Democratic messenger. [volume] (Snow Hill, Md.) 1869-1973, 1905-02-11
A KNIGHT
IN Bly,
SPAIN GORDON so'is
Copyright. 1901. BY Frances Wilson

"She's the beStest girl that is. and /
need her in my biz" would float in to
her, followed perhaps by the strains of
Samson ct Delilah" or some music
equally fine.
One knew the sort of man who
would sing coon songs with SuSto; also
the sort that would bum bits from the
grand operas. The puzzling thing was
10 know what sort of a man would
take an impartial delight in both. So
In the intervals of her work she began
TO speculate about her unknown neigh
Dor.
At the end of two months she tabu-
lated her knowledge of him. He was
gay and debonair Witness the scraps
of song that fioated in To her. He was
carelcssly Indifferent TO women. This
she CLEANED from the fact that five
DAYS out of seven she could hear him
tunefully asserting:
II she be not fair TO me,
What care | how fair she be-
He smoked inveterately-a pipe, she
fancied. Sometimes the faint, elusive
spirit of the thing seemed to float
about her hall bedroom. and she
shifted again and again, her small
head well in the air. but could never
be quite sure. The partition bore her
startled scrutiny imperturbably, but
well. she was sure she smelled smoke.
He was about thirty. This she di-
vined from the freshness of his voice
and his boyish delight in the chatter of
the elderly chambermaid. whose Irish
wit would send him into peals of
laughter
Also he was a man of the world,
since she heard him come In early
many evenings and move about his
room rs II dressing for dinner. Then
at half past q or he would go out
again. leaving her with an absurd
sense of desolation.
They never encountered each other
In the halls. much to her satisfaction,
but she came to have a very distinct
idea of his appearance. He was tall,
broad and straight, with clear cut
face and an air of knowing his way
about.
Sure an he's a foine gintleman,"
Maggie informed her once; but. though
she might have verified her idea of
him, she refrained with fine sense of
personal reserve. Sometimes through
the open door she caught glimpse of
his room. and her interested eyes took
In the dark green walls, covered with
handsome photographs, the low book
cases ON either side of the fireplace
and the low. broad table with its litter
of books and papers.
'It certainly looks as If he were an
interesting man." she thought to her.
self. and thereupon she entered her
own room. and, taking out a sheet of
paper bearing the mystical heading
MY Knight In SPAIN" she wrote:
Evidently educated-a college man;
profession. law, literature or some
thing of the kind"
Maggie. is there any one in the next
ROOM" she heard him inquire one Sun
day morning Then in answer to Mag
gie's mufiled reply: Little Miss Mouse,
l should call her. didn't know there
twice I've thought heard some one"
The girl blushed guilty. Apparent
~ he had no idea how plainly she
could hear him. Then she smiled to
herself So he would call her little
Miss Mouse. Well, it was fair enough.
since she called him her Gentleman of
Spain.
For awhile after this she noticed
decided effort on her neighbours part to
go softly. In the midst OF stave he
would cease abruptly. only to begin
afresh and stop again with an impa-
tient exclamation. as If he were an
noyed at not being able to remember
to be quiet. At all of which, in the Sc
clusion OF her room, little Miss Mouse
laughed immoderately, though in 81
lence.
Then one morning Maggie found her
in bed, her usually pale face flushed,
her heavy hair covering the pillow in
a tossed and tangled mass.
Its nothing, but perhaps you'd bet
ter get DOCTOR" Sasped Miss Mouse.
my heads so queer, and. oh. I'm so
warm
Soon after a serene faced nurse in a
striped uniform and white apron was
installed in the room, and to her little
Miss Mouse. down with brain fever
talked an amending jargon.
IF you can have castle in Spain
you can certainly have knight In
Spain. can't your" she demanded over
and over again.
"Of course you can" soothed the
nurse
''Pd be very lonely II he vanished.
as castles in Spain do" she said at
another time. with wistful. puzzled
eyes. "You don't think he will van
ish. do you? Because I'm all alone
here. He's the only person I really
know.
won't you ever tell. upon your hon
orr she rambled on. Its very
strange. l don't just understand 1t,
but actually / have never seen him.
Can you believe It. I've never seen
him. and yet ! know him so well. |