Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1914-02-15

Dear, get up. I've ordered breakfast in the
rooms.
Miss Cynthia sat up. And as if banished
by that act the serious little mouse of girl
scampered into oblivion, and in her place
appeared gay young rogue who sees the
future lying bright ahead.
after ALL she smiled, sI'm not married
yet And humming brightly from cur
rent musical comedy, Not just yet-just
slim white arm to throw aside the coverlet.
At which point it is best discreetly to
withdraw.
|MINOT. after lonesome if abundant
w breakfast, was at this moment stroll
ing across the hotel courtyard toward yes
terday mornings New York papers. AS he
walked. the pert promises of Trimmer filled
his mind. What was the proposition Trim
mer had in tow? How would it affect the
approaching wedding And what course of
action should the representative OF Jephson
pursue when it was revealed For in the
sensible light of morning Dick Alinot real
lied that while he remained in San Marco
as the guardian of Jephson's interests he
must do his duty. Adorable, Miss Meyrick
might be; but any change of mind on her
part must be over his dead body. A promise
was promise.
With this resolve firm, he proceeded along
the hot sidewalk of San Sebastian-ave. On
his right the rich shops again, dignifed
Spanish church as old as the town, ram
bling, lackadaisical @Opera House On his
left the green and sand-colored Plaza, with
the old Spanish Governors house in the
center. now serving Uncle Sam as postoffice.
A city of the past was this; other times,
other manners" breathed in the air.
A. 41,a N1inot met Tack Pad,
dock, jaunty, with a gardenia in his button
hole and the atmosphere of prosperity that
goes with it.
Come for stroll" Paddock suggested.
Il presume you want the giddy story of my
life promised YOU Yesterday? Been down
to the old Spanish fort yet? Come ahead,
and there on the ramparts I'll impart.
They went down the narrow and very
modern street of the souvenir vendors. Sud-
denly the street ended, and they walked
again in the past. The remnants of the old
They stepped through the portals, and
AIinot gave a gasp.
There in the quiet morning stood the great
gray fort that the early settlers had built
to protect themselves from the gay dogs who
roamed the seas. It's massive walls spoke
clearly of romance, of bloody days of cutlass
and spike, of bandaged heads and ready
arms. Such things still stood-still stood
in the United States-land of steam radi-
ators and men who marched in suffrage
parades!
THE old caretaker let them in, and they
went up the stone steps to stand at last on
the parapet looking down on the shimmering
sea To AIinot fresh from Broadway, it all
seemed like colorful dream. They climbed
to the highest point and sat, swinging their
legs over the edge. Far below the bright blue
waters broke On the lower walls.
Its a funny country down here" Pad
dock said slowly, AL sort of too-good-to-
be-true, who-believes-it place,-bright and
gay and full OF green palms, and SO much like
a musical comedy YOU keep waiting all the
time for the curtain to go down and the male
population to begin its march up the aisle.
I've been here three months, and | don't
yet think it's really true"
He shifted on the cold stones.
Ever since white men hit on it., he went
on, "it's sort Of kept Turing them here on fool
dream h,lnts-Eke woman. Along about
the time old Ponce de Leon came over here
prospecting for the fountain that nobody
but Lillian Russell has located yet, another
Spaniard-I forget his name-had pipe
dream too. He came over hotfoot looking
for mountain of gold he dreamed was here.
| m sorry for that old boy"
E.. L. =