Graham guardian., 1909-02-05
.Hccordlng to
Custom
ny A. N. DAVIES OGDEN
Copyright, 1905, bv Mcclure. Phillips g. Co

| tureSQue Havana yellow moon pour
ed food Of glory, throwing strange
shadows ON the old Moro, where the
O'Donnell tower light revolved with
steady flashes, and sleeping all the
world in subtle, elusive spell.
On the Maleeon the band was play
ing. Light hearted laughter foated
from the thickly clustered benches and
carriages. 1t was not a night to be
alone.
Jerry Benedict, standing on the edge
Of 1t all, felt the beauty and knew the
loneliness. He had come to Havana al
Toms suggestion. "There Is good
opening down here which might suit
you," his brother had written. And
now, on arriving, he found Tom gone
to Cienfuegos, not to return for several
days. Jerry, wandering about by him.
self, had promptly fallen in love with
the quaint little city, its gayly painted
houses, dusky white clad men and
pretty senoritas. Havana was not a
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 was quite
dark, but across the way the moon, re-
fecting with dazzling brilliancy 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 a 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 as
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 a slender, careful.
ly dressed man. Benedict, his eyes still
full of moonlight mumbled some word
of apology, but the other, after quick
glance at the window, looked back at
the young American, and slow smile
began to dawn on his lips.
But you are quite excusable, senor,"
he said in pretty English. Again his
eyes sought the window. 1T is for me
to apologize" he laughed. "The sight
Of the Senorita Carmela is reason
enough"
"You know her them" burst out Ben.
edict Then he started and recollected.
I'll beg your pardon" he stammered
distressfully. "But-but"-
The man nodded more gravely. II
Judge you are a stranger here" he re-
marked. Young Benedict flushed.
YES" he said. Il suppose 1t is
awfully rude to stand In the street and
stare that way. But never had seen
any one so beautiful before" he ended
up quite simply, the color deepening
under his tan. "And I thought per-
baps-my brother might know" foun-
dering again. "Mr Thomas Benedict"
he added as the other seemed to wait.
The Cuban looked at him more close
ly.
"Is Tom Benedict your brotherT he
asked, and in some way his voice had
altered. "Tom! Ahw Then he lifted
his hat.
Good night" he said politely. "And
let me give you a piece Of advice. 1t
is not unusual to stand under win
dow, to watch from a point of van
tage, or even to speak" And again he
laughed. "But you, senor"-and his
tone held warning tone-"for you,
senior, 1t would be best not to try it.
You are but 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 perforce
the others advice, walked on. But the
sight here and there In the dusky
street Of man leaning against the
iron bars which guard the lower win
dows, exchanging low remarks to some
inmate, evoked strange longings.
In the morning, however, Jerry could
laugh at the whole episode. A girls
face at wlndow-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 idled away
an hour or two in the Oalle Oblspo,
with its gay shop windows and bright
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
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 ana
began to walk away. But 1t seemed
foolish to avoid street just because
pretty e.. lived there, and it was
the shortest way home. He was sure
that 1t was the shortest way home.