Clarke courier. [volume] (Berryville, Va.) 1869-1997, 1899-09-20


In Il country house on a recent sun
day afternoon we were talking of su-
perStitions. The charming Lolita. with
eyes Inherited from some Moorish sui
tana and lips which are two rubics.
guardians OF Il mouth flied with pearls.
spoke OF the coming wedding of some
girl friends: u would never marry ON
Tuesday. for / should Ice sure OF an
cvil fate"
You would not marry even Antonio
on a Tuesday," asked fair Spanish
girl fir there are enchanting blonds
even from Andallsla
Lolita, whom everybody adorcs grew
rosy red and. Shrussiug her sculptur-
esque shoulders. replied. Il bit piqucd
at the maliciOuSly put question. Not
even Antonio ON q Tuesday. though
whatever day you should marry him
would he for him the blackcst of black
luck"
We all laughed AT this sally. know
Ing the rivalry OF the two scnoritas.
Uncle Leunidas. who is soldier and
diplomat. spoke up. saying. Don't
quarrel. dear girls There is room
enough I'm the field of love for both OF
you. aud lucky the man who wins YOU
on any day OF the week. Tuesday is
our bad day i'm Mexico. but among the
Americans IL is Friday. the day NueS-
trO Scnor was cru
But what good fortune for all Of
usr' interrupted Lolita. piously.
Dona Clot.ldc. the hostess. Il woman
OF great beauty. rcgally placed in a
carved chair Of colonial date. took up
the theme. Il am. confess. Supersti-
tious. would begin nothing on a
Tuesday. n day on which mo one
should embark. marry or undertake
anything of Importance; but above all
things. shun Tuesday when il falls
on the 18Th OF the month. If you
young people Will listen | will tell
you "A true story. and Leonidas will
confirm every word Of il. for | feel that
| used 'testigo.' So extraordinary is
the fate of the family OF Vale de
Miranda"
Here the servants brought in ices
and cakes. and there was an Interrupt
ton. but we soon became quiet. and
ClOtilde resumed: "In 1880. perhaps a
year later. there lived n Is Gale de
las Damas Regias an old man and his
wife called Scgovia. They owned the
place and had lived there many years
alone with their servants. all elderly
people. there being no children. can
not say there was i'll luck attending
them"
Excepting having no children" ="
commented Leonidas, who dotes on
children and is always surrounded by
them.
Excepting having no children" con
tinued C!Otiidc. "But these old people
died on the same day, as well recall.
and il was the 18th OF November and
when the place was sold, shortly after.
the family of Nahe dc Miranda bought
il and moved in. the date being the
26th of the following February. a dou-
BILE is. you will notice The Wales de
Miranda had always had money. as far
as any ones recollection goes. They
were originally from Guanajuato and
were mine owners. Whatever they
touched turned to gold. My GRANDPA
ther has told me time and again of
their immense good fortune. 1t seem
ed sin. he said. TO be so lucky in a
world where so many people can new
er succeed strive as they will. Each
generation of this favored family pros
pered. Death was reluctant. il al
most seemed. to knock at their door.
If the sons sought wives they found
always beauty. good breeding and So
cial position. If the daughters mar
ried, they got handsome and adoring
husbands. 1t was like fairy tale,
dear girls. You have never read a
novel like it,
Here our hostess. who is n bit ro-
mantle, sighed. slipped her melting ice
and went on: Don Ignacio Vale de
Miranda was one Of the most distin-
guiShed looking men have ever seen,
and Maria inclan. his wife was even
in middle age elegant in figure. Of ir-
rcproachablc taste and. although the
mother of many children. almost as
slender of waist rs Lolita here"
I'VE all. Of course. fixed our eyes on
thp charming form Of tho Voun,y Spl