The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1915-11-29
The Euenir1g Story
A Gentleman From Spain.
By lola Forrester)

of grubbing all your life when you had
enough to rest on?
Yes. and where's the next eight
thousand coming from when that's
gone, JESSE" asked Mrs. Avery COM
placentIy, her handsome Irish face
wrinkling in a good-tempered smile of
serenity ard content. II can see you or
your father earning and putting it by
like fun.
| jess pouted and stared out at the
| bifurcated view of Washington Square
visible from the basement windows
She was tired of the bifurcated view
and the passing half sections of hui
mans, tired of the dark back rooms of
the janitors flat, tired of being part
of the janitcr's family, tired of the
whole thing, and the eight thousand
in the savings bank over in Jersey
| looked like the door key into Paradise.
I'VE could get a little apartment up
| town and I'll work"
I And what would you work at, darl-
ing?" blandly from her mother.
Il don't know. I'd like to be buy
err. They're treated awfully well and
they get a chance to travel. L just
hate New York.
And what would you do with
Barty? ?" asked Mr.. Avery. He
wouldn't give up a growing business to
go off on a wild-goose chase with you,
Jess"
He could stay where he is. 1 don't
want to marry a fireman"
There's a widows pension goes
with it, Jess, mind" her mother said
soothingly. And Barty's a fine lad
altogether. It's a sight better than
watching from that window for Mr..
Delguardo to show up again."
Jess flushed slowly, leaning her
chin on her hand. 1t was pretty
chin and it was a pretty hand. She
had not lived her life out down in the
basement by a long shot From six
to fifteen she had been in a convent
up the Hudson, and when she gave
the girls her address she always said
she lived down in the old Washington
Square studio district, which was quite
true; but she did not add that her
father was a janitOr.
Always they had accused her of
building castles in Spain and longing
for the things she could never have.
1t had been joke for years-Jess
and her high-flying not1ons-and then
out OF the blue sky almost there had
dropped real live gentleman from
Spain, Antonio Delguardo, an artist,
who took the third floor studio. paid
mis- rent in advance and acted like a
grandee.
Before his coming, Jess had gone
out for an evening walk with Baruy
now and then when he was off duty,
and had even taken in the theaters
with him, or an occasional trip to the
beach, but one day when she was
sweeping the basement steps Mr.. Del |
IldQ SlOppSo at illS lAlAIS iIOil
grill gate to ask if the mail had |
come, and Jess had told him she |
would take it up to the studio for him. |
All, no, senorita, not at all" he
had declined. Il will myself descend !
for it. 1t is not for you to come so |
far. l thank YOU
The whole world turned a somer-
sault for Jess right there and then. |
Here was one human being who rec
ognized at a glance that she did not
belong in the basement stratum, When /
the postman whistled, Mr.. Delguardo /
came leisurely down and received his !
mail, and he bowed to her and smiled. !
Later on, out in the little tagged |
back courtyard, Jess heard him sing
ing in Spanish, and it was La Pa |
Iona" Nearly every day he sang it,
and it became the uplift of the day /
to Jess, the rich, caressing notes and |
tender Spanish syllables. After that |
she could not go out with Barty-
not with La Paloma" ringing in her
ears and the Delguardo manners as a
criterion of good taste to measure
One day she was directing the vac
man around the house,
and came to the studio. She opened
the door with a pass key and entered
with fast-beating heart. Here was
the inner shrine of his personality.
While the man worked, she looked
around. And it seemd wise to put
away the choicest bits of bric-a-brac
inner cabinet closet between the
studio and bedroom. She opened its
doors delfcately and stared. Could
the grandee be doing light housekeep-
in? There was what seemed to be
an alcohol stove, but of strange pat
tern, also some peculiar bowls of
dark metal, much burned, and other
things, including bottles full of liquids
like Photographic chemicals. All were
rather mysterious. And while she stood
rresolute the gentleman from Spain
walked in. His eyebrows lifted
slightly at the sight of her. He SEEM
all bushes and anxiety, as she ex-
planned. His tone was soothing.
1t is nothing, senorita. 1t was the
1azzle of sunlight in my poor studio
hat bewildered me for the instant.
thank you. 1 kiss your hand in
OXEN"
Now Jess had never had her hand
kissed before, and she went out a
queen. When he brought her a gar
lenia that evening it seemed all part
IF the new wonder of life. a single ,
gardenia given with such a bow and
ook. Jess was standing out on the
'front.' steps listening to the band over
n the square, and she lifted the flower
o her nostrils, inhaling its perfume
after he had gone up.
My, It's hot, amt it JESSE said
Mrs. Avery, coming heavily up out of
he basement for a breath of air. :
fishes ?''
Il forgot, mother. I'm sorry {
where did you get the flower?"
Mr.. Delguardo." Jess tried to be
Mrs. Avery smiled at her
Don't be encoura ging at ALL Jess
: rather hand over the eight thou
and TO you and Barty and let you
90 into business with it,
Than what, mother?" Jess dimpled
|
But just at this moment two strange
Gentlemen paused at the steps and !
inquired for Mr.. DelgGardo.
He's not had visitors before" Mrs 5
Avery specialized
Jess was silent. Vaguely her castle I
n Spair and Sle