The National tribune., 1903-07-09

with sweet Miss Eulala. because her
mother is away with Mr.. Warner at Crit
tenden; n special courier has arrived from
there while you were asleep with the omi
nous message to the aunts: Don Juan is
coming, with Wooster; watch him and
Eulalia.' But you can trust me as far as
l can be of service, and, of course, you
can always rely on little Carmelita."
| Well, from the first had not entertain
ed great hopes of more than perhaps one
or two short intimate interviews with my
much-guarded sweetheart; but the fact of
the three aunts being present at the same
time, and the further fact that they had
been specially cautioned as to my coming.
| together with the circumstance that in all
probability that Mexican officer by this
time considered himself as good as ell
gagged to Miss Eulalia-all these unfortu-
nate circumstances formed a powerful
combination disastrous to any love-making
on my part.
| AS usual, the aunts, when I would
rather have located somewhere about Hal
flax, We're profuse in their courtesy; they
one and all gave me that gentle slight
embrace of welcome customary in that
land of most beautiful women and sweet
oranges. They could afford that manner
of salutation, being we'll advanced in
years. Miss Eulalia gave me her beau
| tiful hand, but that sweet little devil of
a Carmelta just jumped upon my reck
and kissed and hugged me tight. This
latter performance afforded her the op-
portunity of whispering in my ears: "She
| loves you STILL"
Taking into consideration my somewhat
| fiery nature and great propensity toward
demonstrative love-making. this message.
| while Eulalie was herself so near-and
yet so far-was rather cod comfort; but
still a comfort. The combination of aunts
with about four female assistants had
prepared for our reception really splen-
did dinner, which, however, lost much of
its gusto, as far as l was concerned, from
the fact that the two eldest aunts had
seated ME between them and placed my
| adOred one on the same side of the table
farther down, with Wooster, who, being
now married, was considered safe. oppo-
site to her, in such manner that could
obtain sideglance at Miss Eulalia only
from distance and by craning my neck
either back or forward to an uncomfOrt-
able extent. Opposite to us. j. e., the
aunts and myself, sat old Henry Nfr.
Warmers clerk, mentioned in with the
Regulars in AriZona'), and Brown, the
freighter, with Carmelita between the two.
The subjects of conversation with those
"ohlCh "uoSS ullSlOlluIlc, NOl ldult, COU-
sisted in almost absolute illiteracy, were
of necessity very limited, being reduced to
the latest killing of several Mexicans at
Los Nogales.as and the scouting expedi-
tiOn of the Lieutenant of the family"
ensuing therefrom. The monotony of the
entertainment was somewhat relieved by
the arrival Of two very pretty young la
dies whom l had met before, and who an
nounced with great glee that the family of
one "Commandante Comaduran" had re-
solved to give a ball on New Years Day
at their residence, and requested the pres
ence of the company there assembled mt
that festive occasion at 8 o'clock p. n.
Jan. l, 1869. This announcement brought
some life even into the over-steady aunts
who declared with great formality that
they accepted the invitation of the Coma
duran family, and would feel themselves
honored. etc, etc.
All the women present soon rose and
retired, probably in order to attend to mat
ters of dress and other arrangements. No
one made mention of Mr.. Warmers seri-
ous condition in the hospital at Critten-
den. Toward evening Miss Eulalia played
a few pieces on the harp in the general
reception room, where refreshments were
served pending a rather late supper, after
which / found time and opportunity of
inditing a rather long, loving missive to
my beloved one. l confided my letter to
Carmelita, who assured me on the follow.
ing morning that it had reached its desti-
nation.
By this time had become sufficiently
aware that young girl of marriageable
age in that country had absolutely no will
Of her own, except perhaps in the matter
of her thoughts. Her actions were COM
pletely under the control of whatever eld-
erly female relatives might be present
upon the premises. knowing this. 1 ap-
preached the trio of aunts in Eulalia's
presence with the humble request of be-
ing allowed the privilege of escorting Miss
Eulalia to the ball. At first the trio re-
mained mute and stared at me about as
stolidly as if 1 had proposed to marry her
out-of-hand. or to drink the then much
swollen river dry. After awhile the eld- |
est found her voice, and begged me to ex-
plain what / meant by the expression "es- !
cort." Upon my giving the definition of
this word and its meaning as applied to
the act under discussion, the three aunts !
raised their hands simultaneously and ex-
claimed unisono: 'Impossiblep'
Further explanation developed the fact |
that under no circumstance would a young |
girl of respectable family be allowed to |
visit anywhere, for any purpose. under the
escort of man not 4 near relative; that |
even were she engaged to marry young
man. one or more chaperons would inva-
riably accompany her to ball. show, or
in short. anywheresoever: that the aunts
would themselves take Eulalia to the ball,
where, of course, would have the oppor-
tunity of dancing with her once or twice.
They did not say outright that they ex-
pected me to dance with them also, but
the hints thrown out toward that blissful
were unmiStakable.
*sThis name means, The walnut trees
There was a group of, think, about II
of these trees standing on the edge of the
Sonora road, about one mile south of the
present town Of Nogales, which owes its
name to said group of trees. Many MUIR
ders were committed there by Apaches
upon travelling MeXicans, the nature of
the ground being very favorable for attack
from ambush. II
CTO be continued)
French Spoliation Claims.