Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1909-01-13

Except an American daughter ana 4
profound faith in his judgment of ,
cigar Pope Nuncz had retained few i
precious possessions from his share Of .
the fortune made by his grandfather i
in Cuban sugar and tobacco.
Pope, the favorite grandson of the !
founder of the house, had grown UP |
very extensively, exercising his tai
ents mainly in acquiring that profound
judgment of tobaccos and wines for
which he is renowned in the Spanish
| colony.
When his motherless daughter, Ariel
| la, attained her eighteenth birthday
Mr.. Nunez made the discovery that he
| owned u house in West Eleventh
street, but no money to carry it on.
As a matter of fact, it was Ariella
who discovered this fact and brought
| it to her fathers notice Arielia was
disconcertingly like her American
mother. She Looked facts stra;rAt in
| the face, while Mr.. NuneZ by incGina
ton and habit invariably turned his
back On trouble.
But if he had succeeded in ignoring
disa greeable things for forty years he
could not ignore Ariella. She said to
him bluntly:
Either you or l, papa, dear, will
have to go to work"
Mr. Nunez shrugged his shoulders
and gently famed away the cloud of
cigar smoke which enveloped him.
81 will go to Uncle Alfredos," he
said
To 20 to Uncle Alfredos meant Il
small loan described as temporary. but
which was actually permanent. 1t
would not solve the problem, and so
Ariella advertised for gentlemen
dodgers.
Then it happened that the pretty
Spanish girl added to her list of admir-
ers. who were mostly Cubans with no
wish to become ,Americanized, two
genuine Americans, Walter Brown and
Henry Vincent.
. They had not been in the house Il
, week before each recognized q rival in
the other Thereupon each, according
, TO his nature, adopted the method of
wooing most likely to win out
Brown. who had smattering of Span
ish customs, courted Pope as the short
est cut to his daughters affections
Vincent went straight to the point and
| saw Ariella as often as he could.
From the first the chief obstacle was
| Pope, the young looking. white haired
, father. He warmly supported the pre-
, tensions of Brown. and whenever that
gentleman spent an evening at home
he had no difficulty in getting Senol
p Nunez to come up to his room ant
= while away the time smoking bis
black cigar.
One day Ariella in the lightest wa,
possible. limited to Vincent that Mr.
Browns popularity was due not S,
much to his conversation as to hi
cigars. The hint was quickly actct
upon Not a smoker himself, he wa
willing to provide any number of hi
black cigars for Senior NuneZ, but h
and his cigars We're politely scorned.
"Your father. Miss Nunez, does no
like my cigars" Vincent confesse
sadly one night as he occupied a chat
not very near the object of his hear
and much too near the old aunt. VIII
looked sleepy and uncomfortable. We
would not go to bed.
perhaps they are not very good,
answered Ariella. Papa. you know
is famous judge of tobacco"
81 buy the very strongest and mos
costly / can find" said Vincent.
am trying to suit his taste, not mine
'But why?''
"As if you did not know why wal
u, to please your father" pleaded Vii
=. cent
"Alr Brown has succeeded" sal
. Ariella. tapping the floor with her fo'
impatiently.
"I've asked Brown what his bran
!. is. but he won't tell me-"
81 vii! find out" said Ariella.
evil you?"
At this most inopportune time II
ubiquitous aunt. with a CLEAN Of su
picion, suddenly interrupted.
"My niece. you will now go to d
:. piano and play for me. No. Senior vi
= cent, you will remain by me-"
- For weeks Pepe Nunez had be.
~ seeking to advance the case of Walt
Thrown. On this very day the stol