Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1903-07-23
LOLITA
BY XZOLA
L. FOR REyTER

Is low wooden building. dull yellow
like the sun baked plains around, and
there isn't even cactus sprout to cast
a shadow near 1t.
Saturday night at Lindells is a thing
to dream of evermore once one has
lived through 1.-THE crazy, witching
Mexican music; the dancers with their
1.-THE, southern grace; the violet smoke
rings curling over all; Lindell himself.
tall and thin, with his happy eyes and
everlasting clgarette-and Lolita.
She was seventeen the summer Lin
dell cane TO San Luis; a slim Mexican
girl, with long dashed, teasing eyes Of
velvety brown and dusky hair curling
around her small, piquant face
Llndell was merely Il gentleman
tramp in those days, one of the crowd
Of boys who drift here and there once
the spirit of the gypsy Is upon them,
accomplishing nothing, caring for
nothing, but happy and true, hearted
and quick to lend helping hand when
a call comes. He and Ted Norris came
down together, with plenty of grit, but
neither cash nor credit, except at the
low. yellow half way house where old
Manuelo kept open inn with his daugh-
ter Lolita.
Those things happen of themselves
moonlight on the little rough yeranda,
Lolita singing comical little snatches
Of American songs IN her soft, broken
n,rIi Sl I g hat wi
her small brown fingers playing lightly
on her mandolin:
II can't tell why love you, but l do-o-o;
There lotta girl in town so sweet like
you-o-o.
But there something l can't tell.
Seem to hole me in ii spell,
I can't tell why love YOU but do-o.o."
Lindell would smoke and smoke and
look up at her as she sang, lazy and
happy and full of joyous, don't care
responsibility that comes to one,
somehow, with the climate down there
and the music and the white. strange
moonlight.
One Saturday Lindell and Norris
rode away to town, seventeen miles
away, with Il promise to return in
time for the dance. Lolita watched
them out of sight, and Manuelo laugh
ed when he heard her singing. She
was the prettiest girl this side the
border. The American boy was clear
eyed and young and quick to laugh.
If they loved, why not? There were
the house and good bunch of money
when he was gone. and little Lolita
would sing evcrmorc. He smiled
shrewdly Maybe, perhaps, qulen sabe?
At Z the mail coach from San Luis
drew UP at the yellow house, and a girl
alighted. Lolita was firing hot shot
of smiles and repartee at the driver,
Billie Slogan, when she saw her and
stopped short The stranger was fair
and blue eyed, and, though the Indian
summer day had been hot and dusty,
she looked cool and charming.
Lolita was dressed for the dance.
She wore yellow and had wound a
long red silk scarf about her Shout
ders, crossed it and tied it below her
waist on one hip. Billie had just told
her she looked like one of the little
their hair over ut San Luis on the
plaza when she caught sight of this
other girl, and she hoped Lindell would
not see her There was Il difference.
Mr.. Lindell and Mr.. Norris? Oh, yes,
Lolita told her. They were living
there. They had gone for a ride, just
a short ride. She brought chair out
on the veranda and talked with the
stranger after the coach had gone.
She called Lindell Allan, this girl, and
Norris Ted, and she hoped they would
return soon.
you have not seen him for long
time, yes?" said Lolita. her eyes full
of half frightened suspicion
Not for year. said the other soft
ly. eve had only been married Il few
months when he went away. 1t seem
ed better, you know. He was so
young, and he thought he could make
q fortune out here, l guess he hasn't,
though"
Lolita laughed. It was comical to
think OF Lindell making fortune or
anything else 1t was growing dark,
and already a few couples had made
their appearance and passed indoors,
with Il gay greeting TO Manuelo's
daughter. The strange girl looked at
them curiously
at is the dance,' said Lolita shortly,
resenting the amused surprise in the
others eyes. She would show her she
was not afraid to speak his name as
she had. "Al-lain, he like to dance lots
with me-"
"YesT The stranger looked at her
kindly II do not wonder nj it. You
are dear. with those big brown eyes.
And the other-does he dance tooT'
"Who-Ted2 No, no He is not one
bit like Iiudcll He is stlll and all
way Off somewhere lie never care to
dance"
The music had begun, and the blue
eyed girl rose hesltatngly. Il wish
could go and meet them. l want TO sur
prise him, you know, Could IT.
Lolita rose, too, in quick, hot anger.
They would meet and he would take
her in his arms and kiss her. She
thought of last night ana the night be
fore and the nights before for weeks.
Was it for this Llndell had sung and
laughed with her end told her her lips
Were the sweetest in all the world?
Suddenly she looked at the fair calpo