The Washburn leader. [volume] (Washburn, McLean County, N.D.) 1890-1986, 1915-06-25
Blue Blood
Versus Oil
BY DONALD CHAMBERLIN

Billy Perkins had the usual Amcri-
can assurance, but it never got into
the limelight till he went to Spain as
q clerk in the American embassy.
Billy had ear and no taste for bust
ness. Indeed. since his living was
ground out for him by coupons which
fell like gold leaves from sundry bonds
be had inherited, what he wanted was
an apology for occupation. A friend
having been appointed secretary Of le-
cation at Madrid, he secured Billy a po-
sition as brevet clerk, which gave him
the right to say that he was attached to
the embassy, but he was seldom II
ever called upon to do any work.
AS an attache of the legation he re-
ceived invitations, and, since Ameri-
cans are considered an unconventional
people, he was accorded social liber-
ties that other men were not granted.
For, instance, there were families
which he was permitted to visit as
young men visit in America-that is,
he was not forced to converse with
young women from the sidewalk, they
standing on a balcony high above his
head. He was permitted to see GER
tain young ladies in their homes, but
not alone. Some member Of the fam
lily other than the lady on whom he
called was always present.
One young lady in whose home he
was accorded an entrance was n daugh-
ter Of Don Sebastiano Herrera, a Span
fish grandee whose family tree was
planted in the time Of Ferdinand and
Isabella. Dona Inez, the daughter,
was destined for some nobleman who
would be considered worthy to enter
| the Herrera family. AS for Billy Per
kins, had he ten times the fortune he
! possessed he was not for a moment to
be thought Of as a husband for her.
Nevertheless the Herreras had trav-
| eled abroad a good deal and had
thrown of some Of the most ultra Of
their Spanish conventional forms.
Their daughter met men at balls, and
occasionally one was invited to her
home-of course only by her father or
| mother. Billy Perkins met her at a
function given by his chief, the am
bassador, and fell desperately In love
with her.
Dona Ines evinced a desire to learn
English, and when Billy offered to
teach her her mother was much pleased
with the offer. The good lady had a
high admiration for the English nobtl-
ity and had formed a design Of taking
her daughter to England, hoping that
her rare beauty would catch an Eng
lish nobleman. However this may be.
Billy was permitted to come to the
house two evenings in the week to give
Dona Inez lessons in the English Ian
Ruage. OF course her mother or some
member Of the family who could be re-
lied upon was present to watch that
no lovemaking passed between the two
young persons. Moreover, whoever
was on watch understood enough Eng
lish to know if Billy were trying to
work that language for the purpose Of
making love, though, since Dona lneZ
did not understand a word of English.
this was hardly necessary.
| Nothing is so delightful to two young
' persons Of opposite sex as to outwit
those who are placed on guard over
them. Billy's method Of teaching Eng
lish was to have his pupil read some
thing printed in that language or con-
vert something printed from Spanish
into the English tongue. This required
the use Of a Spanish and English die
tiOnary.
One evening when the two were at
work using the dictionary every few
minutes, Billy, turning the leaves. stop
ped and put his finger on the WORD
your" Then he turned to the words
"eyes" aud put his finger on that word.
In this way he spelled out 'your eyes
! are like beautiful twin lakes, and your
lashes are like the rushes growing on
the bOrders." Then Inez took the dc
tionary and by the same lei said.
"You Americans are great flatterers."
This was followed by a sentence from
Billy-"There ID no such beauty In
America as yours"
These few communications occupied
half an hour. but what time was lost
in looking up words was gained In the
' fervOr Of the sentences. In two or
three evenings Billy had made as much
love as some men with every facility
would make in a year. And D0na Inez.
IL she was not. an apt scholar at learn
ing English, certainly understood with
marvellous facility what was said to
her by this method of communication.
Before Dona Inez had learned enough
English to catch a British nObleman
she had been caught by an American
scamp who should have been put in the
! stocks for daring to make love to the
daughter Of a Spanish grandee. How
ever, he came out frankly at last and
one morning, marching boldly into the
presence Of Don Sebastiano, asked him
for his daughters hand. The old gen.
tleman looked at the American brevet
clerk aghast and asked him what he
meant. Billy replied that he meant