Aberdeen herald. [volume] (Aberdeen, Chehalis County, W.T.) 1886-1917, 1898-08-04

"a
GEORGETOWN, where on the quay the
dear fellow was waiting to take US up
to the home he had made for us on his
plantation.
George Haden and had met a year
before during his visit to the United
States. and the big. quiet, sunburned
man and l, who tell this story, had fall
en- In love with one another almost at
the first sight
We were to have been married before
he returned to Guiana. but he was re-
called suddenly by the death of his only
brother at Rio, and 1t was arranged I
should follow later with mother.
You can-or, rather, you can't mag
inc how delighted l was to see my
sweetheart again. But l was startled
and good deal troubled by his appear
ance; he looked thin and worried. At
first put 1t down to his grief at Har-
rvs death; but later. after our quiet
wedding. on the way to my future
home gathered by degrees there was
more than that
Spaniard-a beautiful woman who
had died nearly eighteen years before,
leaving him with one daughter, Teresa
1t was chiefly on this girls account
that George had hurried back, and he
had mentioned In writing to me that
he had brought her up from Rio to stay
with him in Guiana until other arrange
ments could be made. Since then had
heard little Of her. and almost indeed,
In my own happiness and excitement
forgotten her very existence.
Now my questions elected from
George that she was not a pleasant
tempered young woman, or easy to get
on with, but my worst anticipations
did not touch the reality.
We came up the river tn a small
steamer. which dropped us Mt my hus-
bands very wharf. and we three walk
ed up slope through wonderful trop-
!cal garden to where a long, white
washed, unconstitutional house shone
clean and bright In the evening sun.
On the veranda stood tall figure in
a pale yellow gown, her black hair
crowned with crimson hibiscus. A
splendidly handsome woman.
She looked at me in a half-disdainful
way
$50 you're my new aunt?" she said
casually. ".And how do you do, Uncle
George?"
Her calm assumption Of superiority
was unbearable. George-big. steady,
good-tempered man that he was-flush-
ed with anger.
He whispered to me:
"Never mind. my dear. She knows no
better; and 1t won't he for long"
But 1t was for longer than we reck-
oned She was to have been sent to
her godmother. who lived in Madrid
But the old lady was i'll, and begged us
to keep the girl while longer.
1t was trying to degree, and each
day got worse and worse. Teresa's
temper was something unbearable, and
her general lack of manners only equal
ed by her sweetness when there was
anything to be gained by 1t. Still, for
my husbands sake, bore with her.
Toward the end Of the cool weather
our old English overseer died. and. as
stop-Gap. George took on a young
! Spanish American, Ramon Martinez.
Ramon was a smart looking fellow
but there was something in his black
eyes which repealed me. always felt
shrinking repulsion for the man. and
George didn't much care for him. Still
1t was necessary to have some one who
understood the sugar, and men who
knew anything were so scarce you
couldn't pick and choose.
Teresa. who loved the cheap gayeties
of Rio, had been simply bored to death
all the winter. Ramon was godsend
to her, and the two used to chat In
Spanish every evening over their coffee
on the veranda.
Sometimes I blame myself for letting
them be 50 much together, but, to tel
the truth, the relief Of getting rid OF
. her even for an hour or two was verJ