Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1900-03-24
YOU to have the irons taken off these poor

you to have the irons taken off these poor
young men, who are my countryfolk.'
The commandante made a little grimace
with his hands as If washing them of posi-
Bile consequences. 1t was clear, however,
that he was more in fear of his wife's anger
than of all the powers. spiritual and &C.
ciesastical. of the holy office.
So the same great black brute who had
riveted the irons upon us was called to re-
move them. which he did very unwillingly-
the Lady Juanita standing over him all the
time and stimulating his energies with the
commentaries cudgel as often as he
paused for breath. on the whole, l began
to have better opinion of even the ill-set
and evil of my country, finding them of the
first power and Importance on Saint John
of Porto Rico as well as on the Isle of the
Winds.
In a little we were free and followed
the white mule and the black horse of
the Silvedas through the chain gang, who
looked upon us (poor fellowso with an en-
vious eye. l saw Jean Carrel and said a
word on his behalf to my lady. But she
only glanced at the poor man and said:
He is a French beast. l do not like
Frenchmen. They eat frogs!
So we passed on, and the commandante
followed Donna Juanita meekly on his
charger. CHANGING at her now and then fur
,;relY as If TO make out in what favor he
was /, was amusing and yet piteous to
watch him. liz demeanor was in so great
contrast to that of tie raging, tearing tiger
whom We nau seen cndrSr.---' NiuSIi IA OIL
through the shrinking ranks o. the chain
gang.
Soon we struck the made road which had
been brought thus far to connect with the
portion Of the highway We had been helping
to construct from the monastery of s.. Juan
de BroZaS to the communicate of the cap
tain general of the island.
Here we saw a huge carriage, gayly paint
ed in red and gold. with coats~of-arms
quartered all over the panels. pair of
| in he
foremost of the six horses. At sight of it
Donna Juanita Silveda clapped her hands
and made the mule break from its amble
into kind of cantering pace, while it scat
tered its hoofs generously abroad, to the
danger Of everything near.
1t CHANGED that, being fleetest of foot of
the company Din the absence of Anna,
was at the carriage almost as soon as the
my pride revolted at holding the mule of
Janet marx, yet, having no lack of the
prudence of my nation, i iIio1c no difhculty,
but held the mule as well as l could WINS
the Lady Juanita dismounted, for which
she thanked me with a bow that was never
learned among the clay higgins of More
ham.
She walked all around the carriage. adj
| miring the panels. She patted the horses
She laced and tied the shoe of the out
rider. Anon. wishing to See her equipage
| move, so that she might be able to imagine
| herself within its noble cavity, she ordered
! the men 10 go along the ROAD at speed ana
| to turn at the corner. There was, however
some difficulty in starting, owing to the
| hind wheels having sunk axle deep in the
| light sand Instantly Donna Juanita or
| dered every one to take hold and help to
move them, she herself catching at a spoke
| and heaving manfuly, needless of the con-
| cealed smiles of her attendants OF of the
| mud which stained the fine fabric of her
dress.
| Lend a hand here, Nicholas" she cried
| imperiously to her commandante.
My lady" he made answer blowing GU,
| his cheeks, 'it consorteth not with the dig.
nifty of a hidalgo and soldier of the King
| of Spain that he should labor with serv-
| ants
Come thy ways" cried Juanita. at con-
| sorteth worse with the dignity OF wife OF
| an officer of the King of Spain that her
want of her husbands bestirring himself.
And the poor dignitary had perforce to
| descend from his war horse and aid with
\ all his might. Whereupon, all suddenly
| away went the coach, Juanita running a
| little after it and clapping her hands, LAUGH.
| ing meantime with pleasure and excitement
| Now. up with you, Nicholas! Give me
| your foot. There," and with a hearty
heave she had her husband again in the
| saddle, though there were twenty within
| reach who could have rendered that ser.
| vice for him. An extraordinarily good.
| natured woman so long as her toes were no,
| trodden upon was my Lady Juantta 81.
| veda, sometime wife of Saul Mark. priva
I teer and common pirate.