The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1906-01-06
THE PRICE Of A NIGHTS
ENTERTAINMENT
Iorirlna11


peasants cottage In the neighborhood
of Seville and asked for d nights lodg.
ing. A young girl opened the door and
babe him enteg The stranger was SO
struck with her beauty 1hat he scarcely
heard her say;
Such as we have to offer, senior, we
will give cheerfully, but 1t is very lit
tle,r
With his eyes still fixed on the girl
The stranger entered the living room,
where sat an old woman, her mother,
who brought to bear on him pair Of
cunning eyes, as IL to learn whether
he had means to pay for his entertain
ment- The stranger was well dressed,
and the old woman, judging that he
had money, said
we are very poor. senior, but judg-
ing that you win not let us suffer FOR
the nights entertainment we win take
YOU In. Teresa, so and prepare the
room for guests
Teresa went out looking very much
mortified. Sic had understood the
stranger to ask for the treatment Of a
guest and had wished so to grant his
request The stranger understood the
old woman's avarice, but said nothing
He did not even promise TO pay for bis
entertainment. Teresa got up good
supper, Of which the straagar partook
heartily. and after II was over ana she
was washing the dishes he sat with the
mother.
Your daughter has a rare beauty"
he said.
DO you think SO? we all consider
her beautiful She should make fine
match with such beauty. Yet All the
money she is to get is 1900 philips.
She ID engaged to a merchant of Sc
vile. and that is all he win give. He
should give twice as much, especially
since he IS fifty years old, while she Is
but seventeen
During the evening. while The stran-
ger was sitting with the mother ana
daughter. there was a timid knock at
the door, and a young man but d few
years older than Teresa came III. The
stranger noted the expressions on all
three faces and read d story Iii them.
The old woman scowled furiously. The
daughter cast pathetic Glances at the
newcomer and appealing chances ut
her mother. The young man was the
picture of despair The story told was
that the young people loved, but the
man having no money to give the
mother would not grant her consent.
The rest had been given by she moth
err when she said that Teresa had been
sold for 1900 philips.
The stranger sat quietly watching
all this. The mother vainly tried to
freeze out the young man, but he hung
on In spite Of her scowls for an hour,
when he arose and took his leave.
Teresa went to the door with him,
and the stranger, who had sharp ears,
heard their parting words:
Carlos, we must be resigned. Moth
er win never consent to my marrying
without money"
Il cannot be resigned to such a fate
shall seek death either in the bull
ring or as n soldier"
Then there was a long silence, ana
the stranger knew that Teresa was In
Carlos arms. The next heard was
footstep on the stairs going to
her room,
In the morning before rising from the |
table the stranger said:
Sonora, | am sorry to say that |
have not sufficient funds with me to
discharge my Indebtedness. but think |
that | can suggest way by which you
enn be paid. l am an artist OF Seville. |
II your daughter will sit for me for
Der portrait viii pay philip for T
each sitting
"And how many slttings win you re-
1uiref' asked the old woman grcedlly. +
Twenty to thirty
The old woman's features that had |
-aken on severe expression when the
stranger said he could not pay relaxed.
Even 20 philips would be far in ex-
,ess Of his indebtedness. SO 1t was4
agreed that Teresa should go into the
lily every day when hidden till the
picture should be finished Before the
stranger departed he said that If Tere-
"a should choose the portrait instead of
Ter pay as model 1t should be hers,
This threw the old woman into a pas.
lion, and she accused the stranger Of
Intending to pay nothing in the end
Teresa was punctual at the slttings,
ind quite often the artist summoned
larlos as well, saying that he desired
o. call out her best expression. When
he work was finished Teresa, advised
" the artist without consulting her
mother. chose 1t instead OF her pay as
model The artist put the portrait up
or her at auction.
II happened that Don Miguel de Re-
ERA. to whom Teresa was to be sold,
NV The picture on exhibition. On the
lay of the sale be went 70 the auction
where throng OF bidders were col
actcd and when the sale commenced
e bid as high as thousand philips
lut the bidding went far above this
nd the picture was at last knocked
own FOR 10000 philips.
The lovers, who had no idea that the
aiming would bring much more than