Brownsville herald. [volume] (Brownsville, Tex.) 1910-current, 1914-08-19

the lHdflu HfdA >hlIdtt VI tHc pbHN IT,
Elected his sad face. tie knew every tree
every bench there.
For three wears Leon had lived in that
part of the city. When he returned from
business. the Plaza called him in the
dark quiet evening. and while walking e
the ear hat took him 4 the Office. he
passed il ia the early morning. when
there were barely any people in the street
and the plaza was sleeping.
Winter evenings. when IL was raining
Leon often put on hi heavy overc0at and
sat down there On d lonely bench.
After three wears the rirm for which
Leon worked failed and he stood without
any occupation. For months h. tried Ia
get a new position. but III vain. nobody
seemed Ia have any need for his services,
and now he spent every evening resting
on the bench on the Plaza with the elmS
and willows. There the time passed
quickly while he was watching the end.
less caravan Of men and women passing
along the walks in these gray autumn
nights. and il was then that h. began IL
discover things, he had never before seen
on his old beloved plaza. lie studied the
gay or serious faces Of the passing crowd.
listened 20 the laughter Of the children
playing among the willows and il seemed
to him that every little pebble ON the walk
was something that had fallen from "A
human heart-a dream. a hope. "A sorrow
Everything had voice i'm the lonely Pla-
IN. From every leaf Leon thought he
heard "A sigh. ON every bench he imagined
he saw old people dreaming Of sunny
|~iStence.
The old Plaza sang It's song with mys-
tic voices.
Autumn passed and the following win
ter too. Leon had almost come To the
end Of his savings and still he found no
post. lie was iii only 10 be- a clerk. as
his father and grandfather had been be-
fore him aud he went on bravelv looking
for work. every night turning 60 the PIa-
IN tired and disappointed.
As Leon had neither parents or rela-
tives. he had got into the habit Of confid-
ing his thoughts 70 \ very old elm tree.
standing IN the darkest and loneliest cor
ncr Of the Plaza. On one afternoon "A
man passing bv heard him talking "a the
tree and evidently Thought he was mad.
but Leon did not rare.
lie PASSED the whole spring among the
trees. which were getting new leaves and
flowers and which charmed him by the
fragrance which cxulcd from their ro-
bust old trunks. Here he did not feel
lonely a. he did In the crowded streets
when ne was looking for work.
With spring Icons last hopes vanished
and one beautiful summer evening h.
opened his heart to the elm and told ID
that he was starving and miserable.
The Plaza began "a be crowded with
people admiring the glittcring stars and
the reflection. of the Silvery moon ON the
placid surface Of the pond. The children
PLAYING among the trees sang nm old mel
anchOly song. known to everybody i'm the
~neighborhood. fla loca de Amor
Leon stood silent leaning against the
old elm listening to the sweet voices Of
the children I'm the dim. mysterious
light he saw the loving Young couples ON
the benches, poor factory girls from the
neighborhood and hardworking clerks.
but the moon wrapped them in her sill.
very light and made every girl a beauti-
full princess and every man n romantic
hero. The tones of liza loca de amor
dies away. The children and y0mng
couples disappeared Pho Plaza grew
unreal and mysterious.
Leon was still sitting nj the foot Of
the old elm. surrounded by invisible and
mysterious things. floating in the air
among the m0tionleSs trees. ab0'Fe the
lonely benches and the dusty walks.
He was so lonesome. 50 Dire adfully
lonesome. as he had never felt before dur
ing his sad mon0tonous existence. He
ra.I ...xAr h..I u. u-nfhxn~ H.. Hal un..-
whispered words OF love to 4 pair Of
blue Or brown eyes il 4 sjient summer
night. And he asked his old friend. the
him. lie thought he-telt tbe heart Of the
him. He thought H. Ielt le heart Of the
tree beating within the trunk. and in 4
very low voice. that no nightly wanderer
might overhear him and think his mad.
he asked the tree 10 bring him a pair Of
sweet blue eyes. very blue eyes. "A loving
sweetheart who might drive away his
lack Of courage and thoughts Of suicide.
II was late and the stars were already
growing dim when Leon with a sigh
turned towards his modest home.
The next evening. after another day OF
disappointment. he returned Ia the plaza
and threw himself NJ the foot of the old
elm. listening 90 the singing. and the
tree gave him a few hours sweet peace
fnl dreaming only 10 be- followed Nv the
dreadful awakening 10 cold. cruel. brutal
reality. Had there only been a pair Of
blue ewes to cheer him up. h. would have
looked for work with even greater en-.
ergy and felt sure ~ finding il.
All this he was now telling the old elm
a he sat leaning against its ragged
trunk II should be so brave" ne almost
breathcd. but suddenly ne topped. for
there right In front Of him we're the blue
eyes looking at him in the dim light OF
the summer evening
A slender vnuuu usrl uus+h hnnwtse.r