The Corvallis gazette. [volume] (Corvallis, Or.) 1862-1899, 1898-06-10
MANUELA'S TRANSPORTATION.

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 q 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
a house as this lived Manuela Lopez,
and in one of the cow-path streets
Hurlburt first met her. 1t was upon q
Sunday. Hurlburt had Just come from
inspection, and was on his way to din
ner with friends In town. He still
wore his regimentals, 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
a pretty little Mexican girl who was
coming home from mass.
She had read no books that could
have told her that 1t was the accepted
thing to do; she had probably never
given such subjects moments
thought; but when the mind Of child
becomes the mind Of woman, 1t Is
at one bound, not by slow degrees. In
spiration struck full upon Manuela's 8
brain, and she dropped her rosary.
From which 1t may be inferred that
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 na-
ture are the same
Hurlburt, of course, was close to
Manuela when the rosary dropped. He
returned 1t to her. If she had not been
with a servant, he might have spoken.
AS 1t 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 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, a 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
big, quiet, rational youth, such as
was Hurlburt. was that he should wax
romantic over 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 wa1lP'
You must be more explicit" his host
- g g IAGTiszRapiaibel OF houses
mocKfng birds"
"Yes," said Hurlburt; "but there is
hedge of red and white geranium in
front of it."
Il saw you meet her." the civilian
told him; "her name is LoDez-Manu-
ella, think"
Hurlburt became very red. When
your phlegmatic man grows embar-
rassed he is badly embarrassed. 1t was
some time before he regained speech
and came f1oundering out Of the sea of
silence. When he did, he changed the
subject.
4 Noh fhnk hn hnp Ah~
Far from It. 1t took him two weeks.
but he got himself introduced to Senor
Lopez, and had then taken to call upon
him. The senor was a weIl-educated
man, and the most hospitable of his
hospitable race. He made Hurlburt
free of the house at once, and showed
him everything 1t contained, save only
Manuela.
! "You must come again, often," he
said, as they parted. Hurlburt replied
that he would, and went again in three
days. Neither did he see his lady of the
rosary upon this occasion. He address
ed himself to Sonora Lopez, who was
handsome and well preserved.
'sYou have a daughter, have you not
sonora"
Sonora Lopez understood only just so
much English as she chose. She did not
choose to understand this. She turned
her soft eyes upon her husband, and
he answered for her.
'We have daughter" he said. "but
she Is very young"
Hurlburt understood that he had Of
Tended semi-oriental prejudice.
1t having thus been made obvious to
him that Manuela would not be pro-
duced by her parents, he went to an
early mass at the church, met her, and
introduced himself. 1t chanced that
she was alone
MAY I walk home with you, senior
itaT' he said. 81 have the pleasure of
knowing your father"
eyes, sir" said Manuela.
1t was but few hundred yards to
her home, but he made the most of his
time. Manuela answered him in mono
syllables and raised her eyes but twice.
Hurlburt's infatuation was complete.
Senior Lopez was angry. He was very
civil to the officer, but he sent the girl
to her room at once.
'I met the senorita at mass" Hurl-
burt explained.
"Are you, then, Catholic?" inquired
the Mexican.
NO." said Hurlburt-and determined
to pursue the policy that sages who
know nothing Of mankind tell us is in
variably the best-'I went to the
church ON purpose to meet your daugh-
ter. / saw her on the street the other
day"-he refrained in moment of d.
plomacy from speaking Of the dropped
beads-"and admired her very much.
That is why I came to call nDon Won.