, 1874-06-28
THE FRlAR ALFONSO.


Spanish families, and many Spanish estates,
milea and miles in extent. On these old estatee
are old-fashioned acknowledgements and
| grim in appearance,-that hayo been occupied
! for many years. These structures a1a not par
ticularIy attractive in appearance externally.
though, Within they are adorned with taste and
somo OF them arc handsomely furnished. Seen
at distance, they look like wall Of dark brown
| bricks Except those which have been white
| washed), and heavy windo,g-shutters close the
| few Windows they contain. The old Me1ioans
| kept the heat aud sunlight out Of their dwell
lngs, and in the hottest weather, they were cool
| and pleasant. Some 'of them are spacious
| enough, and are built round courtyard, 40
! that everything il within large inclosure. The
| parlor is neatly kept by the female portion Of
the family, while other parts Of the building are
| full Of odds and ends Of every ,kind, ,-ho1se-
! furniture such as saddles. brides, lariats, and
| ha}ters, predominatlng, All Me1icans and old
Calito1nians are excellent horsemep, aud in for
] mer times tho wealth OF tho country WAS made
up. in great part, of immense herds Of horses
| aud cattle.
Years ago, one pleasant evening, Just before
| sunset, travel-staiued horaeman rode up to
one OF these housss and the proprietor thereof
went out to meet him. There were no le4leB
about the house. and tho owner appeared to be
living there, with only few farm -laborers to as-
sist him. The horseman WAS Friar Alfonso,
from Monterey, who waB on his way through the
country on business. The Friar was bright
looking man, about IS years OF age, and ap-
peared to take life very eas1ly. He WAS no as-
cetic, though thoroughly-good man, and, like
many another priest, believed q kiod Providence
had given US tho good things Of this world IN
order that We might enjoy them, but by no
means abuse them-
IA he aiighted from his horse, hs seizod the
hand OF the proprietor OF the house. giving It q
hearty shake, at the same titue inquiriDg about
his health.
Tho proprietor-a staid and dignifed old
Spaniard-answered,' MY health il very good,
Padre; how dues it fa1e with you?"
II am we'll, thanks be to the Virgin, aud am
journoying toward Los Angeles; aud, IT it be
not asking too much, would bs pleased to stay
during the night with you.''
Don Diego. with true Spanish politencss, re-
Piled: ''taohe Alfonso, you know very well
TINT my houhe and all it contains, is st your SER
vice, and shall only be too glad to have you &c
copt it,"
The Padre made some reply equally courteous,
and entered tho house with him; tho horse, in
the meantime. having been taken charge OF by
oua Of the. iaborer1.
When the Friar entered the house, he thought
he observed strange air about everything, cut
made 10 remark which would lead Don Diego to
suppose be had any suspicious. The talk WAS
manly concerning religious matters, and Affairs
near MoDtery, which was, at that tiuo, the most
considerable settlement II Upper Calfornia. Tue
Nochi Indians also claimed 8 share Of ths atten-
tion OF Don Diego and the Ftlar. o. this tribe
WAS the one uearess to them. The Missions were
then Hourishing, md were scattered along at ir-
regular intervals near the coast Of the Pacific
Ocean; all of them being in charge Of the priest
hood, who were Jealous III endeayoring to teach
the abofigines Christianity and tho arts Of peace.
The Iudians were, for the most part. tractable,
and really seemed to understand what Was taught
them by the pious Fathers.
4 clean room was given up to Friar Alfonso,
his fov pries1ly articles placed near him; aud,
as the sun sank awav of in the blue waves OF
the blue Pacific, the Indian labore1n gathered in
the patio, or courtyard aud sang their simple
hyulus to the Virgin in which tLer we're ioned
by the Friar and Don Diego.
Afterwards they sat our in front If the farm
house. ENJOYING the balmv atmosphere. and the
wild sounds of the night, 81 they wezo heard ip
the distance and echoed faintly back The
evening was serenely beautiful, aud the star
light fair az auy scene in Nature As the
evening vaned the Friar retired to his room. and
the pruurietor aud laborere went away to their
beds.
For come reason or other, Frar Alfonso could
not sleep; he was nervous and unsettled, and
could not understand why he could get no rest,
iuasmuch as he needed it. and was weary after
his long days ride. Oyor and over again he
turned in lis bed, but no sleep could be got
About midnight, as near as he could Judge, he
saw : light through crack In the door, md the
shadows Of several men walking and moving
about, though they did not mike The least noise.
They appeared to be engaged in some work,
but It was carried On so quietly that he could not
understand what it was. nor what it meant. |
Usually the Indian laborers went to sleep immo-
d1ately after they had lain down. and their being
awake and moving about at midnight WAS an uu- |
usual as it was strange He thought at one !
time he would rot up and ses what Was going !
on, but reflected that be was a guest at tha |
house. and such proceeding might appear ill., |
timed and as il he wished to pry into tIe affairs
OF Dop Dlogo He therefore kept in his bed, |
and endeayozed to throw off Ill interest in what |
was going On in the courtyard.
Indians by nature ale sraaIthy, and can move |
about making no more noise than cat. Outhis /
occasion they were moro than usually cautious, |
and no sound could be- heard. though ths Friar ]
was close to them, He could not see all their |
it is true but their shadows fre-
ouently passed across the crack in the door. and /
a even fancied they were engaged ia soue kind |
ID dance. hougI, nominaI,y Christians. it is
we'll known they readily returned to the barbar-
ous customs Of their ancestors. and engaged in |
No~5