New-York tribune., 1908-04-12

until the agene makes presentation to the
hitherto undsclosed principal as if he were a
hierophant ushering neophyte into the final
adytum Of the mysteries Of Eleusis.
I wrote in Spanish. telling the presumably
fair Aureia that believed she would find it
easier to read bad Spanish than good English
The etiquette of your country does not allow
you 10 call on me. do not know where TO
call you. I will meet you upon the Cortina
de Valdes at three hours of the afternoon Of
Wednesday wearing on my breast left rose
red, which I shall the pleasure of Immediately
placing in your hand very charming
I was we'll satisfied with this letter, which
considered in the approved style of Castian
gallantry, If not Castian construction But as
Monday and Tuesday passed for some unac-
countable reason lost stomach for the
terprse, and though I got myself up in
my best, there was no red rose upon my left
breast when at a moment before three I ap
peared upon the Cortina de Valdes.
1t was empty when I took my station at the
southern end A large black woman drifted
across the further end. an eighth of a mile
away, in front Of the quarantine offices. Hor-
rors. Could that be Aurelia? But no A large
black popped up over the wall from a
boat floating below. and she sat down beside
him to indulge in the pleasures of conversation.
At ten minutes past l had lost all ap-
petite for the adventure and was turning to
depart. saying I had kept the tryst and was
absolved of discourtesy to the unknown daugh-
ter Of the houses of Riverol and Montluzon,
when there sailed around the corner Of the
chapter house a swapping eyed. slim, beauteous
maiden in a dark green silk dress. conveyed by
an elderly woman likewise in silk, but gray.
I knew as well as if some footrla1 had bel
/ md
luzon" that it was indeed those possibly Illus
trious danes. CiviIity demanded that I cross
the very narrow street and address them in
the halting sentences I had studied out for the
encounter. Save for the negroes so far away.
the two women and I were alone on the prom
enade. Aurelia and her mother looked up and
they looked down and they bored me full of
holes with their eyes. but I was in a com
plete state of funk, and was entirely unable TO
make move. much less accost them.
I vhistled in pretended unconcern. I looked
out over the harbor carelessly. Oh. no, a per-
son so Indifferent could not have come there to
meet a woman I gave them excellent oppor-
tunity to see that my left breast was devoid Of
roses.
Aurelia looked up and looked down She fell
into the plastic poses that are natural TO Young
and romantic women. What a lovely creature
she was, her skin. in the language Of the
SeviIian poet nacreOus as the inside of a shell.
Yes, Cuban women and Louisiana French
women sometimes have such skins Her foot
SO the same poet would have said was so light
that she could dance upon lymph and the Iyn1ph
not know it, She was not of voluptuous figure
like so many women Of Spanish race, but 1.-the
and elegant, muscled like a leopardess and as
beautiful There she stood across the narrow
street come to see me- and !, pusiIlanimous idiot
that I was. stood like a stone.
For ten minutes stood AureIia waiting For
ten Hetnutes stood her mother, gentle eyed and
with the nsemory of unhappiness in her sad
face. And then they hounced away And then
! pulled myself together and made an fnef-
fectual effort TO follow. They swept around tbe
front Of the cathedral There stood q sulendid
turnout, negro coachman on the box. negro
footnan opened the carriage door for them
He was a person with miraculously straight legs
encased in tight white trousers, had a niracu-
lously slim waist and miraculously elegant
shoulders, encased in black frock Another
negro. bury and III dressed. slouched bv and
nodded TO him as he closed the door
When this burly negro had come within
reach addressed him.
7 CANT talk nothin' but United State. -
responded TO my Spanish.
Good" said I. who were those peopla y,,bo
got into the carriage?"
Il don't know zackly who they is"
But you spoke to the footman"
"Oh, him? I didn't really speak to him II.
can't talk It's a matter OF surprise TO me
boss how these blamed nigguhs down heab
caint talk their own language: not a wa
nothin' but Spanish. jest nodded TO him. He
belongs to owuh chu'ch, the African Methodist
Episcopal we done stahted heah lately
II he can't talk United States. what good
does he get out Of your church,"
"A heap, boss, heap. He CANT talk bu+ bo
cain holluh. and he suah does He done toIa
one of US who cain talk Spanish that set+fr. ~,
theah so straight in them tight boots. tight
pants. tight coat, tight gloves and tight ha+ all
day long and nevuh sayin' nothin' he rot so :,
seemed like he would bust, and that he lest NAT
cherly had to go somewheah and hoIIuh, and he
couldn't do that on the streets or no place ana
ne Jest Joined US and holluhs Ought 10 heah
him holluh May be yellin' seven come eIevan
in Spanish, for all I know, but II sounds avn,
loud and pious."