nglish sailors took
all the rock from them and because I didnt run into mass often enough in
Santa Maria to please her with her shawl up on her except when there was
a marriage on with all her miracles of the saints and her black blessed
virgin with the silver dress and the sun dancing 3 times on Easter
Sunday morning and when the priest was going by with the bell bringing
the vatican to the dying blessing herself for his Majestad an admirer
he signed it I near jumped out of my skin I wanted to pick him up when
I saw him following me along the Calle Real in the shop window then
he tipped me just in passing but I never thought hed write making an
appointment I had it inside my petticoat bodice all day reading it up
in every hole and corner while father was up at the drill instructing to
find out by the handwriting or the language of stamps singing I remember
shall I wear a white rose and I wanted to put on the old stupid clock to
near the time he was the first man kissed me under the Moorish wall my
sweetheart when a boy it never entered my head what kissing meant till
he put his tongue in my mouth his mouth was sweetlike young I put my
knee up to him a few times to learn the way what did I tell him I was
engaged for for fun to the son of a Spanish nobleman named Don Miguel de
la Flora and he believed me that I was to be married to him in 3 years
time theres many a true word spoken in jest there is a flower that
bloometh a few things I told him true about myself just for him to be
imagining the Spanish girls he didnt like I suppose one of them wouldnt
have him I got him excited he crushed all the flowers on my bosom he
brought me he couldnt count the pesetas and the perragordas till I
taught him Cappoquin he came from he said on the black water but it was
too short then the day before he left May yes it was May when the infant
king of Spain was born Im always like that in the spring Id like a new
fellow every year up on the tiptop under the rockgun near OHaras tower
I told him it was struck by lightning and all about the old Barbary apes
they sent to Clapham without a tail careering all over the show on each
others back Mrs Rubio said she was a regular old rock scorpion robbing
the chickens out of Inces farm and throw stones at you if you went anear
he was looking at me I had that white blouse on open in the front to
encourage him as much as I could without too openly they were just
beginning to be plump I said I was tired