Walker Lake bulletin. (Hawthorne, Nev.) 1883-1926, 1898-06-01
THE poet to the contrary, not

L
withstanding, there are occa-
- sions when "it might have been"
are joyful words. Most men, upon
meeting again in after years their first
loves, realize this, and offer up prayers
of thanksgiving
1t was so with Hurlburt.
In the early days of the Pacific coast
Hurlburt was stationed at San Diego.
1t was picturesque little town. Its
streets were not much more than COW
paths, and its houses were mostly of
the good old pattern-adobes, one story
high, and built around patio. In such
house as this lived Manuela Lopez,
and In one of the cow-path streets
Hurlburt first met her. 1t was upon a
Sunday. Hurlburt had just come from
inspection, and was on his way to din
ner with friends In town. He still
wore his reglmentals, and was a very
gorgeous sight indeed. He was also
tall, and yellow-haired, and blue-eyed-
quite the figure to strike the fancy of
pretty little Mexican girl who was
coming home from mass.
She had read no books that could
have told her that it was the accepted
thing to do; she had probably never
given such subjects moments s
thought; but when the mind of child
becomes the mind of woman. 1t Is
at one bound, not by slow degrees. In
splration struck full upon Manuela' s
brain, and she dropped her rosary.
the love Of the fathers and the wisdom
of ages has taught woman nothing new
In affairs of the heart. The impulse of
the intrigante and of the child of ma
| ture are the same.
Hurlburt, of course, was close to
Manuela when the rosary dropped. He
returned it to her. If she had not been
with a servant, he might have spoken.
AS it was, he observed more narrowly,
what he had been observing for some
moments as he approached, that she
was graceful and pretty. Then he rails
ed his helmet and passed on.
You can count upon any one but the
typical Anglo-SaXon. You expect men
of Latin and Slav races to make fools
of themselves. But the Anglo-Saxon
Is such a thoroughly logical, reason
able, clear-headed person that the bot
tom of your universe drops out when
he deviates from the path of common
sense And when he does, 1t Is never
a mere depression. He goes, flaming
comet, whirling through space, and
carrying all your stellar system OF
plans and beliefs before him. The last
thing any one would have expected OF
a big. quiet, rational youth, such as
was Hurlburt, was that he should wax
romantic over n street meeting with
an immature ruse to attract his atten
ton. Nevertheless, that same day, af
ter luncheon, he said to his host, as
they sat smoking under the ramada
''Who lives In the house on the next
street, where the two mocking- bird
cages hang on the WALTZ
"You must be more explicit" his host
said; "there are number of houses
on the next street, and one and all have
mocking- birds"
"Yes,' said Hurlburt; "but there Is 6
hedge of red and white geranium IL
front of It,"
II saw you meet her." the civilian
told him; "her name is Lopez-Manu
ella, think"
your phlegmatic man grows embar
rassed he Is badly embarrassed. 1t was
some time before he regained speech
and came fiounderlng out of the sea oil
silence. When he did, he changed the
subject.
Not that he abandoned the cause
Far from 1t. 1t took him two weeks
but he got himself introduced to Senol
I,opez. and had then taken to call upon
him. The senor was a well-educateo
man. and the most hospitable of his
hospitable race. He made Hurlbur
free of the house at once, and showed
him everything 1t contained, save only
Manuela.
"You must come again, often," h,
said. MS they parted. Hurlburt replied
that he would, and went again in thre'
days. Neither did he see his lady OF th'
rosary upon this occasion. He address
cd himself to Sonora Lopez, who was
handsome and well preserved.
"You have daughter, have you not
sonora"
Sonora Lopez understood only just 81
much English as she chose. She did no
choose to understand this. She turnet
her soft eyes upon her husband, an'
he answered for her.
1--WE have daughter" he said, "bu
she is very young"
uurlburt understood that he had of
Tended a seml-oriental prejudice.
It having thus been made obvious t.
him that Manuela would not be pro
duced by her parents, he went to al
early mass at the church, met her, ant