The southern sentinel. (Winnfield, La.) 1883-1910, 1904-02-05

The plunk-plunk Of guitar close By
startled them both. Simplicia trembled
| violently.
ut Is . foolish man who Is always
singing to me-" she explained.
A clear, musical voice rose in song
and the soldier checked question t.
lieten, for the voice and the SONG
charmed him from the first note. The
song was in Spanish. and, though hi
was by no means perfect in the Ian
guage, he caught the meaning and
spirit of it. It ran something to this
effect:
Bright are the leaves ard the blossoms
that grow In the beartSul lake coun-
try.
They I'LL the place with brilliance Of
things celestial.
Some OF them drop or are thrown to the
river,
Helpless they drift on its swift running
Down rast the city through siiminess foul
| Out they are whirled to waters eternal.
Lost ard forgotten forever and ever.
Blossom I cherish: I'll hold thee.
| Never shalt thou leave the lake country.
But my heart. 1t Is sad for the leaves ON
tho Pasig.
The last words died on the air like
the sob or the faint cry OF . passing
spirit. The soldier sat mute. like one
bewitched by fairy music. Simplicia's
| lipo, pressed against his cheek, brought
| him back to her.
II do not care for him. On my soul,
do mott" she whispered. she was
pretty, and her arm frightened coaxing-
ly about his neck His better nature
was conquered. and the devil in his
blood reigned supreme. The situation
suddenly seemed highly amusing, and
he laughed q suppressed laugh of reck-
lessness. To be serenaded by q native
poet while the arm Of the troubadour's
lady love encircled his neck-verily he
would have great tale to tell some
day.
There was . faint sound of q foot
fall on the deck of the casco. The SOL
der disengaged himself. A face peeped
in through an opening in the thatch.
and the American struck 1t . sharp
blow with his fist. He would have
rushed after the intruder, but Sim
plicfa held him.
1T is only foolish man." che said.
do not follow him. It would make
trouble"
II would not bring you any trouble"
he said. What is the matter? You
tremble"
at is nothing" she replied. az love
YOU
The soldiers conscience smote him. 4
He swore that he loved her, and tried
to believe that 1t was true. She seemed
almost happy again.
Tomorrow the casco goes up tosthe
lake again. and we win be gone three
days. oh, that Is 10 long!"
Very long" he assented.
But you win wait and think Of me
always"
Yes. win watch the leaves ON the
river"
NO! no. Do not speak Of them.
Madre del Dios! I hate the river. and
/ hate the leaves It drags along.
think hate everything but YOU
The soldier was young. and this was
his FIRST experience with hysteria and
woman, which combination often dis
turbs even wiser heads. 1t disturbed
him exceedingly, but he soothed her |
finally with the widest vows and many
kisses.
For the second time she watched the |
canoe till it glided into the shadows.
Then she shivered violently. chilled to |
the bone.
A sergeant Of = certain regiment Of |
United States volunteers was prowling
along the brink Of the Pasig, outside
The Quartet Infanteria's walls, looking
for : pet monkey that had disappeared.
Something in the long grass caught his
EYE and he stopped. He stepped back
quickly and hurried around the corner
4 the wall, returning With four SOL
Hers.
He parted the grass with hia arms,
md they saw the dead body Of I FL
pino girl. Her face was concealed b.
disordered mass Of black hair, and.
pinned to her breast BY = rudely fash
oned knife that was buried to the hilt,
vas miniature insurgent nag.
They tenderly bore the body to the
'athway, and the hair fell from the
ace. One Of the soldiers let 20 his
lold and tottered to the ground.
Harrison's : softy. |" sgrunted ONE or
be men. Take hold, sergeant. Hen
ainted, guess. .
The form was placed In n unused
forenoon. When the news went rvu,nf,