Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-06-02
THE CAR OF DESTINY

last Iuc SHlS JTOOp6u GOWN stairs from the
balcony beckoned them to come way.
They skipped to us, wild with delight at the
prospect of pouring out their hearts to an ap-
preciative audience.
The great warming pan, stuffed with embers
that glowed and paIed was laid on the tiled
pavement, while the girls wove themselves into
a group. with interlacing arms.
Why are you SO happy" asked. =,
Happy? We have been in paradise, with
the angels" replied the prettest girl, with
crimson roses stuck in bank of copper HAIR.
There was but one angel" objected her
brunette cousin
That is true. The two old ones think
themselves everything, but they are less than
nothing. | would not change my years for
theirs, with their jewels and their quarterings.
Thanks be to God, in OUR Spain we are all as
noble as the mobiles, or at least in this Prov
ince!''
You are also all beautiful. " said I
-, mat you can say SO. senior, after seeing
that wonder" exclaimed the landlord eldest
daughter, a creature of carnation and flame.
An m; the JOY! we have been undressing her"
Ii you could have seen her, with gold hair
down DC to her knees" gasped Gypsy Of fifteen.
And when we had got her dress off, and she
was in her"
Hush, Micaela! 1t is not seemly that YOU
should mention such garments in the presence
of sefores!" broke in the girl of the copper
coronet.
" But why then, since they are most beauti-
ful! You know well, Mariquita you yourself
said they were like the handwork of fairies,
and her shoulders
:" Be silent, foolish one or I shall have to
burn your nose off with the warming pan!"
" And what did the elder ladies say to the
young ladys new maids?" asked quickly, as
great eyes began to flash, and scarlet lips to
pout.
:. Back came the smiles, and the maidens fell
into fit of school girl giggling.
There was but one Majesty there praise
be to the saints, the English one, who is no
doubt the mother of our lady angel. They
have two rooms between them but that of
the sehorita is tiny, with no door of its own,
and only square glazed hole for a window,
though the bed is as good as any, and we have
given it the best linen. When we took in the
warming pan, Our angel tried to say in Spanish
that she was sure our beds were dry and we'll
aired, as indeed they were. She was undoing
her hair, which was SO beautiful we could have
fallen down and prayed to her as a saint. Then
we could not resist, but began helping her,
talking about her beauty. She was not Of
Tended, even though we kissed her hands
She laughed till she was close to tears and
said we were far nicer maids than the one her
mother had sent on by railway train when start
ing by automobile. After this, she would be
spoiled for others; and she gave us each one
present: Lola, two wondrous hat pins with
blue stones in silver,-not that she would ever
suffer the tortures of hat, but it is a great
thing to have them, Teresa. sweet round
purse of blue leather, of the size to hold five
peseta piece; Micaela, handkerchief with
lace on the edge; and me, an embroidered veil
like gossamer What did we care that Her
Majesty the mother would have sent us away
If she could? She had not enough Spanish to
make us understand what we did not wish to
understand, and at last she saved her breath
for another day. But by that time we had
finished. for we had put our angel into her
nightdress, thing of cobwebs and lace kept
together by blue ribbons which should have
thought good enough for Queen to wear when
mounting her throne"
You must show us your presents" said I,
with deliberate cunning. All were displayed
on the instant, with chattering laughing, and
clamorous claims for rival merits But the
veil was the thing which looked on to covet
She had worn it one day after rain, when the
roads had been clear of dust and her face had
cleaned through the lace as a star CLEANS
through a floating cloud film. l felt that l
could not see it in other hands than mine
While the Cherub compared the gifts with
eloquence l drew Mariquita apart Il want
that veil very much" said l; so much that
III give you hundred pesetas if you'll part
from it."
She opened her tobacco brown eyes, "But
the senior is only man, and cannot know that
the bit of embroidered net is worth no more
IN money than fifteen pesetas at most"
:" 1t wasn't its money worth l was thinking
about
"I-ah, see The senorito-yes, of course,
q, no etra IS h.