New Ulm review. (New Ulm, Brown County, Minn.) 1892-1961, 1903-10-21
Blanche O'HaIIoran
A CUBAN REMEMBRANCE
BY r. NJ. wOOLLEY.

bad my Spanish was then, but time
and association with Spanish-speak-
ing people have improved it wonder
fully. A great crowd, bent on char
acter study Of the first. Americans to
enter that part of the interior fol
lowed me into the little store, and
stared and gazed, yes fairly gawked
at me as I seated myself at table. I
being an American was equal to the
| occasion and gawked back as I asked
for water. That is, tried to ask for
water, but I think asked for every
| thing but water. What volume of
laughter arose as T butchered every
| thing having semblance of the latin
language. The proprietor of the place
| kindly took down a ponderous diction-
airy and through this medium we
strove slowly but successfully to
communicate our thoughts and also
our wants. Just in the midst of the
predicament and when our labors
were hardest, little girl, or what I
supposed to be little girl, stepped
briskly yet shyly to my side and in
quired in words of English and in
tones sublime:
May 1 ask what the gentleman
desires? Perhaps I may be of some
service to you as an interpreter
'sNeed 1 say who she was? My
breath then seemed to leave me as in,
death. How surprised I was to find
one who could speak my language
and so perfectly; need I say how
happyI was to find her a girl, and how
thoughtful I was when I perceived
that she was approaching woman
hood. The round, full hips disclosed
this secret and when I gazed into
those lustrous southern eyes there
was the light of womanhood and not
that of childhood there. The raven
black curls fell in abundant locks
about the shapely shoulders and were
tied fast against the oval, well-colored
face by streamers from the broad
Panama she wore.
''This attractive little woman was
Blanche O'Halloran as she informed
me with true Yankee simplicity; the
only daughter of Stephen O'Halloran,
who had gone from an American
medical college to practice in Cuba.
The mother was a Cuban belle but I
knew that dear before you told me.
Then you brought your mother to-
camp to visit me; thought she must
be your sister so much alike did you
seem. We sat late into the m6onlit
night, just outside Lees tent, listening
to the tales of love and war he told
in his inimitable way.
'"Then you remember the ball in
the Tribunal with all the senoritas
of Guines there? All, such an array
of beauty 1 never hope to see again!
I stood embarrassed in one corner
because I knew not enough Spanish
to ask one to dance with me. But you
came to my relief, cavalier like, at
the first opportunity by sending your
servant to offer your partnership.
How sweet of you and how happy
you made me. I was the happiest
man in christendom just then. We
danced and I saw the lovelight in
your eyes, but perhaps you have now
forgotten the overgrown lieutenant
who was once an aid to Lee? I hope
not for I have remembered you con-
stantly and with a hope that I trust
may be realized some day.
"In closing 1 have but to ask that
you in your gracious way will deem
these incoherent ramblings worthy
reply; just two or three lines will
suffice in which to say you remember
me, and that have not mistaken the
understanding between us at that
time of war, pestilence and love-mak-
ing, and I shall be happy in my days
of waiting, Blanche, for you.''
Long days of Impotence followed
the mailing of this letter, which was
posted about the same time as the
one to Dorothy, in which he had ia
ken occasion to ask release from the
engagement, yet, in closing he had
whimsically hoped she would some
day come to the Philippines to be his
wife. Most men, while in love, are
inconsistent, and Murray was no ex-
ception. s 49,. .--r
He waited for three months with
considerable fortitude before he COM
menced to expect a reply and his
OAAACCy was A1dA4LCSV OAlAy On dII1Fd1
of the mail by pack train. The sol
diers;, to the man, never failed to get
letter; but there were none for
Capt. Murray-that is none from New
York or Cuba-and all others didn't
count. 5 -
The captain finally gave up all hope
OF hearing from Dorothy and said
with remorse that she had accepted
his terms; perhaps that very thing
was what she had wished and even
longed for. Then the captains
thoughts turned to the little southern
| beauty in the far-off Antilles and he
wondered what her answer would
be. Surely the senorita would not
fail him? Senoritas didn't receive
offers of marriage every day from
Americans and especially popular
captains in the army.
In his dreams he could see dainty
perfumed envelope bearing the Cuban
postmark, and containing an endear-
ing letter, perhaps in Spanish, for
that was the native language of the
senorita despite her English educa-