San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1895-10-06

To my Strunntng sings Moorish song.
and sometimes, affecting to have forgot
her own tongue, she would stumble at a
word, and turning to Don Sanchez ask
him the English of some Moorish
phrase. Then one day, there being quite
dozen visitors in her stateroom, she
brings down her Moorish dress and those
baubles given her by friends at Elche, to
show the ladies, much to the general as
constituent and wonder; then, being
prayed to dress herself in these clothes,
she, with some hesitation of modesty,
consents, and after short absence from
the room returns in this costume, look
ing lovelier than ever l had before seen,
with the rings about her shapely bare
arms and ON her ankles, and thus array
ed she brings me guitar, and to my
stunning sings Moorish song, sway
ing her arms above her head and turn
ing gracefully in their fashion, so that
all were in an ecstasy with this strange
performance. And the talk spreading,
the number of visitors grew apace-as
bees will flock to honey-and yielding
to their urgent entreaties she would Of
ten repeat this piece of business, and al
ways with a most winning grace that
charmed every one. But she was most
favorite of gentlemen and elderly ladies;
for the younger ones she did certainly
put their noses out of joint, since none
could at all compare with her in beauty
nor in manner either, for she had nei-
Their the awkward shyness of some nor
the boldness of others, but contrived
ever to steer neatly hrtwixt the two ex-
tremes by her natural self possession
and fearlessness.
OF all her new friends, the most eager
in counting her were Sir Harry Upton
and his lady diving in the Crays), and
they, being about to go to London for
the winter, did press Moll very hard to
go with them that she might be present.
ed to the king, and, truth to tell, they
would not have had to ask her twice had
she been governed only by her own in
clination. She was mad to go-that au-
dacious spirit of adventure still working
very strong in her-and she, like win
ming gamester, must forever be playing
for higher and higher stakes. But we,
who had heard enough of his excellent
but lawless majesty's court to fear the
fate of any impulsive, beauteous young
woman that came within his sway, were
quite against this. Even Don Sanchez,
who was no innocent, did persuade her
from it with good, strong arguments,
showing that, despite his worldliness,
he did really love her as much as twas
in his withered heart to love any one.
As for Dawson, he declared he would
sooner see his Moll in her winding sheet
than in the kings company, adding
that 'twould be time enough for her to
think of going to court when she had
| husband to keep her out of mischief.
And so she refused this offer (but with
secret tears, believe) But, says she
to her father, ''if I'm not to have my
own way till I'm married, shall get
me husband as soon as l can. -
And it seemed that she would not
have to look far or wait long for one
either. Before a month was passed at
least half a dozen young sparks were
counting her, they being attracted not
only by her wit and beauty, but by the
report of her wealth, it being known to
all how Simon had enriched the estate.
And twas this abundance of suitors
which prevented Moll from choosing any
one in particular, else had there been
bat che believe the business would
nye been settled very quickly. For now
SsaGAs in the very flush of life, and
~ that flowed in her veins wasi
yarn kind.