The Ocala evening star. [volume] (Ocala, Fla.) 1895-1943, 1912-08-26

could find warmth and light and peo-
pie The place, little shabby house
dating from the era OF the projecting
shingie roof and encircling balcony,
stood on a corner with windows on
two streets. 1t was built upon a slope
SO sharp that the balcony. which In
front skirted the second story. in the
back was on level with the sidewalk
The bright light of gas-jets, under
shades of futed white china, fell over
the contents of the show-window.
They were not attractive. A dish Of
old and shriveled oranges stood be-
tween a plate of tamales and another
of red and green peppers. There were
many flies in the window, and, chilled
by the cold, they stood along the in
side of the glass In state of torpor.
Berry pushed open the door and en-
tered. The front part of the place was
used as grocery store and had short
counter at one side, behind which
stood shelves piled high with the
wares demanded by the Mexican and
Spanish population. Back of this were
erful, aromatic odors of the groceries
blended with the even more powerful
ones Of the Mexican menu. The room
was close and hot. In a corner, his
back braced against the wall, Span
lard, with inky dark hair and large
expanse of white shirt bosom, was
languidly picking at guitar.
Berry knew that there was an inner
sanctum for the guests that preferred
more secluded quarters, and walked
past the counter and between the
tables. An arched opening connected
with this room. Coarse, dirty, lace
curtains hung In the archway and,
looped back against gilt hooks, left a
space through which a glimpse of the
interior was vouchsafed to the diners
without 1t was smaller than the res
taurant proper, and was fitted up with
an attempt at elegance. Lace curtains
also coarse and dirty-veiled the
windows, and two large mirrors, with
furnished and fly-spotted gilt frames,
hung on the wall opposite the en-
trance.
In one corner two women in mourning
and a child were sitting. They glanced
at Berry with languid curiosity and
then resumed loud and voluble con-
versation in Spanish. A party Of three
Jews, an over-dressed woman and two
young men-evidently visitors from
another part of town-sat near them.
I'm, ho ca
Berry slipped noiselessly into a chair
at the corner table, her back against
the partition that shut off the rest Of
the dining-room. She felt sheltered
in this unoccupied angle, despite the
fact that the mirror hanging opposite
gave a reflection Of her to any one
standing in the archway.
The cloth was dirty and here and
there showed a hole. Her ineradicable
fastidiousness was strong in her even
at this hour, when everything that was
a manifestation of her own personality
| seemed weak and devitalized. She was
| disgustedly clearing away the crumbs
| of the last occupant with daintily-
brushing movements Of her finger-tips,
when the waiter drew up beside her
and demanded her order. 1t was part
| of this weird evening, when natural
surroundings seemed to combine with
| her own overweight condition to ere
ate an effort of strangeness and terror,
| that the waiter should have been an
old, shriveled man Of shabby and de-
| jected mien, with a defect In one eye,
! which rendered 1t abnormally large
and prominent under a dropping, red
dened lid. In order to see well 1t was
necessary for him to hold his head at
certain angle and bring the eye, star
ing with alarming wildness, upon the
object Of his attention. His aspect
added still further to Berny's dissatis-
| faction. She resolved to eat little and
leave the place as soon as possible.
When her soup came, a thin yellow
liquid in which dark bits of leaves and
herbs f1oated, she tasted 1t hesitating-
| ly, and, after a mouthful or two, put
| down her spoon and leaned back
| against the wall She felt very tired
| and incapable of any more concentra-
ton Of mind Her thoughts seemed to
float, disconnectedly and indifferently,
this way and that, like a cobweb
stirred by air currents and half held
by a restraining thread. To her dulled
observation the laughter Of the Jewish
party came mingled with the tinkling
Of the guitar outside, and the loud.
! continuous talk from the Spanish
| women in the corner.