The Washington times., 1906-05-20
I.
DICKT's DIGREssIoN.


or how he reached Puerto
Rey. He appeared there
one day, and that was all
He afterward said that he
came on the fruit steamer Thor. but
an inspection Of the Thor's passenger
list of that date would have found II 10
be Mayoncyless. Curiosity, however
soon perished. and Dicky took ms
place among the Heterogeneous ~
ter of the coast-the stranded auNeh-
turers, refugees and odd flsh from
other countries that line the shore ol
the Caribbean.
He was an active. devil-may-care'
rollicking fellow with an engaging
gray eve. the most irresistible grin. a
rather dark. or much sun-ourned COM
nlexion and a head of the fieriest red
hair ever seen in that country. speak
ing the Spanish language as well as ne
smoke English. and seeming Always 10
have plenty OF silver in his pockets. IL
was not long before he was a welcome
companion both with the natives and
the resident foreigners. He developed
an extreme fondness for vino blanche.
could drink more of IL than any three
men In the port. and to meet Dicky
Maloney's brilliant head and smile
coming down the street meant, 10 any
OF his acquaintances. the consumption
of from one TO three bottles of strong
white wine Everybody called hlm
Dicky; everybody cheered up at sisht
OF hinl-especially the natives. 10 Whom
his marvellous ruddy hair and his tree
and easy style were a constant deLEhl
and envy Anywhere about the port
YOU would soon see Dicky and near ms
genial laugh. and find around MN a
group OF admirers, who appreciated
both hirs and the vino blanche ne was
so ready TO buy.
A considerable amount Of speculation
still existed concerning the object OF
his stay in Puerto Rey, but one day
he silenced this by opening q small
shop for the sale of cigars. dulces. and
the handiwork of the interior Indians
fiber and silk woven goods. deerskln
sapatos. and basketwork OF tule reeds
Even then he did not change MIS-
habits. for he was drinking and play
ing cards half the day and night with
the comandante. the collector OF the
port, the Jefe Politico. and other gay
dogs among the native officials The
care OF the shop he left entirely 10
Pasa. And now II is both desirable
and fitting to make Pasa's acquaint-
ance, for she was Dicky's DEPRESSION.
Ia Madama Timotea Buencaminos y
Salazar de las Yglesias kept rum
shop in Gale numero Ocho- No dis
grace. mind you, for rum-making Is a
government monopoly. and TO keen a
government dispensary assures re-
spectability II not supereminence-
Moreover. the saddest OF precisians
cc2ld find no fault with the conduct
Of The shop. Customers drank there
in tie lowest Of spirits and fearsomely'
as in the shadow OF the dead. for la
madama's ancient but vaunted lineage
counteracted even the runs behest TO
be joyful. For. was she not OF the
vglesias who landed with Pizarrof
and had her deceased husband not
been Comisionado de Caminos Pu-
entes for the district?
In the next room. seated in the cane
rocking CHAIR. dreamily strumming n
guitar. could generally be found her
daughter Pasa-"La Santita Navan-
iada" the young men had named her.
Navanjada is the Spanish word for
certain shade Of color that you must
go 10 more trouble to describe in Eng
lish BY saying The little saint, tint
ed the most beautiful-delicate-
orange-golden" you will approximate
the description OF Dona Pasa Buen-
caminos Y Salazar de las Yglesias.
Every evening a row OF visiting young
caballeros would occupy the prim line
OF chairs set against the wall OF this
room. They were there TO besiege the
heart Of La santita." Their method
(which is not proof against intelligent
competition consisted of expanding
the chest. looking valorous, and silent
ly consuming a gross or two OF cigar
ettcs. Even saints. delicately oranged.- :
prefer To be wooed differently. Dona
Pasl was accustomed to tide over tthe
vast chasms Of nicotinized silence with
her guitar. and wondered II the TO-
mances she had read about gallant
and more-more-con cavaliers
were all lies. At somewhat regular
intervals Ia madama would glide in
from the dispensary with a sort OF
look in her eve,
and thvrc would follow a great rus
ling Of stiT white duck trousers as
one Of the caballeros would suggest a
visit to the bar.
max lllGkN AalODeN WOulur sooner
or later. explore this field was a thing
to be foreseen. There were few doors
In Puerto Rey his red head had not
been poked into.
He saw Pasa one afternoon sitting by
the door with an unusually sanity look
upon her face. Dicky rushed off to find
one Of the white duck wall-fOwers to
present him. In an incredibly snort
time he was seated close beside the
cane rocking chair. There were no
back-against-the-walI poses with
Dicky. At close range. was his theory
OF su1jection. To carry the fortress
with one concentrated. ardent. elo-
quent. irresistible escalade-that was
Eick's way.
Pasa was descended from the proud
est Spanish families in the country.
Moreover. she had had unusual advan-
tages- Two years in a New Orleans
school had elevated her ambitions and
fitted her for a fate above the ordinary
maidens Of her native land. And yet
here she succumbed TO the first red
haired scamp with a glib tongue and a
charming smile that came along and
courted her properly. For. very soon
Dicky took her quietly to the little
church next 10 the Teatro Nacional