The Mount Holly news. [volume] (Mount Holly, Burlington Co., N.J.) 1891-1942, 1906-03-06
BY A. NJ. DAVIES OGDEN
Copyright, 1905, BY Mcclure, Philips q Co.

OAyA Jerry, WAAutKIuH dDOut W u1Ns
self, had promptly fallen in love with
the quaint little city. its gayiy painted
houses, -dusky white clad men and
pretty senoritas. Havana was not q
bad place, he decided. But tonight he
was restless. The moon was almost
too powerful in its splendor and charm.
Turning away from the merry crowd
that made him feel an alien and an
outcast, he decided to walk to his
brothers house In Vedado. There was
a fresh GOODNESS In the air. A walk
would do him good. He struck accord
ingly into one of the nearby streets.
On his side the pavement wes Qutts
dark, but across the way the moon, 70.
fiecting with dazzling briIliancy upon
the pink and white houses, showed ev-
cry detail Of window and facade and
revealed plainly any one within who
leaned out to breathe the air.
Suddenly Benedict stopped short. In
an upper window, alone, stood girl
certainly the most exquisite girl Bene'
dict ever had seen. Against the black.
ness Of the room behind, her face, turn.
ed full toward the street, stood out al
purely pale as a moon flower. Heavy
masses of dark hair crowned the state.
ly little head, and just back of the tiny
ear lay one splendid crimson blossom
Benedict caught his breath. The girl
could not see him there in the dark.
ness, he thought, and he remained mo.
tionless, staring with eager eyes. Who
could she be?
The sound Of a football reused him
and he turned abruptly just at the mo
ment to collide with slender, careful
ly dressed man. Benedict, his eyes stiT
full of moonlight, mumbled some word
of apology, but the other, after quick
glance at the window, looked back al
the young American, and a slow smile
began to dawn on his lips.
But you are quite excusable, senior,
he said In pretty English. Again his
eyes sought the window. ''It is for ma
to apologize" he laughed. 1.-THE sigh
of the Senorita Carmela is reason
enough"
"You know her then?' burst out Ben
edict. Then he started and recollected
IL beg your pardon" he stammered
distressfully. "But-but''-
The man nodded more gravely. u
Judge you are stranger here" he re
marked Young Benedict flushed.
''Yes," he said IL suppose 1t ID
awfuIly rude to stand in the street and
stare that way But never had seer
any one SO beautiful before" he ended
up quite simply, the color deepening
under his tan. "And l thought per
haps-my brother might know" ioun-
dering again. Mr. Thomas Benedict,
he added as the other seemed to wait
The Cuban looked at him more close.
ly.
els Tom Benedict your brotherT he
asked, and In some way his voice had
altered. Toni Ali" Then he lifted
his hat.
"Good night" he said politely. "And
let me give you piece Of advice. II
Is not unusual to stand under a win
dow, to watch from a point Of van
tage, or even to speak" And again he
laughed. "But you, senior" and his
tone held warning tone-"for you,
senior, it would be best not to try 1t.
You are but a stranger here, and our
customs are not yours"
And before the somewhat indignant
Benedict could recover speech the
stranger had bowed, replaced his Gig
arctic between his lips and was gone.
The girl at the window, too, had van
ished. and Benedict, accepting perforcs
the others advice, walked on. But the
sight here and there in the dusky
street Of a man leaning against the
iron bars which guard the lower win
dows, exchanging low remarks to some
inmate, evoked strange iongings.
In the morning, however, Jerry could
laugh at the whole episode. A girls
face at a window-surely he had seen
plenty such. And If not quite SO won
derful as this one-well, the Cuban's
remarks had been well meant and were
worth remembering. So he idlod away
an hour or two In the Oalle Obispo,
W I'LL Ai6 Soy ShOP HAhOOno anu 0AA6AS
awnings stretched the width of the
narrow little street Then he went to
the bank for letters and had luncheon
at the Englaterra, where he looked in
vain for familiar face. He did not
mean to go near that street, her street,
again, he assured himself. And yet
somehow as o'clock drew near he
found his feet taking him in that direc-
ton. He scolded himself, turned and
began to walk away. But it seemed
foolish to avoid a street Just because
a pretty girl lived there, and 1t was
the shortest way home. He was sure
that it was the shortest way home
The next moment he was pacing rap
idly along it.
AS he drew near the house where he
had seen her, however, his step began
to slacken. Would She could she be
there? He looked, hardly daring to
hope. All at once his heart thumped
madly. She was there, and she was
looking straight at him. He could have
sworn that she recognized him. Yet
how was that possible2 And then
slightly, almost imperceptibly, but to
Benedict quite Enthusiastically, abe bent
her head
Tom was still away There WAS
nothing to do. Jerry fell into the way
of passing through that street once or
twice day. The girl was usually in
her window. He would bow graveiy.
She would respond with the faintest
smile. And one never to be forgotten
afternoon there fell At bis feet a small
scarlet flower.
The night Tom came home he watch
ed his brother throughout dinner with
puzzled, thoughtful eyes. He did not
know much about the kid" hs reflect
ed, nor how he took things.
II saw Don Enrique Galdos today, %
he began abruptly. Then, as Jerry
seemed unenlightened, he added, He
said that he had met you one night out.
side the Martinez" Jerry nodded.
"Oh, that chapl Yes; he did give me
some talk about moving on, believe"
(Which you apparently did not
heed" commented Tom dryiy. "And
now it seems you have been cOmpro-
missing the girl and
Compromising" broke In Jerry,
wildly astonished. why, I've never
even met her. Wouldn't 1 IKE to.
thought
"If you really Wish It suspect can
arrange it." said Tom slowly. Donna
Carmela is undeniably lovely. But DO
you realize what meeting her meaHAs''
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