Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1896-08-07
HIS SPANISH GIRL.

I wondered why Barry should be sit
ting alone in the garden at 10 o'clocl
on fine midwinter night. AS remem
bered him, he had been a sociable sor1
Of fellow, fond of gayety and pretty
girls, and there was cotlllon going
on indoors in the ballroom. wondered,
too, where his wife was, for he had told
me he Was married.
1t was six years since had last seen
him. We had been boys together, just
out of college, and l had visited him
for summer in the southern part of
the state where his home had always
been and where his family was one of
the few "old' ones which could right
~ lay claim to gentility Of other than
mushroom growth.
After that visit I had gone back to
San Francisco and to truly San Fran
cisco system of work, with the result
that my health and spirits had steadily
decreased, and at the end of these half
dozen years was obliged to come south
for long rest.
1 had chosen this delightful and
quiet hotel in the hope that might not
have my peace disturbed by any of my
numerous acquaintance, but here, the
first thing, came down upon us in our
retreat crowd of workings from town,
bent on dancing cotillon. Barry had
come with them. Why, then, l repeat
ed, was he not in the ballroom, and
where was his wife? Perhaps she did
not dance. But, in that case, why was
either of them with the frivolous party
that was turning our secluded spot into
bedlam?
For moment longer I let my gaze
follow girl i'll white satin, who had
fascinated me. She was very young and
brilliant and erect, with the face a
painter would have chosen for Olym
pia' wreathed in vines and serpents.
A high, unnaturally white forehead,
with very black and very straight, thin
brows, eyes long and flashing and cruel,
a large nose, suggestive of the Hebrew,
thin, red lips, continually parted in a
wild sort of smile over wonderful teeth !;
a brilliant color, a long face, black hair,
parted and twisted low on one Of the
most columnar necks I had ever seen.
1t was not beautiful face. In repose
it was far from beautiful, but it was
rarely in repose, and her laugh was the
most bewildering thing imaginable. If
she had been the heroine of romance,
men would have loved and hated her to
the extent Of the shedding Of a great
deal of blood, but in life today it is
hard cash, not women's faces, that &C
complish that I took one last look at
the demoniacal young face and then
went to hunt up Barry.
We had already met i'll the office, but
had not had time to exchange a dozen
words. / wanted to talk over old times
and new times, so. when l drew near
him, | scraped my feet and coughed,
as being the approved method of break
ing in upon tetes-a-tetes and meditation,
and when he started [ said: ''Hello!
That you, BaTy?" and took seat be-
side him on the bench. He offered me a
cigar and gave me light, from which
] inferred [ was not unwelcOme.
"What are you doing, incoming I'M
der pepper tree? 1t seems to me dane
ing's more in your line, or doesn't the
madam dancer"
"Yes; she dances -
"Oh" l said, and feeling slippery
ground. proceeded to avoid it. Game
down from town tonight with the par
ty, didn't you?" asked.
eyes.
Heaps of pretty women
"Do you think SO? 1 admire your
northern women more. They have more
distinction too. Ours fade early, be-
sides"
"Well, there's one girl there, by
Jove, that makes up for country of
mediocrity-that witch of a flirt with
the black hair and the very bare shout
ders who is dancing with Thornton. If
/ didn t happen to have some one like
better in the city, 1 think I'd go in for
her.
"But she's married, my friend
"No? Who's the proud possessor?"
81 am -
''You dom say? Since when?"
! "SiEce five years ago nearly"
! well, it's little late, but permit
me to congratulate You. She is superb. :"
'Thanks. :" And then we lapsed into
silence, and I reflected upon the facility
with which well meaning man may
put his foot in it.
''You wonder at my not dancing,
don't you?" he said abruptly. "Well, I
used to like it. l like it now, but l
found Mrs Barry was already engaged,
80 there was nothing for me to do but
to order flowers gracefully and step out
hereto reflect and recall.
fDo you know" he Went on. 81 had
a romantic meeting and parting Oh this
spot once, right under this very tree
1t was just after l left you. six years
ago-the meeting. I had ridden out
from town Oh Nocturne You remember
her, the little black mare? I was walk
ing her along a road which ran about six
feet from here, just about where that
Bon Silene bush is Git was before the
days of the hotel, when all of sud
den she SHE'D at what looked like bun
die of old clothes under this tree, No,
no: wasn't thrown, and wasn't res
cued by the heroine. 1t was not mucf,
of shy, just enough to make me look
again at the bundle and wonder what
it vast was dusk, you know-and
then to notice that the bundle moved.
"Wherefore l concluded it was q
woman, probably Mexican. It was a
woman, or a very young girl, rather,
and deuced pretty one-a Mexican too.
could see that, even in the twilight,
for her eyes cleaned in the dark as on
1y pair of Mexican eyes can CLEAN,
and there was all added brightness, fol
the eyes were wet with tears. How dc
know? I dismounted and found out,
of course. 1t ism likely l was going te
see woman prone on the ground q