Evening bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1895-1912, 1899-12-23


fused with bushes, the scene in the
dining room. We were standing in
front of the kitchen door in the din
ing room-"Hiram-I mean Mr..
Clancy'-and the bushes deepened,
and the pretty head drooped-"Mr.
Clancy was facing the front door of the
dining room-Mr. Clancy was just
kissing me-he had asked me to mar
ry him-and I" she lowered her
voice to low yet distinct whisper at
this point-'I said yes Then the front
door opened, and Tito de Vega came
in-Hiram was still kissing me-Tito
saw us and drew his revolver-I ran
toward him and begged him not to
shoot, but he would not heed me-he
fred think over my head, for" very
archly, I'm only little girl amt
tall bit-then the lights went out
and l heard mother say: quick! give
me the pistol, Tito, and cut and run
for It'll think she thought Mr..
Clancy was shot. Then the light was
lit and we found that 1t was papa who
was killed, and ! saw Tito's piston in
Hiram's belt" In aswer to question
by counsel: Il knew 1t was Tito's pis-
toll. because one night when ] was sit
ting near him. he said: Look Bessie,
we Spaniards stand no trifing-if
you play me false, ! will kill you; and
he showed me the pistol took II
from him and scratched with a pin, on
the inside Of the guard: 'Bess and
Tito, June, 1S47, and he scratched the
same in my locket in the inner case
then he kissed me and called me his
little wife, and said he never could
harm me-but 1t was not Tito | loved
Just Hiram" She burst into tears as
she concluded her testimony, and 1t
was easy to see the effect of her dra-
matte recital on the jury. The pistol
was examined and found marked as
described. The girl was rigidly cross
examined, but would not deviate in the
slightest particular from her last
statement, and Clancys acquittal fol-
lowed as a matter of course. An at
tempt was made to trace Tito de Vega,
but 1t proved unsuccessful. Clancy
also left the city after his term Of en-
listment expired, and soon the tragic
affair was forgotten by all save the
principals, in the hurry and rush of a
place that had enjoyed the somnolent
ease of Spanish dominion since 1776
and was just aroused from its indolent
apathy beneath the pregnant touch of
American enterprise. AS Bess and her
mother walked homeward after the
the latter loaded the girl with re-
proaches for the course she had pur-
sued, but she answered these by say
| ing that Clancy would soon be worth
| $40 1000; that he would surely marry
her and what good was there in swear
| ing away an innocent mans life?
| Especially as Tito was probably safe.
| Co tha ,pfbar xuaa arpnaI into cilanna
| and the Two women resumed their old
relations in the boarding house. But
as the days went by, and Clancy never
came near the house, and they learned
that he had mysteriously vanished
without even thanking the girl who
had saved his life, the quarrerls be-
tween mother and daughter were re-
newed, and finally the acrimonious de-
bates were carried to such pitch that
many of the better, old-time patrons
of the house sought relief from the jar
ring discord by patronizing an oppose
| ton dining room. Things gradually
| got worse; the mother took to drink
and neglected her kitchen. A class Of
roughs and rowdies succeeded the
quieter element, many departed with
out the formality of settling their bills,
and the Burton House lost Its respec-
liability forever, and became a noted
resort for thieves, gamblers and cut
threats. At the time when Marshall
electrified the world by discovering
gold in California in 1S4S, the Burton
House was hopelessly in arrears, and
had an Improbable clientage of sail
ors, confidence men, common DRINKS
and general dead beats. The old lady
had become a constant smoker-could
voice with the energetic precision of a
mule driver, the strange, forcible and
expressive explosives and rare oaths
that enrich the vocabulary of the Grim
inal classes, and toss off glass of proof
spirits without a wink. AS for the
girl, she still maintained the outward
appearance Of modest and innocent
maidenhood, but was compelled, owing
to their reduced income, to exc out hel
once neat and excellent apparel with
the cheap and tawdrey finery that usu
ally forms the scanty wardrobe Of the
poorly paid waitress. Then, too, she
had ceased to be neat-if her dress wal
pretty clean she cared little what tn,
condition of her other garments was
When a girl reaches this stage the de
scent Is usually rapid. She soon de-
, generates into that most abhorren
type Of woman, sloven. Yet, strang,
to say, In the atmosphere Of tobacco
smoke, whikey fumes, coarse abuse
and constant insult, the girl managed
to keep her rough gallants at a dis
lance and never sullied her lips will
an oath. and, In response to her moth
er's reproaches that were lavished OF
her with merciless bitterness when
ever she sent one of the burly rufflani
, to the right-about with few cold, de
cisive words, and look in her blacl
. eyes that proved better safeguard
than a whole arsenal of approved
weapons, she would say quietly. To-
the fiery impetuous war Of words hat
long since burnt itself out, I'm wait
, ing for Hiram. he'll marry me and III