The Tupelo journal., 1904-10-14

"a i
perceived Fortuna perched on the
n~ewel-post, her bare feet tucked up
under her red skirt, her hair freshly
annointed with ~cocoanut oil, and her
eyes dancing with an unholy joy. |
could not help feeling that she was at
the bottom of the whole affair.
Two days before l left for japan,
Fortuna came to me and said that she
was unable to go with US. She in
formed me that nothing but the fact
that she was to be a matrimonial
would have induced her to leave the
| children and myself.
Whom are you going II marry, Por-
tuna?" l asked, wondering whether
Juan or Domingo were to carry off the
| prize.
"A man muy rico, sonora" she de-
| clared, proudly. He give me jewels
and fine casa. You see him oftea on
the Luneta-Simon Sebastiano."
| gave a start of surprise. Sebas-
| tiano was one of the most influential
Filipinos in Manila. l simply could
not believe that ugly, understood Por~
tuna could have captured his fancy.
He was good looking, too; there
was a strain of the best Spanish
blood in his veins; he had been well
educated, and was high in the ranks
of tie Federal party. 1t was as much
| tuna as for the scion of an aristocrat-
ic New York family to seek in mar
riage a Bowery factory-girl of tae
most humble antecedents. The more
/ thought of it, the most unlikely it
seemed; and when she informed Inc
that she had been brought up in his
house as the daughter of his cochero,
the news was more incomprehensible
than ever, knowing as l did the class
| distinctions of these people.
For the next two months the chill
6ren and | reveled in the beauties Of
Japan. BY October we returned to
the head of the family, who was hard
at work in Manila.
| was greeted with the pleasing news
that orders were on the way for us
to go home. So l determined to en-
Joy as fully as possible the last weeks
of our s~ojourn in the East. When
we We're hidden, then, by n Of the
various political parties to a great
banquet, l decided to go, as it was to
be nearly the last of my Filipino
entertainments.
All the American civil officials and
many officers of the army and navy
were there. | felt quite lost among
| so many ~personages of rank. | was
taken out to the repast by a nice in
fantry major, and We sat far down
below the notables.
Some distance from where l sat,
I saw my late cotillion partner talk
ing TO a Filipino woman; on look
ing more closely | perceived that he
was engaged in an animated CONVEX
sation with-could it be? Yes, it GER
tainly was-Portuna! Fortuna, quite
as unbeautiful as ever, but gorseously
arrayed; her camisa stiff with en-
broidery, a. spray of diamond roses
four inches long in her hair, and about
her neck a string of pearls for which
| would have given ten years OF my
existence. She seemed to find the re-
marks of the high official interesting;
indeed, she laughed in a coquettish
manner; and as for him, he did not
seem to find the banquet the perfume
tory bore these affairs usually are to
men of his kind-he really appeared
to be enjoying himself.
When the banquet was over, Por-
tuna came up and greeted me with
| effusion. She was not proud. She
| asked about the children with tears in
her eyes, and promised to come and
see them. She introduced her hus-
band. who regarded her with adoring
| eyes. l found him to be very intelli-
| gent, and we talked together of the
| traffic question and of the future of
the Malay race while we were sitting
| out a dance Il sat out several that
EVENING"
The high official rushed up to us.
| Not having seen him for two months.
I supposed that he had come to pay
his respects. He barely nodded to me
ooh, how do you do, Mrs.-er-
Crane" Then, Where is that attract
i've little wife of yours, Sebastiano?
want to see if she will dance the
Rigodon with me-"
With that he darted off, and / soon
| saw him standing, with Fortuna as
a partner.
The next time | saw Fortuna was
on the transport Sheridan. We left
for home on very short notice, and in
| some way she heard of it, and APP
peared just before the vessel sailed,
bearing gifts of pima and just and
Canton linen for me and the children.
She was the very same Fortuna, but
the evident affection she had for me
had awakened quite a warm feeling
for her in my heart, sc l submitted
to her embrace, while the children
chung to her with tears.
The last gong had sounded, and
when half way down the gangway
Fortuna turned and waved her hand.
The sun fell upon her costly rings,
and among the diamonds and pearls,
I noticed upon her little finger the
CLINT of a blue moonstone.
Leaning over the side of the ship,
Tom and ! saw her entering a COM
Portable little private launch, and
steam off in state.
"What a promotion for Fortuna"
l remarked. "How do you suppose
n ever hapnened?"