The Bellefontaine Republican. [volume] (Bellefontaine, Logan County, Ohio) 1855-1905, 1903-08-07
LOLITA
BY NOLA
L. FORR RESTER
Copyright, 1eos. by T. C. Mcclure

Half way between the fort and the
Arizona border lies Lindell's Rest. 1t
is a low wooden building. dull yellow
like the sun baked plains around. and
there isn't even cactus sprout to cast
Q shadow near II.
Saturday night at Lindelrs is a thing
to dream of eyermore 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 cigarette-and Lolita.
She was seventeen the summer Lin
dell came to San Luis: slim Mexican
girl. with long lashed. teasing eyes Of
velvety brown and dusky hair curling
around her small. piquant face.
Lindell was merely 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 veranda.
Lolita singing comical little snatches
Of American songs In her soft. broken
English. under Lindell's tutelage, with
her small brown fingers playing lightly
on her mandolin:
II can't tell why / love you. but do-o-o:
There lotta girl In town SO sweet like
you-o-o
But there something 1 can't tell.
Seem TO hole me in IL spell.
I can't tell why I 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 a 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.
II they loved. why not? There were
the house and n good bunch Of money
when he was gone. and little Lolita
would sing evermore. He smiled
shrewdly. Maybe. perhaps. quien sabe?
At the mail coach from San Luis
drew up at the yellow house. and a girl
alighted. Lolita was firing a 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 shoul-
dcrs. crossed It and tied II below her
waist on one hip. Billie had just told
her she looked like one Of the little
dark red roses the ladies wear in
| their hair over at San Luis on the
plaza when she caught sight Of this
other girl. and she hoped Lindell would
| not see her. There was a 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 q long
| time. yesT' said Lolita. her eyes full
| of a half frightened suspicion.
| mot for a year." said the other soft
w. 1--WE had only been married a few
months when he went away. 1t seem
ed better. you know. He was 80
| young. and he thought he could make
| fortune out here. I guess he hasn't.
though"
Lolita laughed. II was comical to
think OF Lindell making a fortune or
/ anything else. II was growing dark,
| and already a few couples had made
their appearance and passed indoors,
with gay greeting to Manuelo's
daughter. The strange girl looked al
them curiously.
"It 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-
"Yesr The stranger looked at heI
kindly. 81 do not wonder at II. You
are u dear. with those big brown eyes
And the other-does he dance tooT'
"who-Ted? No. no. He is not one
bit like Lindell. He Is still and al
way OF somewhere. He never care tc
dance"
The music had begun. and the blue
eyed girl rose hesitntingly. Il wish
could go and meet them. | want to sur
prise him. you know. Could II
Lolita rose. too. In quick. hot anger
They would meet and he would take
her in his arms and kiss her. Sh,
thought OF last night and the night be
fore and the nights before for weeks
Was II for this Iindell had sung ant
laughed with her and told her her lip,
were the sweetest I'm all the world
Suddenly she looked nj the fair. calm
face beside her and a food OF wild. un
reasoning jealousy swept over her. Sh,
pointed southwnrd.
"If you walk that way straight on tt
where the ground dips and the cact
crow tall. you viii meet them" sh