Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1900-03-24

Nicholas sDurred his horse and cast the
BLACKLIST glances upon the perilous favors
to which my comrade had been SO suddenly
advanced
And so all the way back to the town of
Porto Rico the carriage swayed and thun-
dered, now swinging to one side. now lurch-
ing to the other The stones and soil from
the half-made road, desiccated by the heat
of the tropics and blown to dust by the
trade winds, flew in clouds past the win
dows from the spurning hoofs Of the
horses. Don Nicholas clapped his hat
tighter on his head and set spurs in his
beast. to keep us in sight. His wife waved
a hand out at the window as he dropped
behind hr and Doh challenged him to race; call
launches" Lard Barrel" together with
other yet choicer names, that the pos
tilions before and men servants behind had
much ado to keep their seats between their
mistress japes and the instant perils of the
road.
For me, I declare I wished myself well
back in the chain gang! Will confessed to
me afterward that she trod on my toes
looking at me the while, as a dog does at
meaty bone! If this be favor with fine
women folk, Lord send me back to poor
Jean Carrel l had rather suffer for NV
religion any day!'
Presently we crossed a creek, the horses
splashing to the hooks, the water coming
into the carriage and Donna Juanita
swearing like grenadier. in cacking full
Favored oaths she had learned from her
father, who on a time had seen service
with Grier of Lag. The beasts pulled US
up the bank in series of standing leaps
and at the top We found ourselves in a
pleasant country, with trees in clumps and
grass almost as green as in the policies my
grandfather had been at such pains to lay
out about tbs house of New Minis
There were may trees, too, some loaded
with fruit others soy with birds of red
and green, that cawed end gabbled with
hideous noise. The road improved greatly
from this point, and the poor captain of
Spain had hard work to keep UP with
| US, which from his jealousy of his wife he
was determined to do.
Then all suddenly We came out upon the
crest of little hill and 10, there beneath
us showed the town and castle of Porto
Rico. The castle is very strong. standing
with its works defensive and strong build
lngs on a point of land which juts into the
sea. The town has several churches and
| many houses with little arbors and in
closed gardens, all within the wall of the
city. But the larger gardens for produce
are without and contain many good vege-
! tables. with fruitage of orange trees
| lemons, piaii:2ins. ground gourds and an
excellent fruit called earacon, because it is
| of the shape of a heart. Yet it must not
be supposed that these gardens are fenced
| in or weeded at home. The Spaniards,
at least in their Indian colonies. have no
inclination to be so particular and nice. So
all lies open and is trampled over by cattle
and the wild things of the woods. Yet it
| is astonishing to see how many herbs, roots
and vegetables come to perfection in spite
| soil and forcing climate have the flavor of
| a Scottish winter apple or an English peach
indeed, thinkrnone that ever 1 tasted.
AT last we came to the castle where
there, at the barrier, was military guard.
| AS the carriage entered Donna JuaIiita
| saluted the officer at the gate like COM
| rade with e.: easy wave Of her white hand.
/ Then scarcely were we drawn up before
| large door studded with great nails than
| Don Nicholas galloped up, very red and
| angry, yet not daring openly to counter his
| wife in aught upon which she had set her
| mind.
Yet would he not let US out of his sight,
1 for finding no groom at hand 1--WE had re-
| turned unexpectedly he let his beast go
| where it would and ran hastily up the
| wooden steps after us to the upper hail.
which was used by the Lady Juanita as her
chamber of reception in ordinary. The
| horse, being used to be petted, went straight
| to the low window CT the kitchens opposite,
and there the cook, black man, fed him
| through the grill with pie crust and frag-
| ments of pastry.
| AS soon as l heard the commandante
| mounting the stairs after us I waited be-
hind to let him pass. This he did, taking
no notice of me, as brushing me aside he
| stamped furiously upward after Will and
| the Lady Juanita. l longed for enough
| Spanish to tell him how poor viii had
| been suffering the torments of purgatory
yet perhaps as 1t turned out it was a fortu-
nate thing that my tongue could form so
| few Spanish words.
| For when we reached the lofty chamber
which miladfs hall and sitting room
| in ordinary Juanita ordered her husband
| back for a fan she had left in the carriage.
The poor man paused. choked, hesitated-
| and went. As soon as he was fairly gone
Donna Juanita turned her about and Kissed
| VIII soundiy on the mouth
There" she said, that is proper 1reet-