The professional world. (Columbia, Mo.) 1901-192?, 1902-08-08

- N@1> a1ao ~ hSoN DeSScN
~9S2II with a giddy wtirr, and
S there was a dancer on the
stage who was good to look upon. AL
together, Martins was a much more
pleasant place to be than in the sultry
atmosphere outside.
That GIRL said Brown, slowly, eye
ing the dancer through curling clouds
OF smoke, as she snapped her castenets,
n twisted her 1.-THE figure in the
rhythmic measures Of a Spanish air,
reminds me of a woman l knew in
Cuba"
rs it a story, Brown" questioned
Lester.
We'll, rather" our friend replied,
emphatically. Like to hear it?"
We assented eagerly, for Browns
stories were usually worth listening to.
AS said before" he began, at was
In Cuba. | was there for the paper,
Just before the Spanish-American war
broke out, and l saw the conflict
through. Most of the time, after hos
Utilities were declared, / was all over
the island, wherever the fighting was,
put at first ! was quartered at Havana,
and it was there that l knew Antonio.
IN had come from Paris and was
dancing at the Tacon thaater. The
city was mad over her, after the fash
Ion OF the Latin race, and, in fact, she
made even my phlegmatic Anglo-Saxon
blood run quicker than was its wont.
She was hardly beautiful, though l have
never seen such eyes before, or since.
She had a small wicked face. was slen-
der almost to thinness, and not very
tall. But to see her dance, am sure
no one has equalled her. Every motion
was daring, poetical, and possessed the
very essence of grace. She was abso-
lutely mistress of her art, and of her
audiences.
Il don't know what she was, but
mostly Spanish blood, although some
said she had a strain of ~French-some
said Arabian, and some even limited at
the African, but whatever her nation
atty. her magnetism was marvellous.
The g~allants flew wildly at her feet.
she was looked upon with horror by
the church, although it was said-but
never mind that. She tantalized her
lovers, laughed at them, Tilted them,
yet chained them to her. Among her
most constant admirers was General
Ruiz, of the Spanish army. He seemed
to be more favored than the others. but
was insanely jealous, in fact bereft of
all reason.
Political matters were very much
strained-feeling between Spaniards
and the Cubans had reached its highest
pitch. Not a day passed without a duel,
or a quarrel, or an arrest. Yet in spite
of this, Antonina danced every night to
a crowded house, and the pleasure low
ing city, although h~oney-combed by
plots and i%ntrigues, forgot, for the mo-
ment, all save the moments enjoyment.
THE man most dreaded by the Span
1sh officials was one Juan Sanchez, an
insurgent leader. He vas the son of
a wealthy planter who had figured
prominently in a former outbreak. and
had been eXiled to Centa, Spain's penal
colony in Africa. The son. growing to
manhood and finding himself an out
cast, embraced the rebel cause and had
made himself troublesome. He had
gathered his recruits from neighboring
provinces, and lived in the mountains,
evading every effort of the government
to capture him.
81 do not know how it came about
but Ruiz evolved the idea of effectine
his capture through Antonina. Thu
general possessed a diamond of enor-
nous value, a family jewel. and this he
promised to the woman if she would
lure the outlaw to her house. Antonina
had long coveted the stone, and had
tried every one of her wiles t. obtain
1t, so it can be understood that she
readily promised to attempte the task
ut might be thought that this was
a most difficult undertaking, but Ruiz
had his spies everywhere, and Antoni.
ma her willing slaves. One night, when
Sanchez vas in the city on a secret
mission, he was taken to the theater
by one of his W friends, to see An
tonina dance; was introduced to he,
after the performance, and, like all the
others, fell under her spell. To a mar
of his character no halfway method
was possible. She dismissed the Other
of her admirers, and rumor soon spread
that Sanchez rode in every night ant
openly visited her at her house.
"This was what Ruiz was waiting for
and one evening the place was sur
rounded and Sanchez taken prisoner
He was, of course, sentenced to be shot
"Antonina. apparently, thought NJ
more of the matter. She appeared a
the theater on the following evening
and had never been more charming
The story of her share in the rebel!
capture got about and she was cheereC
whenever she was seen by the loyalists
Ruiz was more infatuated than ever
and wal more than helpless in he
hands.
"The day that Sanchez was to be exc
cuted Antonina demanded of Ruix tina
he should gain permission for her to SCI
her former lover alone. 1t was no
known what excuse she gave for thii
seemingly strange request, but, at an.
rate, it was granted her. What tool
place at the interview was never dis
closed. Immediately after 1t was owe
Sanchez was marched into the court
yard, placed with his face to the wal
and shot to death. He met his fate will
gallant Indifference.
"Antonina watched him die. iron
one of the windows. without a sign o
emotion. save a narrowing of the eve
lids and a slight compression of tn
lips. She danced that night, but can