Santa Fe daily New Mexican. [volume] (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1885-1897, 1897-02-04
slowed with prodigality upon any VIII
beoped tha Gift

begged the gift.
Our Lady's shrine was always decorated
with the great blossoms, and ever before
the portrait of the senorita in the tiny
drawing room stood her Offering to her
own lost youth.
One evening the senorita sat under the
Gold of Ophir rose tree In her hands she
held % cluster of her favorites. As she in
hailed their fragrance her thoughts We're as
ever busy with the past. Again she saw
her lover straight manly and tender,
standing before her, heard his whispered
vows and felt his kisses on her cheeks and
lips.
The garden gate clicked and swung
open. Two people advanced slowly and
uncertainty through the gathering dusk
"a man and a woman young, fashlonably
dressed, with an unmistakable air of good
breeding. The man, stepping forward ard
courteously lifting his hat said, Have
the honor of addressing Senorita Ygnacia
Bonayentura?'
He stopped abruptly as sharp Cry
broke from the senorita's lips. She had
risen, with her customary courtesy, at the
first words Of the stranger and stood now
NSpPSASNJ
which tho rose tree climbed
''Santa Maria!" she breathed rather
than spoke. "Who it ees?'
II am sorry to have startled you SO,
replied her visitor gently. We were told
at the hotel that you were quite willing
strangers should see this beautiful tree OF
we would not have intruded. l beg your
pardon And he turned as if to go.
''Stay, senor," she cried. "Do not go.
will show you the roses with happiness
81. But your face it ees which gave me SC
moocho start. Jesu Cristo, but you are
like some one''-
~ think you knew my father" said the
stranger He was stationed here at the
Preside years ago, and have often heard
him speak of this charming old town"
"Your fathaire here?"
eyes, my father, General Saunders
Lieutenant Saunders when he was here"
There was profound silence. The
straight, slim figure seemed turned to
stone The great dark eyes looked out
from under the folds Of the black tapelo
with sad intensity and earnest scrutiny.
Tom Saunders felt as if he were confront.
ed by some vague, unknown tragedy. His
young wife, too was experiencing a sensa-
ton us if she were looking on at q mys,
FERROUS phase of human emotion, and
drawing near her husband clasped his arm
with both her hands and turned her sweet
face, full Of tender sympathy, toward the
senorita. For an instant they stood thus,
three souls looking out of their windows
to scan each the other with searching
looks The senorita spoke first: Isl, Sc.
nor" she said in low, grave voice, II did
know your fathaire ong-time-ago. He
look like you--ah, 'ope he ees well-siY'
''Did you not know-but of course you
would not have heard said Saunders
sadly, "my father is dead. He died a
month ago. :"
"He ees dead?' repeated the senorita
mechanically.
eyes" said Saunders. "And before he
died he charged me with sacred commits.
sion. He knew that was coming here on
my wedding journey. He called me to
him one day and said: when you gel
there, want you to hunt up Senorita
Ygnacia Bonaventura. Tell her for ma
that now as l am nearing death, see with
clearer vision, and that regret the past.
Tell her that as l lie here racked with
pain long, oh, long, for the ooolness
the long watches of each restless night ]
smell again the perfume from the golden
roses planted before her door. y"
There was sound of sobbing as Saun-
ders finished his pathetic message II
came from his wife, who was profoundly
affected by the situation. But the senorita
did not weep. Her white face was tense
in Its agony, but not tear glistened in
her somber eyes She held out her hand
to the son of her old love. He took it In
both his and pressed it gently. "She has
suffered for my fathers sake" was the
thought that flashed through his mind,
and he bent his head and laid reverent
kiss upon the senorita's brown, toll worn
hand.
AS Saunders and his wife were leaving,
their arms filled with branches and clus-
tiers of the Gold Of Ophir roses, the senorita
held open the gate for them. When Saun-
ders passed her, she laid in his hand the
king Of all that years blossoms, great
royal golden rose. "For the lieutenant's
grave" she simply said.
Saunders bowed, too much moved to
speak. And six weeks later the ashes OF
that perfect flower were reverently strewn
over grave in Greenwood.
Hours after their departure the senorita
entered the little drawing room. Her face
was wan and haggard and old. She lifted
her Pickering candle high before the por-
trait and gazed steadfastly upon the beau
tiful young face that smiled down at her.
"Madre di Dios," she breathed, "but
it was long-time-ago!"
The next morning they tried in vain ia
waken the senorita. She lay still and cold
on her bed, drawn close to the open case
ment. Through the window the great
gay, golden roses climbed and looked into
the poor little chamber, and one, holder
than the rest, had laid its yellow head
close to the dead heart of the senorita.- =
Edith Sessions Topper in Short Stories.