The Virginia enterprise. [volume] (Virginia, St. Louis County, Minn.) 1893-19??, 1896-04-17

just at tine beginning Of the season. An
aticionado, may explain, ia the Spanish
equivalent for turf or racing man III
England, only with the difference that
/ the bull, not the horse, Is the animal
which affords him sport. SsI.
"a girl has tainted In the Velasco's.
palco," said one of these young men to
another. ''Who is she? 1t is not good
| 1T is Manuela Velasco, Don Christie
balls niece. She knows nothing of our
nsages, having been educated In Eng
land, where her father was secretary TO
our embassy. They have no bull-hghts
"Por Dios! What a country! 1. al
| ways thought those English were lying
| when they boasted Of their civilization.
! But tell me more of this niece of Don
Christobars. Pace, She is lovely. What
a skin!, What eyes! WHAT
stop, my good fellow; don't fall head
over ears in love with her; she has a
to Ramon San Miguel. 1t is not yet
publicly announced, as there is hitch
somewhere, though what it is no one can
make out, for. Ramon is desperately in
love with her"
"Fastidiosa! That is always the way
| with me. l am never soon enough in the
field. Is that San Miguel in the back of
the palco?'
mo, that is Fausto, Don Christobars
| son: he is also in love with his cousin
| and furiously jealous of Ramon. You
see, | know all the family news, as Clio
| ria EelascO is my novia."
Eyes, yes; that is an old story. But
nOnnu Nonno1o h0H hatf f.,l.n
it will not do to try any English flirting
| ways on our men here. They will not
stand it, and we shall have some blood
letting if she plays fast and loose with
Spaniards. When does she return to
London"
'Never. Her parents are Dead and
she has come to live with her uncle.
lieve there was Il brother, but he is
| dead"
While this conversation was going on
| the girl in the Velasco's palco, or box,
had recovered herself, and, turning from
her aunt, who was offering salts and
eau de Cologne, she said to Fausto
| Velasco: 'Go, l entreat. Ask how he
full"
And she hid her face in her hands.
Fausto was watching her intently.
He was slight young man, rather be-
! low the middle height, and dark even
| for Il Spaniard: there was a stealthy,
| cat-like grace in his movements and a
curious yelled glance in his black eyes.
unpleasantly suggestive of a tiger wait.
| spring. He laughed scornfully as MAN.
| uela spoke.
Dead! Not he, Those fellows are
made of gutta percha. Besides, if he
were, what is it to your
Manuela turned from deadly pale to
| crimson:
"You forget / am not used to your
cruel sports,' she gasped
| Gloria, who had been half-listening,
| now turned.
"Don't tease, Fausto. Go and ask.
want to know land so do you)
whether any of Guapito's bones are
broken. He is not killed, be sure, but
he may be laid up for some time, and
that would be a pity"
"Why is not San Miguel here to run
errands for his llovia?" grumbled Faus-
to, moving off, however.
Ramon hates bull fights" murmured
Manuela, "and so do t.
"Yet you 90 to all, primita mia. Why
is that?' asked Fausto mockingly. eff
you don't like them, why not stay away
| as Ramon doesY
]Aeu11 NAuAuC1A SOIOIcu, UuL SuC uuCC
no reply.
PART II.
The evening after the bull fight was
Dona Blanca Velasco's tertulia, or even
ing at home. That lady was reposing
her ample form after the fatignes Of
the day, in a rocking chair, awaiting
her guests in Il state of semi-somnolence.
Gloria and Manuela were seated on low
seats near the window, talking. Manu-
elias face bore an expression of great
sweetness and at the same time a sad
| ness, which might be accounted for by
the fact that death had deprived her of
her nearest relations, and she had come
almost a stranger to her fathers native
land.
She had been devotedly fond Of her
only brother Rafael. a wild scapegrace,
who. some years previously, after get
| ting into a more than ordinarily serious
| the north of Spain, and had fallen in
one of the nameless skirmishes which
were features in that unlucky war;
The conversation of the girls was in
| terrupted by the entrance of Fausto with
Paco Ramirez.
what news of Guapito?' asked
Gloria.
"Good. He is bruised and shaken and
one thigh is somewhat torn, but he will
be we'll before the carnival" replied
Fausto.
''This comes of having bull fights out
of season. If the first bull fight Of the
season had been on Easter day, as is
natural and proper, this accident could
never had happened" said Pace.
1T is the fault of that Italian prince;
he desired particularly to see one and
could not stay here any longer" said
Gloria.
LET him be content with novillos,"
| grumbled Pace, who. as an afcionado,
resented anything not completely zen
regle' in a bull fight.
Ramon San Miguel now came in, and
sitting down beside Manuela, spoke to
her in low voice.
''They tell me you nearly tainted ut
the corrda. Manuelita; I wish you would
refuse to witness that cruel sport"
My aunt and cousin go. l 10 not
like to be singular said Manuela, with
an air of confusion.
| alma mia! Everyone knows l never
| go to them, and in Spain girl who IS
seen in public without her novio is more
singular than one who refuses to go
to bull fights
ut is terrible fascination-you can
not understand-you do not know"
faltered she.
mo, indeed, do not know, I wish l
did, said Ramon, gravely.
| AS the Velasco's carriage turned into
the Prado the first day of the carnival.
a black velvet mask in a plumed hit,
sprang lightly OH the step.
"Senoritas miasr' cried he, offering a
box of bonbons to the girls. II had al
most given you up and gone off with the
wife of the Japanese ambassador. What
have you done with Paco, Gloria? And
Ia Ingelsita, where is her novio? Look
how sad and silent she sits! Shall 1
fetch Ramon, Manuela?'' Manuela, who
was not used to the boundless license
allowed to masks III carnival time in
Spain, was rather taken aback; the
squeaky voice close to her ear, the uncan-
ny eyes glaring out of the eyeholes in
the mask half frightened her. sGloria,
however. was quite in her element, and
answered for her:
Yes, yes. go and fetch our novios,
since you are SO ungallant as to desire
their presence
mot t. replied the Black Mask, who