Smyrna times., 1900-01-10
BY Samuel McLeary Waller.

bread and coffee, he had little idea or
the havoc he was raising for the well |
ordered existence of three who thought |
they were happy. But he could not |
have been expected to know that the |
girl with the blue black hair and the |
form drawn by famine had lover and |
a tickle heart, and he had never
thought so well of himself as to imag-
ine that he had gallant figure and an
earnest eye capable of turning the
maiden's head. Else he might have
hesitated as ne stood in the blue haze
of the tropical morning and singled out
the one of the misery laden thrOng of
refugees who seemed nearest the bOr-
derland of exhaustion. For he was of
the kind that love cOnstaGcy and
shrink from sullying pure heart.
When the maiden had eaten the dry
bread and drank the hot coffee and
Mills had returned to his tent to get
more of his small allowance of food to
give to some other of the unhappy ex-
lies, he wondered at the quivering eyes
she had turned back after stumbling
away without thanking him. They had
looked like twin fires of gratitude and
fear kindled by sparks from tender
and terrified conscience.
The maiden moved on with the for
lorn host who were struggling back to
the deserted city. The bundle poised
on her head pressed with less insist
ence. Her veins were warm. Into
them had stolen the strong beverage
and the greater strength of sublime
emotion sent on the subtlety of kind
ly glance.
From out of the shell torn bull ring
at the edge of the city came a graceful
youth in blue and scarlet and gold.
His cap was tasseled. his leggings
scanned with buttons of bronze. and
the fringe of his blood red sash touch
ed the jangling rOwel of his spur. His
step rang on the roadway as he hur-
ried forth to meet the maiden.
"Ah. Manuela. l have watched the
throng since daylight! watched it all
yesterday. Why are you so tardy?"
He had reached out to clasp the girls
hands, but they slipped behind her
back. The youth stopped as though
he had felt jar. Then passion came
out of the gloom in the deep Of his
somber eyes and spread down his face.
What. Manuela. is this the greeting
get-I who burned my heart out for
you and sat on top OF the bull ring
and gazed out over the hills to where
you were when the big guns were roar
ing death over the valley? Come
speak to me. child. and say you are
glad of your welcome!'
HAD you been brave. like the meT
behind those guns. you would have
gone through their weak. thin line ant
come to me. am not glad of the wei
come Of coward
All through the weary days of starva
ton in the foul village TO the nortt
and in the purple forests around /
she had sighed to press the lips of thi'
same coward; had vowed eternal fealt!
at the throne of his picturesque per
sonality; had breathed fervent caresse
that the free evening air might waf
them over the intrenched heads of tn
sullen armies to the vine clad balloon
where he was used to sit in the moon
light. On the hot road homeward sh
had thrilled with JOY that each heav
step brought forward the time of bliss
full meeting and that each moment wa
messenger from the day when the
should walk between their wealth G
friends down the long cathedral aisl'
Then had come the pair of gray eye!
and the vaunted will of the Cozenza
had melted away like care at twilight
The face of the youth became scarlt
as his sash. then white as his pain
1t is not the habit of a Latin TO col
troll his passions. rather he cultivate
them to fierceness. but Jose choke
back his fury. Perhaps the sunkel
pallid face of the girl suggested phys
cal or mental neutrality-suspicious.
had learned diplomacy. Again he hel
out his hands.
"Come Manuela. these trOubloT
times are passing, and we'll be bapp
again as when we strOlled through I'll
groves by the harbor. Say a kind wor
1t will warm your heart and brighte
mine. Say that you are glad to 81
me-"
His tones were soft. his glances te
der.
But the girl knew not restraint If Il
youth did She spurned the outstretc
ed hand with her own. A heavy go
ring fell from her thin finger and role
away in the dust. She looked at 1t
moment, half stopped to pick it u
then turned and walked away. 81
gave the youth no word. The whi
and red of his cheeks changed In
each other like a struggle betwe'
right and wrong. Right finally Il
umphed. for. although muttering in
rage Of anger. jealousy and humili
tion. he picked up the bang of gol
He wiped the dust off gently. touch
the ring close TO his lips and put it