Akron daily Democrat. [volume] (Akron, Ohio) 1892-1902, 1900-01-16
v"V"1H'1"1"VN'
LGONITM
BY WILLIS B. HiWKISS.

games tnnt Tor years tbey had pinyed To-
gether; why she now went round by the
bridge and would not let him assist her
across the stream.
When he reached the open, be saw her
standing by the road at the top OF the
hill. A horseman who had spoken with
her rode away, smiling over his shoulder.
Something frightened In Gitano's breast.
With firm steps he came to the hilltop.
"Who was he. 'Nitaf"
"Who but that coregidorr she an
swered nrchly.
"What said heT"
"More than ever another hath said,
Gitano."
Leonita turned her face away.
"He said that mine Is the beauty Of the
night"
Gitano's eyes flashed at the receding
horseman.
"Why Of the nightT he asked.
Because" she faltered-"because--so
said the corregidor-my brow IL the
moon touched snow upon the mountain
and my eyes are the clinting stars"
"Said he thati What more"
"That my hair Is the midnight cloud;
that my lips
She turned a pebble with her dainty
toe.
"That my lips Gitano prompted.
care the dew bright berries of holly
awaiting the kiss of dawn-so said he.
the corregidor."
At the bend of the road the rider look
ed back aud raised his glistening SOM
brero. Leonita waved her supple hand
and smiled But when she turned again
to her companion the smile departed
la- t;... fo,.t hn aoduaua NJ hia
rebuked her heart.
The next day and the next the rider
came, but Leonita was ever away with
Gitano in the lowland grove.
Then, as the third day closed, her ia.
ther said to her.
"'Nita, thou art too much with Gil
longer child"
But. my father, am happy with Gil
tano."
so much the worse. Bide thee at
home. The corregidor will come again"
1.-The corrcgidor"
"Aye. 'Nita: he hath seen thy beauty
"What dost thou mean, my father"
"Only that thy place Is here. Let Gil
tano go his way"
Another day the rider came, and when
] ut ntuk AWAY 4<COnild lhIt W do AZ htA
hands.
"Sily childw her father said. ''Thou
wilt be the corregidora, great lady,
and ride in thy coach. Is this thy graft
tude for fathers loving careT'
| Gitano came at sundown to learn why
Leonita had not kept their daily tryst.
Her father sat with them and told Gi-
tano all-that the corregidor had smiled
| har haantv and hopUad bnr fnr his
bride: that the fathers promise had been
given; that the notary was to come next
morning to seal the troth, and that until
then Leonita was to remain within.
Gitano heard as in dream. The
words seemed to come over some vast
distance-even from some lightless world
whose fires had fickered out ages and
ages ago. But as her father spoke Leo
nita weavered a message of the thread
upon her lap and trembled with excited
joy to see Gitano read 1t.
The moon was low, when a call as OF
a night bird softly fell through Leonita'.
lattice.
"Gitano!"
"Nita!'
Cheek to cheek. they whispered from
their hearts, and in the meeting of theiI
lips were sealed pathetic vows of love be
yond this life.
Then through the somber avenue Of 81
lence they came again to view the
gloomy present.
'And spoke he only of the beauty OF
thy face" Gitano asked.
"Only of that" she answered.
81 would thou hadst no beauty, then"
Before they parted at the lattice Leo
nita begged one last memento of his hon
est love. A lush young vine grew in the
withered gum tree at the bottom of the
gorge.
Bring me sprig of that, Gitano, for
remembrance"
And when she took It from him she
bnde him haste to bathe his hands in
milk. Then Gitano knew the cruel na-
ture of the vine.
mo, no! Not that" he cried.
But the lattice window closed
In the morning light the father looked
on Leonita's face and horror paled his
own.
"'Nita," he gasped. "is 1t thee-my
child?"
AYE, my father, thy child"
He swayed and closed his eyes.
"Say not So" he moaned. "It cannot
be. My 'Nita was so beautiful-so beau
tifulw
In overwhelming grief he sank upon
the floor and rocked and feebly beat his
breast.
20 santo Dios! What curse is this?"
Then came the other awful thought.
"The corregidor will never take her
uow" he cried.
"Why. my father? Doth he love me
for my face alone?
But the father only walled as one gone
mad:
"The corregidor! The corregidorl He
will not have her now"
Then came the rider with the notary.
"She was so much a child" the father
sobbed. "She played with young Gita.
no in the grove. She did not know the
devil vine would eat her beauty. And
yet 1t hath but spoiled her face and not
touched her beautiful heart"
"Rustico." said the great corregidor,
"thou hast my earnest sympthy. Here is
a purse of gold.'
And with his notary he rode away.
When Gitano. with his scalded hands.
fmoothed Leonisa's hair. his tears ex-
pressed his heart.
''Still thou are beautiful" he said.
"Nay, sweet Gitano; even thou canst
not say that"
Hush, my 'Nita! Thine is the beauty
of the day. Thy heart love is the glad,
warm sunshine and thy glorious soul the
rainbow promise unto me."-Chicago
Times Herald.
His Grievance.
1t is no wonder the humorst feels bit
terly toward the cooking schools when
these have all but eliminated the woman