old.
The ceiling. twenty feet high, was as
black as a century of dust and smoke and
rainy seasons could make 1t.
All Motion and Color.
In the reception room were the couples Of
elderly senors and senoras, chattering like
magpies, smoking cigarettes ard drinking a
| mild wine made from native grapes. A few
were playing Spanish monte with odd-look-
ing cards of murderous designs, and in the
friendly protection of the deep windows two
or three younger couples were decorously
making love to each other, while the old
duennas looked on approvingly. Out In the
patio, up on the roof and in the ball room
all. there was life for you! I caught
feeting flashes of red silk petticoats and
clouds of black lace floating laziiy on the
perfumed air. One couple came within the
range of my vision who fascinated me. The
man was a Mexican, weasened and wolfish.
The woman in his arms was jewel of her
type Not too TALL lissome and 1.-the in
movement; her stately young head. with
masses of jet black hair, held proudly
Her big. sleepy eyes were sloc black, be
meath eyebrows that were delicately arched
and glosSily heavy. Her well-rounded arms
and small hands and feet were of patrician
size and mold. Her full, red lips, however.
told story Of a passionate heart. She
wore black lace over amber satin.
She was a dream picture Of loneliness,
| more exquisite than the rich red roses that
| she held by their long stems in the same
| hand that held up her gown. and l wanted
to know her. Sonora Romero was nope,
| lessly stupid, but Paquita paused. flushed
and breathless, and OWNED my desire at a
| glance.
TT is senorita Dolores Luna" she whis
pered. She is what you call very much
| pobre. but proud"
But her clothesr' / objected In surprise.
"Ea! One cannot eat Clothes, Chartered
Paquita. Those are rags, very mooch no
bueno. do assure the senora," she added
earnestly. And the jewels-ah those Lunas
have had the finest ones In their day, but
those red things they are quite all that
perhaps, II she marries the little beast. Is
he not one animate? Her padre sold her
| to him-Don Pedro Perfecto Illario-he IL
| mooch rich Her heart, 1t is in the keeping
Of Don Julio. See him, Sonora? In the cor
ner, how he does glover. Sonora Luna
should watch her tonight; they are both
desperate. Certainly, senior" and Paquita
foated away in the arms Of another ad-
mirer.
A Romantic Incident.
The blazing torches lighted up the patio
with its tree-shaded walks ard fower-lined
pGths,and the guests wandered about smok-
ing cigarettes, visiting The banquet room
to eat at will. dancing a round in the big.
dark ball room with its waxed floors, or
drinking wine and playing cards at the tiny
square tables up on the roof overhung by
tall cottonwoods, 'apficots and pepper trees.
There was a constantly shifting crowd up
II ere. l liked it up there and sat down for
an hour to take 1t all in. Presently l saw
my amber and black beauty come out into
the patio with her fat old mother. and
turn her desperately. tired face up to the
roof and motion. Then the two came up
the steps, the beauty two at bound. and
her mother laborfously. The beauty passed
me into the shadow of an apricot tree, and
l heard passionate voice say:
"Acabo w" Js-
''Sf' came the answer softly, then n
hurried sentence or two in reply, and n
dark form slipped noselessly over into the
apricot tree as the fat sonora came putting
up with the beast trailing at her heels
Are you ready?' Don Julio had asked her,
and she answered Yes" l could not hear
the rest, but l felt in my bones that an
elOpement was route.
All night long they kept up the dancing
and gambling and drinking and cigarette
smoking, and the gay, good nature seemed
from among the dancers. For an hour or
more she was not to be seen. Suddenly she
appeared In the patio. and five minutes
later / heard a Spanish oath snarled out,
and Don Pedro Perfecto Illario came stag
gering from the wine room, raving like a
maniac. On the instant there was a great
commotion-dancers, drinkers and card
players pouring into the patio, and all talk
ing at once. Just then Paquita appeared at
my side. and yawningly remarked that she
was tired.
But what is the matter below" asked.
1T Is nothing Of moment sonora. The
Senorita Dolores is GONE" she replied,
with another yawn. Don Julio cannot be
found. En- corsecuencia, Don Pedro. he is
Wild; Disagradabie. is 1t not so? Chappa.
rel has the ponies ready. Shall We go?
SIP And she had me down stairs and in
the dressing room before l could ask an
other question.
claimed as l went by them to get in, and
heard them breathing hard.
rs it so?' returned Paquita, with great
show Of indignation. Those worthless
pcOHs, tIlcy nave pceu Stealing uIlNe.
1 said no more. but feeling something soft
under my feet on the floor of the buck
board, 1 reached down and brought forth a
bunch of faded red roses. l held them up,
and PaqIita laughed and shrugged her
shoulders.
''Send them to the beast" she said; "he
has nothing else left But. instead, 1
dropped them on Saint Mriams grave as
we passed it in the gray morning.
SONORA SARA
Quite English, Except On Occasions.