Sarah, never did you make melody like that, decent New Englander that you are! It's so poignantly searching-sweet, so _sin verguenza_ (without shame!) _El profesor_ had them play _La Golondrina_, their national anthem, really, which means merely The Swallow, to start with, but everything else a hungry heart can pack into it. Lupe and I walked together and she was pouring out her dewy young confidences before we'd been twice round the circle. Montagues and Capulets! The rich uncle who has reared her is the bitterest enemy of her Emilo's papa who is a general of revolutionary tendencies. "Me," she said with a shrug, "I can never marry! _Vestire los santos!_" (Which means, "I shall dress the saints!" Old maids having unlimited time for church work!) _Buenas noches_, J. _December 14th._ DEAREST SALLY, The loveliest idea came and sat on my chest in the pearly dawn! I'm going to take Maria de Guadalupe Rosalia Merced Castello with me on this tour as Spanish teacher! She accepted with tears of joy and the Morales family bore up bravely. They will be frankly glad of a few nights' sleep,--Lupe's gallants come nightly to "make a serenade,"--not a lone guitar but the tenor from the opera house and a piano trundled through the streets. The more costly the musical ingredients, the greater the swain's devotion! To-day we went with various members of the Morales clan to visit the _Hospicio_ (see the Budders for dates and data!). I only remember a girl of twelve who sat by herself in the playground, the small, cameo, clear face with its sorrowing eyes, the pathetic arrogance in the lift of the chin, her withdrawal from the other noisy little orphans. I knew she must have a story, and when I asked the pretty sister in charge, she burst into eager narrative.