River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1902-01-02

was so overcome that she QlQ nOt@tnink
to express her gratitude. She leaned
heavily on my shoulder for few feet,
and would have dropped in swoon,
but I caught her in my arms and car
ried her to the generals tent.
"Has the senorita thanked you?' in
ouired Mr.. Strong, the next morning
as we were getting ready to resume
the journey. "The general was teas
ing her this morning about resting
so gracefully in the big Americans
arms! If she is shy to-day, old fell
low, don't take exceptions. She is
grateful, for I heard her express her
sentiments"
As we were riding off she came to
the rear and with the grace of queen,
though in broken English, expressed
her regret for giving me so much trou-
bic by her silly fears, and told me how
grateful she was. More than this,
she deigned to ride by my side for
more than a mile, speaking of the
scenery and making many inquiries
about my native land. And when, late
in the evening, we arrived at her ia
theirs plantation, she and the gen.
eral insisted on my taking up quar-
ters in their home.
I went to the open sheds like the
other employees, to sleep that night. In
that semi-tropic region, night is not
without it's romantic aspect, even if
there should be no woman in the case.
Lying on my hammock, / could look
out on the moonlit hills, soft and fair
as a dream of oriental scenes. The
breezes came in laden with the per-
fumes of bananas, oranges and bios
soming trees. Singing birds made the
hours sweet, recalling the knocking
birds which warbled in the locusts at
home. The continual howl of hun
dreds of babboons was mellowed by
the distance into a roar no less pleas
ant than the far-off sound of water
falls; and at intervals through the
night the Indians whooped some sig
nal known to the race, and were an
swered by others in the mountains or
in the wales.
The days passed very plea sanity for
weeks and months. I saw much of Isa-
bella. / sought her society, in fact,
and was not repealed. 1t is not boast
ing, I hope, to say that she enjoyed
my presence more than that of the
wealthy young Senior Barrios, of a
neighboring plantation. In time this
young Spaniard became quite jealous.
In his chagrin he once in the presence
of Mr.. Strong and Isabella referred
sneeringly to my occupation-for jeal-
ousy and love are alike in every cline.
Mr.. Strong assured him that my OPP
portunities had been the best, that
preferred my occupation to other call
ings that had been open, and that his
ancestry could not be more honorable
than mine; all of which my friend
had imagined, though trust he never
greatly exaggerated things. Isabella
enjoyed the taking down, while her
sutton became more jealous.
think Gen. Mercedes, who favored
the suit of Senior Barrios, became preju-
diced toward me on account of my
attentions to his daughter. He soon
became chilly in his bearing, and for
babe me his house - little dreaming
that love fattens on opposition. Soon
things got to be unbearable, and
resolved to return to the states. But
I found that I should not carry my
heart back with me.
One night, as lay in my hammock
it was the night before my intended
departure-I could not 60 to sleep.
he
shed, coming from the direction of
Gen. Mercedes residence. In the
clear moonlight I discovered that it
was Mr.. Strong. He brought word
from Isabella, who had come to him
at that time of night, that Barrios
would perhaps make an attempt on
my life, and warning me to be on my
guard.
"Where is she now?" I inquired.
"Waiting out there to know what
you intend to do,' h ; responded.
''Then / must see her. After that, ]
shall impatiently await the attack OF
the coward"
There, she and I, in the beautiful
moonlight, in the fragrance of the
tropic blossoms, held our tryst-ex-
perienced some hints of the joys that
must once have been Eden's. With Isa-
bella's arms about me, / heard her soft
response to my declarations of love
and fidelity, and I promised to return
to the states, prepare home for her,
and then some day take her to it. Later
on Senior Barrios and hired scoundrel
made their attack-but they found a
foe who gave them better than they
sent. I infer from Isabella's letter
that he has not fully recovered.
This is my story, crudeley told, for
I am not practiced writer. / have
been at home for some two months,
my father assisting me to establish
business that | think will prove a
success. Often in the quiet I can see
in fancy the bleak bald SOULS of the
up1ands, the sun bathing them as with
the splendor of altar fires. The little
pack-trains come and go, their bells