The Mount Holly news. [volume] (Mount Holly, Burlington Co., N.J.) 1891-1942, 1917-08-21


/ preferred stirring life. I went to
the city, hunted for a business posi-
ton and got one with a house doing
commission business whose clientele
was in South and Central America.
1 stood the humdrum of business life
for about year, when some one was
needed to go to Honduras to collect a
debt owing the firm. I offered to go.
My offer was accepted, and within a
few weeks I found myself In the coun-
try of the rubber tree.
While collecting the debt I was ap-
preached by some men who told me
that they were plotting to seize the
government They persuaded me to
Join them They were defeated. /,
with others, was captured in arms and
thrown into prison. The same evening
we were told that we would all be
garroted the next morning.
When at daylight an officer entered
the room where we were confined to
take us out to execution he said to me:
II understand that you are an edu-
Gated man. Am ] correct?"
II consider myself good classical
scholar" replied.
'Very we'll" Then, turning to SUBJ
ordinate, he said:
take him to his eXcellency."
was led to the presidents house
and told to wait till called for. About
o o'clock / was conducted to the pres
dents private office.
what do you know about the clas-
sics?" he asked.
told him that i was college grad
uate and had at commencement denv-
cred an grafton In Latin.
you're Just what want" he said.
my son wishes to enter an American
college next year and needs a tutor.
If you will fit him for the entrance ex-
aminations I will pardon you for your
stupid completely with these rascals
who have sought to put themselves In
my place. But understand, your SEN
tence Is only suspended. You will
come into my family and be one of us.
Any depression from a straight path
and you viii suffer under your SEN
tence for treason. Say nothing to any
one Of your connection with traitors"
! did not understand what he meant
by "sny depression" till arrived at
his house and for the first time saw
that he had daughter at that tender
age when girls are liable to fall in
love with any presentable man they
happen to be thrown In with. Donna
Inez was nineteen and of course a
Spanish type. 1t was plain that had
been warned against making love to
her.
was introduced into the family by
President Sanchez as a college gradu-
ate he had imported from the north to
tutor his son Pedro, sixteen years old.
Sonora Sanchez was probably the only
person In the house that knew l was
under sentence of death.
have theory that we only enjoy
by contrast. Another way Of putting
it Is, "Stolen fruit is the sweetest"
The president made great mistake
In warning me. For young man Of
twenty-three to be forbidden under
penalty of death to make love to
young girl is a terrible temptation.
Had Senior Sanchez made no such
threat I might have lived in the same
house with his daughter and not trans
crossed. As 1t was, l was tortured
with terrible desire to win her and
with terrible fear of the garrote If I
did.
Whatever were my feelings, dared
not show them even to the young lady
herself And here l made the same
mistake with her that her father had
made with me. Observing that had
Internationally inspired her with
sentiment that might lead to love, l
conlded to her the secret that love
with us meant death for me.
From that moment a passion that
might otherwise have either never
been born or at least soon have died
out famed up in Donna Inez and alb
sorbed her whole being. Could this
passion be scientifically analysed /
think it would appear that the pre-
dominant element In it would turn out
to be a desire that should accept
death In preference to giving her up.
There is something paradoxical about
this, but nature is full Of paradoXes.
There would surely come a time
when we would put not our necks In
a halter, but my neck In the garrote
We were one day in the room where
I taught Donna Inez's brother, he hav-
ing Just gone out. She gave me re-
proachful look.
"For heavens sake, senorita, what
Is It? beg of you be careful You un-
derstand the position in which l
stand"
81 do. But love you. Why should
we be parted? Fate is very cruel"
IF we yield to this passion must
pay the penalty, and If l pay the pen
atty you will lose me. There is but one
course for us. We must part"
"Are you not willing to take any risk
at all for my sake?"
do you wish me to suffer the gar
rote for your sakef"
She was silent for moment, with
downcast eyes.
Il do not wish you to suffer, but
wish you to be willing to suffer on ac-
count of your love for me-"
There was something irresistible In
her face as she turned her eyes up to
meet mine. clasped hand that
hung loosely by her side and felt a
current running from her arm into
mine Then it was all over with me.
I drew her toward me and kissed her.
The next few weeks were the most
delightful to me of any period Of my
life. l was constantly stealing inter.
views with Donna Inez, knowing all
the while that if caught in one Of them
would pay for the pleasure with my
life. True. there were moments when
the abyss on whose brink / stood
would appear beneath me in all its ter.
rible reality. But had 1t not been for
these moments would my enjoyment
with the girl l loved have been Sc
keen1 I think not 1t was the one
that brought out the other.
The bliss of one Of our meetings was
interrupted by a terrible scare. We
heard step in the adjoining room
Inez chung to me, clutching me like one
drowning. We heard the same STEP
retreating.
Its father" she gasped