The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1905-01-28

as to the meaning Of the scene. She
saw him place something in the girls
small brown hand. and then the man
took of his cap with low obeisance,
and the girl courtesied prettily as Ham
mond raised his hat politely and made
his way to the automobile.
what is it?" she questioned briefly
as lie took his seat
"Oniy the beautiful outcome Of lit
tie romance that lave watched as it
bIosscmed here amid the sordid rush
of business"
"They are lovers. these two?' fall
ing in with his mood.
Yes. Welded last night Two mag
nifccnt types of primitive humanity"
with the enthusiasm Of artistic percep-
ton.
They watched the two as they went
down the street. each pushing the pi-
ano with one hand, while the other
hands were clasped.
evil you tell me about them?" she
asked as they reached a broad. quiet
avenue away from the din and confu-
sion Of the city.
Are You really interested?' turning
to look at her curiously.
Every much so. Please tell me-"
"They are Antoine and Carita. They
may have other names. These are all
1 know. l have watched them from
my window al winter He had a tiny
fruit stand on the corner. and she was
errand girl in big millinery establish
ment on the next street. l saw the
first love glances. and swear by Bun
ker Hill they did not come from An
tome"
Miss Markham laughed softly.
81 watched Carita passing and re-
passing, making several trips by the
little stand for each errand. Then
there would be days when she did not
come at all, and Antoine's neck would
have been safer in those days If it had
really been made OF rubber instead Of
the material provided by the Creator"
Miss Markham smiled approximately.
She could fancy the ardent Italian gaz-
ing up and down the street watching
for his sweetheart
"Well. occasionally making pretense
of ar abnormal desire for bananas. l
rushed out to the stand while she was
still lingering there. and so l some
times overheard 4 few sentences-their
soft italian love words sounding like
bird notes in spring. Can't you fancy
them building nest somewhere of
5oughs and mOSs-they wouldn't re
quire much more than the birds, You
EnOw-and settling down like the birds
to sing their love songs and rear their
young?"
A new light shone in Miss Mark
hams clear eyes.
And this is the man whom the girls
describe as Il mere business autom1-
tou," she thought, but she only said
cncouragingly. "Well?"
IIammonds head swan for an in
slant with a comprehension Of the
magnitude of what he meant to do, but
he went on steadily
1.-The day of the tOrnado-you remen-
Der it-when the wind tore shutters
from the houses and overthrow Chin
from the trees as the small boy pulls
leaves from n twig-that day 1 wit
messed the downfall of the house OF
Buona-in other words. the complete
destruction of Antoine's fruit stand
and peanut cooker"
Miss Markham sighed with quick
sympathy. Hammond was uncon-
sciOusly giving the little story a dra-
matte turn.
Poor Antoine. He made one or two
frantic endeavors to prevent the disas-
ter, and then, crushed by the misfor-
tune, he chung to the doorway of the
office building and watched the gamins
as they wildly scrambled for the scat
tered fruit"
'And was everything entirely ru-
ined?" Miss Markham's hand instinc-
lively sought her purse.
"The peanut cooker lay in the mud, !
bent and twisted out of all semblance /
to its kind. Antoine picked it up with
trembling hands and then. realizing its (
uselessness, replaced it in the gutter, /
while the tears streamed down his I!
cheeks"
THAT isn't all?" expectantly.
Hammond continued Obediently: I
Never mind, Antoine l said cheer /
fully-its so easy to be cheerful over /
another'S misfortunes, you know /
you'll soon be on your feet again. We (
must expect reverses in business At |
my words of sympathy the flood gates |
Of his grief were opened. and the !
words fairly tumbled over one another, I
his soft broken English finally relaps- !
ing into italian altogether as he told
his story. He had been so careful Of
his money-he had saved twenty-three
'dolla.' They were to have been mar +
ried tomorrow, he and CaTita, and he
was to have bought Carita a new gown
and a rose wreath for her hair. and .
they would have been so happy! And
now-then he pointed eloquently to {
the ruined peanut cooker. waved both
hands in gesture expressing the utter
nOthingness of his condition, and the
ready tears came again.
81 missed him then for several