Judsonia weekly advance., 1918-06-12

Notwithstanding the rivulets of pers spiration that were courslng down every folG of his flesh, and regardless ef the fact that the body of his victoria was tipped at drunken angle, as if struggling to escape the burdens of his great weight, Don Mario felt jaunti- ness of body and of spirit almost like that of youth. He saw himself as splendid prince riding toward the humble home of some obscure maiden whom he had graciously chosen to be his mate.
 His arrival threw Donna Isabel into fiutter; the woman could scarcely contain her curiosity when she came to meet him, for he was not the sort of man to inconvenience himself by mere social visits. Their first formal greet ings over, Don Mario surveyed the bare living room and remarked, lugubri- ously:
 q see many changes here"
 No doubt" the widow agreed. "Times have been hard since poor Es- teban's death"
  shudder when I think of it." said he. "A shocking affair. truly! and one shall never get out of my mind."
 Shocking, yes. But what do you think of rich man, like Esteban, who would leave his family destitute? Who would die without revealing the place where he had stored his treasurer"
 Donna Isabel, it was plain, felt her wrongs keenly; she spoke with as much spirit as if her husband had permitted himself to be killed purely out of spite toward her.
 "As If it were not enough to lose that treasure" the widow continued, stormily, "the government must free all our slaves. Tse! Tse! And now that there is no longer profit In sugar, my plantatiOns-"
 "No profit in sugar? What are you saying?" queried the caller. eff your crops do not pay, then Rancho Cueto is cheating you. Get rid of him. But didn't come here to talk about Este bans hidden treasure, nor his planta- tions, nor Rancho Cueto. came here to talk about your step-daughter. Rosa"
 "So?" Donna Isabel looked up quickly.
 "She interests me- She is more beau- tiful than the stars" Don Mario rolled his eyes toward the high ceiling, which, like the sky, was tinted a vivid ceru- lean blue.
 "She is now eighteen" the fat suitor went on, ecstatically, "and so alto gether charming But why waste time in pretty speeches? I have de- cided to marry her."
 "Rosa has will of her own," guard edly ventured the stepmother
 Don Mario broke out, testily:> Nat. uraly; so have we all. Now let us speak plainly. You know me. am person of importance. I am rich enough to afford what I want, and 1 pay well. You understand? Well. then. you are Rosa's guardian and you can bend her to your desires"
 'If that were only sol" exclaimed the woman. "She and Esteban-what children! What tempers-just like their fathers! They were to be their fathers heirs, you know, and the blame me for his death, for our pow erty, and for all the other nisfortunes that have overtaken us. We live like cats and dogs" n
 Don Mario had been drumming his fat fingers impatiently upon the arm of his chair Now he exclaimed:
 'Your pardon, sonora, but am just now very little interested in your do- nestle relations. What you say about Rosa only makes me more eager, for l loathe a sleepy woman. Now tell me, is she Has she any-affairs of the heart?"
 "N-nO. unless perhaps irritation with that young American. Juan OReilly." Donna Isabel gave the name it's Spanish pronunciation of "O'Rail- ye."
 "Juan O'Reilly? O'ReiIly? Oh. yes But what has he to offer a woman? He is little more than clerk"
 '"rhat is what I tell her. Oh, It hasn't gone far as yet"