The Neihart herald. [volume] (Neihart, Mont.) 1890-1901, 1897-05-29
MARIQUITTA.

Yes, it was the house at the cor
ner, and I passed it every day. Its
inmates became familiar to me, and
I became known to them. Father,
mother, daughter and son, there
they sat on the fiat roof in the fresh
evenings of the Indian cold weather; !;
there, too, they lounged on sultry
summer nights to catch breath of
air.
l did not know their name, but
knew that they were Eurasians Gu
ropean and Indian blood). l did not
even know to what social grade they
belonged, but knew that l was not
likely ever to meet them in any So
ciety I might frequent.
l was not anxious to meet them or
to develop any personal acquaintance
with them. But they had become
familiar objects to my view, and it
seemed to be part of my everyday
life to see them sitting there on the
roof.
One day I noticed a disturbance at
the corner house. A vehicle of tor
ture, otherwise known as an Indian
cab-that is prone to rattle its un-
fortunate inmate to atoms long be-
fore it's destination be reached
stood at the door. Two boxes and a
bag seemed to compose the luggage
of the new arrival; no board ship
chair, nothing to suggest sea voy-
age. No, 1 clearly decided it was not
the mail that had brought this addi-
tion to the inhabitants of the corner
house. The person, whoever it was,
had entered before l passed, and
only the luggage was waiting pa
tiently outside. had the curiosity
to glance at the labels and saw that
they were marked I'M. G."
Ny friends did not appear quite so
often on the roof now, and they
were never accompanied by the
stranger.
1t was the gay time of the year,
and the festivities were numerous.
I had a young friend staying with
me at the time, and for his sake
determined to break through my
lonely habits that might show him
some of the gayety of our town.
There was mad ball, as the ma
tives term our fancy dress dances,
at the town hall, and, for the sake
of my friend, took tickets, and we
went. The evening, for the time OF
year, was unusually warm, and all
windows and doors were thrown
widely open. The room looked
charming in its decorations, and, as
my young companion seemed to en-
joy himself, l felt satisfied. Saun-
tering out on to one of the verandas,
! sat down peacefully to enjoy the
strains of subdued music that reach
ed me in the balmy air. Theveranda
was so dark that l could not see the
faces of two people who were sitting
in the opposite corner. But i could
not help overhearing a few words
of their conversation.
"How do you like being here2"
/ was almost startled to recognize
the voice of my young friend.
"Oh, l like it very much. 1t is a
great change" answered a girls
voice.
AS they passed me l could see
that her fancy dress was copy of
Grecian robe, and that it was en-
tirely white, and l heard my friend
say, II have not seen you for
months.
l returned to the ballroom and
watched the dancers. Then / be
came aware that my friend was ap-
preaching me, and that his Grecian
partner was still with him. This
time / saw her face. 1t was very
beautiful complexion pale, but
not sallow. Her face suited her fan.
cy dress, for it was purely classical.
Her eyes were large and dark; her
hair was of deep brown and loose
ly coiled at the back of her head in
a Grecian knot. LET me introduce
you" he said, ..to Miss Gonzalo. p"
With a stately little bow, she turned
to me, and we were soon engaged in
conversation. My friend had left
us, and, though ! no longer dance, ]
had asked her to4be my partner.
She had not been in town long,
she said. She came from up country,
where she had first met my COM
panion.
mo, ! do not remember having