Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1875-12-31
TIE EYE OF THE COMMAND iER.
A Tale Of Early California.
BY BRET HARTE.

The year of grace 1896 passed away O,
the coast of California in a sol lthwe: tie RI
gale. The little bay Of Don CT lrlos. aItei
sheltered by the headland of the BIes Sc
Trinity, was rough and tn rbulent. It
foam hung quivering to the seaward "a
of Mission garden. The air was ill lie
with flying sand and srume; ard as h
senior commandante, EIerm eneglido Salv q
terra, looked from the deep en- brasure
Window Of the Preside gu.ard-room he fel
the salt breath Of the dis ant sea buffet
color into his sn oke-drietl cheeks.
The commander, have said, was gazing
thoughtfully from the window of the
guard-room. He may have been reviewing
the events Of the year ow about to pass
away. But, like The garrison at the Presi-
do, there was little to review. The year.
like it's predecessors, had been uneyentful.
The days had slipped by in a delicious mo-
notoDy OF simple duties, unbroken by Incl
dent Of interruption. The regular.r ecur
ring feasts and saints days. the half yearly
courier from San Diego, the rare trans port
ship, and the rarer foreign vessel. We're the
mere details of his pairiarchal life. If
there was NJ achievement there certainly
was no failure. Abundant hal vests and pa.
tent industry amply supplied the wants of
Preside and Mission. Isolated from the
family of nations, the wars which shook
the w'rld concerned them not so much as
the last earthquake. The struggle that
| pd ci. H.
other side of the continer t, to them had no
suggestiveness. In short it WAS that glorious
Indian summer Of California history. a.
| round Which so lnuch poetical haze still
ilingers-that bland, indolent autumn of
Spanish rule, SO soon to be followed by the
wintry storms Of Mexican independence
and the reviving spring of American con-
quest.
The commander turned from the window
AID wicked toward the fire that burned
| brightly III the deep ovem-like HEARTH A
p lie of copy books, the work of the Pre-
sidio school, lay on the table. AS he turned
over the leaves with q paternal interest, and
surveyed the fair round sc ipture- text-the
first piols pothooks Of the pupils of San
Carlos-an audible commentary fell from
his lips: "'Abimeleck took her from A
braham,' All! little one, excellent ia
cob sent to see his brothers, Body of
Christ that upstroke of thine, Paquita, is
marvellous! The governor shall see it !''-
A film Of honest pride dimmed the COM
mander's left eye-the right, alas twenty
years before had been sealed by an Indian
arrow. He rubbed it softly with the sleeve
of his leather jacket, and continued: ':The
Ishmaelite having arrived-''
He stopped. for there was step in the
courtyard, a foot upon the threshold, an
a stranger entered. With the instinct o
an old soldier the commander. after n,
glance at the intruder, turned quickly to
ward the wall Where his trusty To'nd
hung, or should have been hanging. Blu
it was not there; and, as he recalled tina
he last time he had seen that veal ,on i
was being ridden up and down the eya2lerr
by Pepito, the infant son Of Bapti sta tn,
. toltillo maker. he blushed, and Thu ,sl con
tented himself with frowning upon the in
truder.
was decidedly peaceful. He was 7.narmed
S and Wore the ordinary cape Of taroaulil
and sea-boots of a mariner. Ex .ept a vii
a nou S smell Of Goldfish there was it'll
, about him that was peculiar.
, His name-as he Informed II re cor,man
der, in Spanish that was y ore fluent thai
4 elegant or precise-his nam .e was Pele
Scudder. He was master Of the schoone
General Court, of the port of Salem, il
Massachusetts, on trading voyage to tn
South sea, but now driven 10y stress O
weather into the bay of san Carlos. II
heggef permission to ride out the gale III,
der the headllnds Of the Blessed Trinity
, and no more Water he did not need. l,ay
!, irg taken in supply at Bonega. Fl
!, knew the strict surveill ance of the Spanis]
port regulations in regard to foleign YES
sells, and would do nothing against the 81
J we're discipline and good order of the set
tlement. There was a Slight tinge Of sa,
casm in his tone as lie glanced towards tn
desolate parade ground of the Preside. an,
the open, unguaried gaze. The fact wa
: y at the sentry, Felipe Gomez, Ii d dis
creetly retired to shelter at the beginnin
Of the storm, and was then sound asleep il
> the corridor.
The commander hesitated. The Dor
reg lations were severe. Bus he was &C
customed to exercise Individual authority
r AID beyond an old order issued ten We l.
y before, regarding the American ship Co
s lambda, there was no precedent to 9 uid
him. The storm was severe, and I. senti
ment Of humanity u ged him to grant tn
strangers request. 1t is but just to tn