Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1900-05-17

! ON LOVES ALTAR. I

' ' ' v ' ' '
Twenty years ago, there was in q
Mexican-Spanish town OF Mexico,
dance hall known as the "Tivoli Ale
gre" Not swell place, by any means.
For it was mostly adobe, as regards
construction, and the floor and tables
and stage were of the toughest kind.
But, being cheap, it was much patron
lied by the Mexican hacendados from
the nearby sugar plantations who
hadn't many pesos to spend in amuse-
ment the cheap clerks in the tiendas
and the assayers and other employees
from the Santa Cruz" mine. Being
an American-owned mine, the Santa
Cruz" men were all Americans-yOung
fellows fresh from engineering col
leges and the like. And Santa Cruz"
not being the liveliest place in the
world, they were in the habit Of turn
ing themselves loose on occasions in
this same Tivoli-even to George
Hewitt, the M. E., who, being older
and more experienced than the others,
should have known better, but evident
ly didn't.
la Conchita." "Little She'll" was
the star of the place and admired
alike by Mexicans, Spaniards and Grin
COS. And no wonder, either, for Con.
cha was as good and sweet as she was
pretty. All the Americans had made
love to her, by means Of pantomne
and signs, mostly, not knowing the
Spanish to otherwise express their
feelings. But even those who could
talk her language were frowned upon
by Concha-to none of them would she
have anything to say. And as for ever
the Mexicans and Spaniards-in des-
pair they had long ago retired, to
worship at other shrines- OF truth,
Conchita was "dificil"
Mr.. George Hewitt, NJ. E., found it
otherwise. AS a matter Of FORM"
more than anything else, he had sent
many punches Of big peoples and
crimson roses to the pretty dancer,
likewise taking his drinks Of an even.
ing close to the rickety stage on
which she, with true Spanish grace
and verve, danced the exquisite Span.
ish "Jota" and to please the Mexicans,
the "Jarabe." As a matter Of form
only-it could not mean anything. For
he was engaged to girl with money!
at home in New York-a fair, dainty,
chic mortal, as sweet and fresh as
white violet. While poor little Concha
well, even though q dancing girl
does happen to be good, she rarely
gets the reputation; and anyway, no
one could liken the little Shell" to o
violet. More was she like the faring,
glowing crimson Of her country's cac.
tus flower. rs
But Conchita, no doubt attracted by
Hewitt's Indifference, fell wildly in
love with him. And, whatever else
she knew, control, hiding Of ones feel.
ings, was not therein counted; even
from her passing glance at Hewitt,
one could tell. Though, for that mat.
ter, he was the last to know. Men are
proverbially blind, and perhaps he
would never have suspected had not a
cynical friend impaired the informa.
ton. Naturally, Hewitt was shocked
he had done nothing to win the girls
fancy; why should she be fond of him?
However, so long as she was pues! II
a woman cares for you, you can't be
rude to her. A-4
Following out his theory that let
ting woman see a great deal of you
often cures her fondness, Hewitt be-
gan to hestow some of his idle NOM
ents on the pretty Concha. To his
surprise, he found that she was as
thoroughly pure and sweet-minded as
his own fance at home. OF course,
she had no mind, no training, no edu-
cation to speak of, and of the Anglo
Saxon belief that mans wife should
be his friend, companion and help.
mate, she had no conception. TO her
the man one loves is a superior mortal
with capitals) to be worshiped, watt
ed upon, INDUCED, petted and COM
forted to the last degree. One of the
customs of the. Dark Ages, as Hewitt
amusedly thought, but still pleasant
one. For without doubt it was sooth-
ing to a man to occasionally find a
woman who could think of him alone;
whose few leisure hours were spent in
devising plans for his comfort and
amusement, and who even thought IL
the best of all good things to merely
be allowed to gaze at and worship
him. Probably some men would have
found it embarrassing y *Hewit.
didn't! For more and more of his
time was spent with Concha, until at
last the aunt who cared for her and
watched her by day and by nlrht,
limited openly at the marriage. Con-
cha laughed-she had not thought of
MARRIAGE! OF course, she had no
doubt but what it would be, later
people who truly loved each other al.
ways married. And loving her as did
the Americana" surely he would be
Us wretched away from her as she
would be without him. Tn truth, she
was too happy in merely loving the
man to think or care for the future.
Antonio. her cousin, did think about
II, however, being a "Gachupin" OF
some business sense, besides having q
deep and not altogether selfish passion
for his little cousin. He had always
loved her, and her oft-repeated mo"
To him had been the cause. as she was