Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1902-01-03
low. I soon dispatched the reptile,


and lifted the girl to the ground She
was so overcome that she did not think
to express her gratitude. She leaned
heavily on my shoulder for few feet,
and would have dropped in swoon,
but 1 caught her in my arms and car
ried her to the generals tent.
HAS the senorita thanked you? in
quired 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 a queen,
though in broken English, expressed
her regret for giving me so much trou-
be by her silly fears, and told me how
grateful she was. More than this,
she deigned to ride by my side for
more than mile, speaking of the
scenery and making many inquiries
about my native land. And when, late
in the evening, we arrived at her IA
Tiers plantation, she and the gen
eral insisted on my taking up quar-
ters in their home.
l went to the open sheds like the
other employees, to sleep that night. In
that semi-tropic region, night is not
without its 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 mocking
birds which warbed 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-of 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 Pleasantly fer
weeks and months. | saw much of lsa-
, | DtIId. SDuSll ltI III iaIN'
and was not repelled. 1t is not boast
ing, l 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 cha grin he once in the presence
of Mr.. Strong and Isabella referred
sneeringly to my occupation-for jeal-
, ousy and love are alike in every c,imc,
Mr.. Strong assured him that my op-
portunties 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 heI
suitor became more jealous.
| think Gen. Mercedes, who favored
=, the suit of Senor Barrios, became PIE ju
f diced toward me on account of my
attentions to his daughter. He soor
became chilly in his bearing, and for
bade me his house - little dreaming 4
that love fattens on opposition. Soor
things got to be unbearable, and
resolved to return to the states. Bu
found that | should not carry my
heart back with ME.
One night, as lay in my hammock
il was the night before my intended
departure could not go to sleep
About midnight some one ncared tn,
- shed, coming from the direction o
Ear M.roaRnass raEi6fpn m fb,
clear moonlight l discovered that i
was Mr.. Strong. He brought wore
from Isabella, who had come to hin
at that time of night, that Barrio
would perhaps make an attempt oil
nv life, and warning me to be on IN,
guard.
where is she now?" l inquired.
"Waiting out there 20 know wha
you intend to do" h. responded.
"Then | must see her. After that,
shall impatiently await the attack o
the coward"
There, she and I, in the beautiful
moonligh in the fragrance of tn
l. tropic blossoms, held our tryst-e2
} perienced some hints of the joys tha
i must once have been Eden's. With lisa
J." be,la's arms about me, l heard her sof
: response to my declarations of lov
: and fidelity, and | promised to retur
:" to the states, prepare home for hel
and then some day take her to it, Late
on Senor Barrios and hired scoundrt
T." made their attack-but they found
- foe who gave them better than the
a. sent. | infer from Isabella's lette
~ that he has not fully recovered.
% This is my story, crudeley told, fo
: | am not practiced writer. / hay
n been at home for some two month
Pc my father assisting me to establis
~ a business that / think will prove
es success. Often in the quiet can Sc
I in fancy the bleak bald souls of th