The morning star and Catholic messenger. [volume] (New Orleans [La.]) 1868-1881, 1875-02-28
PERICO THE SAD:
THE FAMILY OF ALvAREDA.
From the Spanish
CONTINUED
CHAPTER XII.

CHAPTER XII
In the meantime the happy Christmas holt
days arrived. They had arranged for the
children beautiful birthplace, which ocou-
pied the whole front of the parlor, covering it
with aromatic pistachio, rosemary, lavender,
and other odorous plants and leaves. Perico
brought these things from the field with oil
the pleasure of @ lover bringing flowers to his
bride.
On Christmas day, Perico heard mass early,
and went to take a walk to his wheat-feld,
having been told that there were goats in the
neighborhood.
He returned home about ten O'Clock, and
found the children alone.
GLOW glad we are, father, that you have
come" they shouted, running joyfully toward
him. "They have all gone and left u.s."
"Where, then, are Mamma Anna, aud Aunt
Elvirai"
"They went to high mass"
"Who staid with you 7"
"Mother."
"And where is she 7"
GLOW do we knowf We were in the parlor
with her grace, dancing before the birthplace
Ventura came in, and mother told us to go
somewhere else with the music, for it made
Der head ache, and when We were going out
Ventura told her that she did right, for the
little angels of God were the DEVILS little wit
nesses. Is it true, father, we the DEVILS
little witnessesf
To whom has it not happened, at some time
in his life, in great or in less important cir
cumstauces that a single word has been the
key to open and explain; the torch to illumi-
nate the present and the past to bring out of
oblivion aud light up train of circumstances
and incidents which had transpired upper
ceived, bnt which now unite, to form an
opinion, to fix q conviction or to root a belief
Such was the effect upon Perico of the words,
which the decree of expiation seemed to have
put in the mouth of innocence.
Late, bnt terrible, the truth presented itself
to the eyes which good faith had kept closed.
and doubt took possession of the heart
healthy aud so shielded by honor that sus-
pcion bad never entered it.
"Father, father r cried the children, seeing
him tremble and turn pale Perico did not
hear them.
Mamma Anna" they exclaimed, as the
latter entered, hurry, father is sickw
AS he heard bis mother euter, Perico turned
bis perplexed eyes toward her, and seemed to
read again in her severe countenapce the
terrible septepce she had once pronounced upon
future from which her loving foresight
would have preserved him: "a bad daughter
will make a bad wife," Overwhelmed, he
rushed out of the house, muttering q pretext
for his flight which no one understood.
Anna put her head out of the window, and
felt relieved as she saw that he went toward
the fields.
could any one have told him that goats
have broken into the wheatf"
1T is very likely, mother; he suspected it
yesterday" answered Elvira. But dinner-time
came, and Perico did not appear.
1t was strange, on Christmas day; but to
country people, who have no fixed hours, it
was not alarming.
In the evening Maria arrived at the usual
time.
day - ssked Anna.
eyes," answered Pedro, "but there is an en-
tertainment, and his friends carried him off.
He he's always been go fond of dancing that
he would at any time leave his dinner for .
fandango."
"And Rita" said Elvira, "was she not at
your house, Aunt Maria :"
"She came there, my daughter, but wanted
to go with a neighbor to the entertainment. /
told her she had better stay at home, but as
she never minds me"
"And you told her Fight, Maria" added
Pedro, an honeRt woman's place e in the