"Yes, he is a beauty now, but wait till he is twelve or fourteen years old, and he will be mas serio," meaning that he lost his spirituelle expression and became coarse and sallow. Pity it is that this loveliness is so evanescent.
The evangelistas (letter-writers) have a distinct position to themselves. They subserve a valuable purpose to the great army of servants and low-class people, who, through them, carry on a correspondence with their lovers. With a board on his knees, or perhaps sometimes a plain little table, and a big jug of ink, and pen behind the ear, the evangelista is ready to serve his customers. Anxious lovers stand around awaiting his leisure, the desire to transmit their sentiments making his services in high demand. Note paper, variously shaped, is at hand, and for a medio or real, a letter is furnished that will be expressive of grief, jealousy, love, and overweening affection.
Love-letter written by "un evangelista."
Apreciable Señorita.
Quisiera tener el lenguaje de los angeles; la dulce inspiracion de un poeta; ó la elocuencia de un Ciceron, para expresarme en terminos dignos de Vd. Pero por desgracia mi mente la cubre el velo de la ignorancia, y no puedo menos que tomarme la libertad de revelar a Vd. mis aficciones; pues desde el primer dia que tuve la dicha de conocer a Vd., la calma ha huido de mi, y dominado por la pacion mas violenta, me adverbio a decir á Vd. que la Amo, con el amor mas puro y berdadero, y que aun me parece con ésta declaracion que hago a Vd. de mi amor, que no supera el ardor que mi triste y afligido corazon sufre, mientras tanto obtengo la contestacion de Vd. quedo impaciente por saber el fayo de vida ó de muerte que dé Vd. a. su apasionado.
Es cuanto le dice á Vd. quien á sus pies besa.
Manuel Gomez y Suarez.
[Translation.]
Esteemed Señorita.
Would that I possessed the language of the angels, the sweet inspiration of a poet, or the eloquence of a Cicero, that I might then express myself in a manner
