Three Minute Stories

or. "How is it you pass your time so cheerfully? how to live, in this deplorable

d up cheerfull

said. And Rita came in and flung h

ing-what?"

into the pond yesterday, and I am trying to smarten it up a little, poor thing! What

orn at the battered hat. "Put it in now, this moment.

. No, my lady, we cannot be so extravagant. If you will not help me, I must

lf down. "Will you tell me why? I love you! I have told you twenty times of it; but I c

h things, Rita. In the second place, I am very fond of her; and in the thi

hy

e it is

pid word! I know not its meaning. You are fond of Calibana? Then I revere less your

overclumsy on purpose? Certainly her dimple deepened a little as she relin

t must be preserved, do you not see that the only possible thing is t

there, twisting and turning in a magical way. In five minutes the h

nd ever so much better! Thank you, you clever creature! I shall bring all my hats

ither thanks nor any other thing from La Calibana. That she remain out of my sight when possible, that she hold her tongue when

an gently, "how much happier we should all be, if you and

quiet cousin like a bird of paradise. "Do I not make the best? You are the best

happy to-day, do you not? I do not frown or pout,-I can't see why I should

ook her hea

d, "but you seemed very much pleased w

e's eyes; we look more demure than any mouse, but we perceive! Ah! Marguerite,

cket. Margaret looked at it apprehe

t you have no Spanish yet; the pity, to turn it into cold English! 'My soul' has a foolish sound. 'Saint Rosalie, Saint Eulalie, and the blessed Saint Teresa, have you in their holy keeping! I live the life of a withered leaf without you; my soul flies like a m

rooms, as the sun is too hot for going out; but in the evening they drive, and Conch

aret, feeling that she must say

omest person in Havana, the most enchanting, the most distinguished! He sends me messages,-no matter about those; but

r eyes to her cousin's; the gray eyes were cool and tr

of your father

e ages; he demands the stiff behaviour of fifty in a youth of twenty-one. He, who has forgott

guerite. The letter is for me alone; you would not care for it,-perhaps not u

so unkind! I want to know why they must sit in the house all day, and what they do from morning till nigh

cool, firm hand on hers, she sank down ag

e books like those you raffole about downstairs there,-" she shook her shoulders as if shaking off a heavy weight. "We sew a great deal, embroider, do lace-work like that you admired. Then at noon we sleep as long as possible, and in the evening we go out to

Margaret. "You never told

ith the army. My father is a Spaniard. Carlos and I are Cuban

it to you one day. We talked of Cuba libre, and they told us how they live there in the mountains. Ah! if a girl could fight, would I be here? No; a sword should be by my side, a plume in my hat, and I would be with Carlos and Fernando in the mountains. Well,-ah, the bad part is to come! Carlos had been wounded; his arm was in a sling. Folly, to make it of a white handkerchief! The se?ora-my father's wife-must have seen it shining among the trees; we know it must

ion; her eyes were liquid fire; her little hands clenched themselves, and she drew her breath in through her clos

tream, flowing over white sands, you have never seen a rapid, how much less a torre

uiet stream indeed, till her father's death the year before. She had known few girls save her schoolmates, for the most part quiet, studious girls like herself. She had lived a great deal in books, and knew far more about S

ply for a moment; but Rita was

have been here a week, a mortal, suffering week, and I know nothing of your life, your thought. Tell me

lls. Every day she dressed as if for a fête, and took a mou

h, very quietly, Rita. So quietly, I don't

ed Rita. "I perish! C

antly. Her memories were so precious, she could not bear to dra

n always together. He wrote a great deal,-historical work,-and I helped him, and wrote for him, and read with him. Then-oh, I went to school, of course, and w

d home life, the love which hedged her in so that no rough wind should blow on her, the wise, kindly, loving companionship of him who had been father and mother both to her.

e, so tranquil, demanding so little, with peace in your soul, it must have been sweet. And now,-after this summer here, o

n I have earned something, I shall go to the Library School, and

hall come back with me to Cuba, and be my sister. I have money-oceans, I believe; more than I can spend, try as I will. You shall

asked Margueri

t shall be always moonlight! Carlos s

better stay in the mountain