SHORT STORIES.
PLAYING BEAR.
Bx Edwahd M. Coxley.
"You mean to say you must stand aroun«d th© house, night after night, just to get a glimpse of her; that you have to go through all that before you get invited into the house?" exclaimed Bob Owens to this friend Jennings, who had just been telling him about the method of courtship •employed in Latin-American countries. "That's what they call ' playing bear,' " explained' Je&mattgs. "Well, you doui't catch me pdaying that game!" declared Owens. The two Tv*re sitting on a bench in a little tropical - park iii the centre of a city in Southern Mexico. Owens had just arrived from the nortth. Jenndngß had been in Mexico for several months. The military band was playing iv the plaza^ and the walks were thronged with promenadere. ' Girls' in twos, threes, and groups walked in one direction, the men. in another. A Spanish love-song .wa# beting ■played. Glances as ely-as tbsy^Trete' aEderit !*v«Te_ bam,g exchanged, but no words-pa^ed between the dark-eyed sernoritas aald. their-siiitors/ "It -was a midwinter'night, mild .and- balmy; the oroad, graceful, leaves of banana plants waved in an as full of rconance as it was of the perfume of tropical flowers. Presently'tbsi'e appeared at one comer of the plaza an eraot, soldierly-looking old man, ".with white hair and moustache; a woman' wjtb fifty* -pounds too much avoirdupois, but who bore herself rather gracefully in spite of it, leaning on his arm, and inapodiately tdbind them two young women, one a plain-looking girl jf perhaps 25, and the other the opposite of plain, about 20. The pkin-loo'kiiig- girl fiae nothing in particular to <&>■ with this story. The bearing of the younger one was quite unusual for a Mexican girl. Owens didn't know juet !bow unusual she was, for he had twit arrived in Mexico, and was prepared to see &U sorts of beauties. Jennings had been in tflie country longer, and -bad lost most of his faith in the looks of Mexican senoritas. She was of medium height aaid build — nothing unusual in that. She carried '•herself wdt-h superb ease and grace — quite unusual. - A--wealth-'of fine, soft black hair made a rich setting for a fair face. Many Mexican pixls have beautiful hair and drees it remarkably well; but" this hair seemed more beautiful than that of ail tbe otibsrs. The secret of it was tJitat it fitted its owner. The eyes were large and dark, with great depth and •softness, long lashes and perfectly pencilled eyebrows. Physically, they might have been possessed by many atlher Mexican girls; but they w<ere different eyes. They were the eyes of a girl who knew something, who used her brain .to think with, who- hod a soul. Her white dress was particularly d-ainty and becoming. Her pink rebozo whs thrown gracefully over her shoulders, as only girls ot Spanish blood know how to handle them. The group passed in front of Owens and Jennings. Owens didn't fail to notice the girl. The next time she cam© papa and mamma were absent. "Say,, old man, I thought you said these senoritas were not pretty?" said (Swens. " Oh, no, I didn't. I said I had seen none so pretty as our American girls. That's a matter of taste, perfiaps."
"Well, how about that one who jnst ' >: passed us? Isn't she up to your standard I pf looks*" 6.- 'Yes, she is; but there is a reason for f. Kiat, which you will find out in due ; ifcime." '- ' 'Who is she " ; 'Her name is Luisa Mier. She is th« , daugnter of the jefe politico, the fine- [ looking old man wfoo came with her. She f,i» the queen of this town. Every man I mad. boy in it, married or single, is crazy ?. about her. I warn you now that you p-bad better withdraw your preliminary ref mark about playing bear. If you are not ■' playing bear inside of a week, J shall ■ mias my guess, and you will break tihe - record." I The next time she passed in front of Sr' (keis and Jennings she glanced in their ! direction. W "Ah, she has you spotted !" said Jene sings. If- "Well, I don't mind making an impres- ¥ moa on her memory. Let's . walk around : thk charmed circle a time or two, ana ~,,give her a fair chance to gaze at my .- manly beauty." II " You won't be so facetious a week - benoe. Mark my word." ■ Sunday morning at breakfast Jennings - said : " I'll tafce yon to see the finest old ' church you ever saw ibis morning, if I you'd like to go." They started off, and presently came in aght of a stately pile of massive stone . -wails, supported by giant buttresses an>-l ' surmounted by domes and towers. The . whole had recently been redecorated ;• but - its three centuauee of age and its dignity- ' of outline compelled forgetful aces of that. As trfiey neared the door :i heavy woman ' In a rustling black silk gown, accompanied by a very demure young woman in purees yhit&, appeared at the corner and enterei it. "Let us go in there," said Owens. "1 know a better one than that." " Never mind. This one wall do for to-day. We can go to the other next ' Sunday." There were only a few worshippers in j the church, kneeling here and there on the bare floor. Owens gazed in rapt i ' attention at the girl in white, who was ' _ kneeling at the tide of her mother, saying her prayers. It is to be feared that - be dad not see much of the church. Presently Jennings said : " See that - painting oi the Madonna and Child over there 1 That was painted by " "I'll take' in the art works another time. That picture* in the middle of me r~floor is the most interesting I've seen , for a long time." "He's landed all right," thought Jenning, but he made no comment. Presently mother and daughter arose ' and left the church. Involuntarily the young man followed them until some . three blocks from the church the girl and her mother entered the wide doorway of a two-storey Mexican house. It was similar to the other Mexican houses of the better class' built in the form • of a hollow square, with interior patio, . filled with flowers and plants; plain, r heavy stone wails, the outer one flush with the sidewalk ; windows high and opening like doors, with heavy, curved iron gratings enclosing them, giving the house something of the appearance of a prison. * " Well, there's your birdcage," said Jennings. F "I catch the simile; but what are the . bars at the windows, for? I thought it was perfectly safe down here now." " Oh, it is. The bars are to keep in the doves and keep out the bears." At that moment the girl in white appeared at one of the upper windows, stepped on the balcony as far as the iron bars would permit, and looked up and down the street deliberately, not missing Owens and Jennings in her general survey. " Good ! " exclaimed Jennings, when she retired into the house again. "She's «nccuraging you. She knew you followed her into the church and that you sat and gazed at her while she was there - 1 and followed her home. Of course, she j could make no sign of being aware that j you were on earth while her mother was with her." " What am I supposed to do next? " " Oome here every day or evening and hsuij; around until she comes out and does the vanishing aot. As long as she keeps it up she's encouraging you. When she stops your hand as dead." That evening the two again sat in the plaza. After a while Luisa came, accompanied by her parents and plain-looking girl friend, with whom she walked round and round the square. When the band was playing its last piece Owens and 'Jennings joined the male procession for a few turns. They passed close to Luisa, and Owens got a coquettish little glance that set his heart to beating ragtime. The next evening he made an excuse of having letters to write and retired to ids room early. Later he slipped out, - unobserved, as he thought, by Jennings, and made his way to the house of jefe. There the girl was in one of the lower windows, with papa and mamma and a v group of young Mexican caballeros, who hmere holding themselves up by the iron bars and conversing with the family. .Owens walked slowly past the house and continued on round the block and back if> the hotel. " Guess I'll have to take a few more lessons before I understand this -game," lie said to Jennings, who sat with his thair tilted against the doorway of the botel, smoking. " Too early, old man," said Jennings. '" Bat she saw you, all right. Next time try it about li o'clock." The following morning Owens saw her in the plaza, as usual. This time he got jbwo glances, and was sure be was making progress. Wednesday night he set out for a walk about 10.30. The street* were deserted. Mexico goes to bed early. The house of the jefe was dark
r and silent, like the others. He walked past it> several times. No girl. " Strikes me that I am not a great success as a- bear," he (remarked to himself. " Think I'll cut this out." But the next evening he changed his mind and decided to made one more attempt. Luck waß with him this time. Just as he reached the corner of the block in which she lived she and papa and mamma were entering the door of their residence. The street was otherwise deserted. He waited at the corner a short time, and then walked slowly past the house. A light shone from one of the upper windows. On his third trip past the house it was extinguished. A moment latex, when he was directly in front of the window, it opened, and a vision in white, with a great mass of black hair streaming over the shoulders, appeared on the balcony. He stopped as if he had received a magnetic shock and gazed at her. But only for an instant, then she was gone. As the window closed behind her the cord of the Venetian blind fell from the balcony and dangled within a few feet of the sidewalk. Owens walked over and attached to it a rose he was wearing in his buttonhole. Up went the cord. Presently it fell again, with a beautiful pink oleander blossom attached to the end. " You are certainly making progress," said Jennings, after he had heard the story of the evening's event. " It's about time for you to try a note." The next evening Owens submitted to him the following, scribbled in Spanish on the back of a card: Mr Robert Owens presents his compliments to Miss Mier and begs the privilege of- becoming acquainted with her. The translation, had been made by hie Spanish teacher. "Not hadf Wiarm enough," commented Jennings. "It should read something like this: Adored One, — I am madly in love" with you. The first time I saw you I fell a captive to your charms. Each glimpse of you adds to my passion. A glance from your eyes fills me with rapture A word from your lips would be the sweetest music I ever heard. Will you grant ;t?; t? May I not see you and talk to you? All my happiness, my very life, depe'ads upon your answer. I—Your1 — Your worshipper, Robert Owens. "Great Scott! I can't write that way!" "No malter. These Mexican, senoritae don't want any half-hearted lovers. That's just an outline. It isn't ardent enough yet by a Jong way." , "Well, if she gives me any sort of show she won't find anything half-hearted about my style of love-making. I'm a regular volcano when I get warmed up to it. But I'll stick to my original note." Later in the evening he sauntered forth. No girl appeared at the window, but after he had passed the house three or four times, the curtain cord slipped its moorings and came' dangling down within reach. The card was attached to it by Owens. On hi© next trip he found a slip of paper attached to it. The writing was in Spanish. "Guess the mails aie closed for tonight/ he jsaid to himself. "I'll have to get this translated before I can proceed." At the hotel Jennings, whose Spanish was none too good, figured out with some considerable difficulty that "Miss Mier would be glad to become acquainted with Mr Owens ; but she can fee no way of communicating with him at present except in this way or by telephone.'" "Telephone?"' said Owens. "I didn"t know there was such a thing here." "You still have many things to learn. When you go out bearing next time, put a small tin can in your pocket. First cut the top off and punch a hole in .the bottom. When you pass the window, you will probably find a string hanging from it. Carry the end of it with you round the corner or into the nearest doorway. Pass it through the hole in the end of the can and knot it. There is your telephone. Don't you remember how we used to make them when we were in the primary grades at school?" "Thanks. Now if you'll tell me hoy I am to talk into the can with my six words |of Spanish, the whole thingil be dead easy." "Give it up. Guess you'll have to commit your speeches to memory." "But suppose I get them mixed?" "No matter. You'll never know the difference, because you'll not know what ' she says in reply." Wednesday evening came, and there was nothing for Owens to do but take his six words of Spanish, a pocket dictionary and phrase book, and a tin-can along with him on his walk and remember the motto on American codns. He j was also prepared with a note in' case the telephone failed to work. He failed , to see any string at first, but finally saw the end of a black thread hanging downward. He pulled it, and found that it came from the window above. Hold- . ing it, he walked io the doorway of the adjoining house and rigged up his telephone. Then he tested the line. " Hello !" he said. "Hello!" came back in a faint, girlish voice. "Who speaks?" " I, Robert Owens." "Good evening, Senor Owens." "Good evening. Is that Miss Mier?" " Yes." _ (Pause.) Owens got out his phrasebook, put it was darjk, and he could not ! see the print. Presently he ventured, " Lovely evening." MTesf" "Lovely evening last evening." "Yes." "lively evening to-morrow evening." "Quien sabe?" " Gee I this is great ! " thought Owens. " Who said I couldn't talk Spanish ? " Aloud : " Lovely plaza." "Yes." " Lovely music.' 1 " Yes."
" Lovely girl." " Yes." " I love lovely girl." "'Which one?" " You." "6h!" "Truth." "You me plaza impossible." In English : " Well, I know it's rather sudden, but my Spanish is too limited to break the news to you gently." " I you." In Spanish : " I love you." "You Spanish." In English: "Well, that's all the Spanish I know. I can't make it any plainer. If you would only give me a chance in daylight so that I could make signs I might be able to convey my meaning more expressively." " i you papa." " I'm afraid I couldn't make it any clearer to papa than I can to you, and it would be a good deal riskier to try it." " I can understand the * Is all right. I wish I could see yours. I might get some idea of -how you feel about it." " I you plaza tomorrow evening." " Sure, I'll be there. What time?" " ocho." "Oebo,< ocho. I don't know what that means ; but I'll make a note of it and find out when I get back to the hotel. Say, this is a^ lovely way to learn Spanish!" - The girl, in English : "Look out I Herecomes papa. Good night." Owens nearly dropped the can in his astonishment ; but retained sufficient presence of mmd 1 to break the thread, stuff ! the can into his pocket, and crouch in the shadow of the doorway. The footsteps of a man sounded closer and closer on tht stone paving. When they had almost reached the doorway where Owens was crouching, the panel in the [farthest of the great zaguan doors, used for the ingress and egress of- persons when the large doors were closed, swuny open noiselessly, and a muffled •haadwas thrust out. Just as the jete was opjposite the door, a figure wrapped in a. Spanish cloak sprang at him and clutched him by the throat. A long, slender dagger blade flashed in the dim light ovct his head. Before it had time to descend Owens ©prang forward head downward, caught the assailamit round the waist with both arms, and flung him with terrific force against the other door. He bad just time' to >raise his left arm to ward off a knife in the hand of a second man, feeling a sharp, stinging sensation as he did so. Another instant, and he had -raised the second man clear of the side-walk and dashed him downward on the paving. The foody quivered • for an instant, and then lay perfectly still. There was a pistol shot, and he turned just in time to see the first assailant reel aodi fall forward. The jefe was holding a smoking weapon. There was a smothered scream from the balcony of the jefe's house, a.nd be and the jefe both glanced upward to see a girlish figure in a white flowing gown, with a goeat mass of black hair falling over her shoulders and down her 'back. Then they looked at each other. "Quien es V?" asked the jefe. Owens guessed that the question was : "Who are you?" and he replied: "Robert Owens, your servant." "Americano?" Another question. i Owens could not understand, so he re- i plied in English: "I cannot speak Spanish." At this juncture two gendarmes came running to the spot, having heard the pistol shot. Recognising the jefe they touched their caps and stood waiting for his orders. He motioned to the two men lying on the sidewalk. They bent over them a moment, and one of them said laconically : "Muertos!" The jefe took Owens by the arm and pointed to the door of his house, which was now standing ajar, framing the Man- i keted head of a frightened Indian por- : tero. As they stepped inside the daughter came running down the stairway that led from the lower patio to the floor above. She ran to her father and, threw her arms around him, regardless of Owens. The jefe kissed her, then loosened her embrace and pointed to the left forearm of Owens. Owens looked down at it for the first tdme, and saw that blood was trickling from his finger tipe. "It is nothing," he said hastily in Eng- | lish, "pulling out his handkerchief and wiping off his hand. 'Oh, Mr Owens, you are hurt!" cried | the girl in English, taking hold of the blood-stained coat sleeve. The jefe shouted an order loudly. Mamma and half a dozen frightened servants appeared in the dim light, and presently one came running with a lighted candle. The jefe led Owens by the right arm into the nearest room, which happened to be the parlour, Luisa walking on the other .side of him and holding up the injured arm tenderly. Owens felt a thrill, not of pain, as she did so. The jefe removed Owens's coat and rolled up his shirt-sleeve. There was an ugly gash which was bleeding profusely. Luisa took her father's handkerchief from his pocket and tied J it tightly round the arm above the wound, I which quickly stopped most of the bleeding. A servant was despatched for a doctor. Mamma stood near by wringing her hands She didn't know what had happened ; but she knew that it was something terrible, and that a strange man was in the house in the middle of the night, and that her beloved daughter, in a rather negligee costume, was ministering to hjis wound and calling him by name. Papa also noted that fact, and inquired about it as soon as there was an opening. But he wasn't half so much worried about fcis daughter's costume as mamma was.
Site realised that the whole book of Mcxi- j can proprieties had been broken. , As soon, as the bandage had been - tied ' Owens was lialf pushed into a chair by the jefe. Then mamma fell on papa's neck hysterically. He pulled her loose a-nd pushed her into another chair. Then lie and daughter conversed in Spanish for j a few minutes. "How do you happen to know this young man's' name?" he asked. ''Oh, I have seen him in the plaza often." "Do you know lioav he happened to be in that doorway?" "Yes. He was playing bear to me." "Well, I must 6ay he is a rather strenuons bear," looking at Owens admiringly. "Gu&ss I'll have to overlook your disobedience of my orders this Urn*. These two , ruffians would have done for me if he j •hadn't been where h© was. 1 ' j Owens was looking from one to the t other, bewildered. He made a movement as if to rise. He was checked by the jefe. Luisa said to him in English : "You must wait until the doctor comes. I must go now," looking at her gown and j blushing furiously. "You must come to- j •morrow night for- a Spanish lesson. 1 ' I "I guess tbe joke's on me," said Owens. ■ "But would you mind telling me where j you learned to speak English?" "Certainly not. I was educated in a ! girls' school in tihe United States. I have returned from there recently Good- j night." The next day the jefe called on Owens at the hotel and added his invitation to that of his daughter to call at his house , that evening. Owens is making rapid progress in Spanish these days, a~d Luisa is wearing a solitaire. — Weekly Express. ♦
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Otago Witness, Issue 2894, 25 August 1909, Page 89
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3,714SHORT STORIES. PLAYING BEAR. Otago Witness, Issue 2894, 25 August 1909, Page 89
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