Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1907-09-04
LOVE UNDER DIFFICULTIES.
cupid's Task I. Not Pleasant On.
in spain and Italy.

In Spain and Italy.
That all the world loves lover hat
been evidenced by the worldwide IN
terest that has been manifested in the
courtships and marriages which have
recently taken place in leading offlcia
circles Of this country and In royal cir
cles abroad. Every movement of thu
happy persons involved In these Incl
dents has afforded entertainment fol
the world at large.
Undoubtedly the lot of the American
lover Is the happiest of all. We heal
great deal of the romance OF Spanish
love-making. of serenades and whis
pered conversations, of fan talk ant
the flashing OF dark. eyes from tn,
shattered balcony above. &
But the Spanish or Italian love-
would tell you that this is all moon
shine and that there Is mighty little
romance in leaning against a wall In
draughty, narrow street, with the
mistral, or the leyanter-which al
home we know prosaically enough as
the east wind-cutting ones liver into
sole leather and driving through the
thickest cloak that the local tailor car
turn out.
And this is what the Spanish or Ital
Ian lover has to put up with. 1t i.
not the custom to invite him in to tea
and pretty well until the banns are ur
he is expected to do all his love-mak
Ing from the curbstone. So 1t happens
that Spanish street at night is lined
on either hand by mysterious figures
who appear to be gllded against the
white walls like files on "catch-em
alive!"
At first, the nervous tourist will but
ton up his coat. and wish he had
brought revolver with him. The
sight Of these dim figures, cloaked tc
the eyes, their swarthy faces half GOV.
cred with soft, slouching felt sombre
ros, recalls to him every villain in ev.
cry drama he has ever seen, and as
the streets echo with their soft whis
perings. he imagines that they are con
spring to murder him
But no such thlngl Were he an In
habitant of the town he would soor
recognize the first villain as Pope Her
zero, the ship brokers' clerk, who Ii
desperately In love with Juanlta Aram
buru, and perhaps, Just little in love
with the good house property against
which he ia leaning, which will al
come to Juanita when her mother /.
gathered to her ancestors in the white
walled catacombs outside the city.
In the second villain we have young
Enrique De Moline, son of the proprie
tor Of the Hotel De Paris. who is the
"querido" or sweetheart of pretty
Elena De Las Sierras, only daughter
of the elderly manager of the loca
branch Of the Banco De Espana; ant
30 on.
Let US translate all this love making
into English. and here we have, robbed
of romance which is only supposl
tious, poor Pepe Herrera, or Joe Smith
which Is the true English of hi
name, as frequent in Spaln~as 1t is ii
any other country the bes
love he can to Joan Aramburu. wht
lives in second story fiat at least 81
feet above his head.
In all sorts of weather Pope, or Joe
is bound to turn up at o'clock ever.
evening to transmit his love making
In hoarse whispers to the balloon.
wherein bis Juanita stands. If HI
misses an evening, winter or summer
Juanlta will want to know the reasol
why, in Just the same sort of plain En-
glish as she would II she were Mar.
Jones.
And 50 Joe Smith has courted he
for the last three years without evel
the privilege OF kissing that tiny han,
which waves SO whitley in the moon
light above.