The evening tribune. (Pawtucket, R.I.) 189?-190?, 1897-01-01
POISON LOVE.

It was Sle6tA at tn0 mine VI In nScPoioh
IA. Andrea was pruning ber calico fiounces
preparatory to a stroll past the offices, os-
tensibly to take some drawn work to the
much bored wife of the manager, but
well, Andrea was both coquette and had
a musical laugh by the grace OF God, Tor
II those talents are not heaven sent it Is
hopeless to attempt to graft them.
1t was very warm and the air was shim-
mering before Jimmy Avery's eyes as he
came out Of the cool dusk OF the big adobe
room and stood looking up the slope An
drea was coming down. There was great
humming of yellow jackets around heap
Of red tuna skins Once Jimmy Avery was
innocent, good and young. That he was
any of the three now was doubtful. Yet
he was much younger than he looked, and
possibly his face was more weak than evil.
II was still handsome face, though the
fiery Mexican liquors had burnt it dull
red. He was puffy under his eyes, and
his eyes were clouded.
Andrea's flounce struck the little blood
red pile Of skins rotting in the sun. In
moment she was the center OF the Hereby
buzzing insects One stung her on the
n,
whom she saw In front of the Office rolling
his cigarette and staring up the red clay
road at her.
The yellow jackets went back TO their
feast, and the young secretary led In the
peon woman, and placing her In his big
leather chair-she had never sat on chair
before-rubbed the swollen bite on her
round, brown throat with ammonia, sooth-
ing her tenderly, for Jimmy Avery was
tender to all women until they crossed
him. Then his savageness and brutality
were such as to make mere ordinary
man who knew nothing Of tenderness
stand agbast.
lustrous with the Mexican sun in their
dusky depths, and there was dimple at
the corner of her poppy red mouth.
~ never see you in Leon" he said to
her. Sometimes CO. Why do you neverg
There's lots of music and the paseo. This
is lonely place for pretty woman"
Andrea hung her head and twisted her
fingers together. Jimmy in some disgust
at her stupidity signed for her to 60, and
settled himself back to the slumber that
her pretty laugh.
floor, sullenly stirring the ola podrida
simmering over the fire Of sticks In the
corner 1t is not good for ones temper to
sit on a soft, leather chair in the afternoon
and come home to sit on q mud floor, to
listen to praises of ones beauty there and
here to the naked, brown baby, crying and
crying on its heap Of ragSby the wall
When Limpy appeared In the low door
ka hu ha har nf nd "a
head there was storm brewing. Limpy
was the limpiador-eDgine cleaner and
night watchman. He WAS also limpy by
nature, dragging one foot heavily after
him.
Andrea cast look of scorn upon him
as he knelt by the rags trying to quiet the
baby-be was SO black and SO dirty. He had
had smallpox, and each pit was trimming
with dirt. He was fairly coated, clothes
and all, with coal dust and grease. He
had q wide mouthed, friendly grin, and
goodness shone from every line Of his
homely face The men all loved Limpy,
and they said of him, Hes white inside
anyway"
1t was after the scanty meal had been
eaten that the lowering clouds broke.
Limpy listened in patient amazement
Wnll6 tDS SpitElsn Tdltleu EOunu hls edTs
like hailstones on tin roof.
"But why do you want to go TO Leonf
The baby is here, and / am here, and
"You and the baby!" And Andrea cried
and tore at her rebozo with her sharp,
| white teeth.
She used the sane arguments that Eve
| probably used She WAS not feeling well,
she needed "A change, and there was 10 SO.
4 nsa "A fp~h hav
on say tho same, in different languages per.
haps.
When your wages are $1l month and
corn Is o cents pound, 1t Is hard having
wife who pines for change. Limpy put
it to her fairly and squarely. There were
the pigs at Marfil, where his brother wa,
tending them. If she went to Leon, th,
pigs would be on short rations, and already
the corn doled out was not keeping pac,
with the appetites of the unfortunat,
swine.
Andrea decided, as was to be expected
against the pigs. Faithful, honest Limp,
faltered when he thought Of them, for tn
pigs were the core of his heart But An
drea was his God. So let the pigs starye.
The day Andrea went to Leon in the oil,
diligence was an eventful one. The womel
gathered In little groups and put thei
heads together, whispering Of her warily
for Andrea's temper was notable. She wa
burro, they said, and ber mother was
burro, and her grandmother, and also wer
they pigs to the third and fourth genera
tion. And their wrath had foundation
for when In the memory Of man had
peon woman travelled to Leon by coachs !
woman with feet. There were much fiul
tering of rebozo and silvery Ginning Q
laughter, and at last the old coach rumble
away down the winding mountain road
and out of the radiant blue air Yippled Ar
drea's laugh.
That night at dinner Mrs. Orton lookc
the young secretary full between the c,
after her wont and said very softly: -
saw that pretty Andrea starting of on 3
coach today. Did you ever notice her, i.i
Avery"
: Jimmy helped himself to some vile COLI
D pound or other from the big silver dish a.
! mozo was holding "Yes-tbat 10, nc
, which one do you meanf"
, Il take very little stock In that wife ,
she night watcbman's,r said the manage