Juniata sentinel and Republican. [volume] (Mifflintown, Juniata County, Pa.) 1873-1955, 1876-09-13
The Legend Of the MOnteeito ssGraPe
vfne."

Seventy years ago there lived in the
vicinity of Los Angeles, town further
south than Santa Barbara. q beautiful
Spanish girl. Her name was SenOrita
Marcelina, and SO great was the beauty
of her face, her black hair falling in
lorS tresses far below her waist, and
herdark eyes frinRed with silken lashes,
that from childhood she had been ac-
knowledged queen among the maidens
of her native place.
Her parents once rich had become
poor, so they formed the project of
betteriDg their fortunes by wedding
their daughter to some wealthy Don.
The lovely Marcelina did not lack flor
ardent lovers, and among them all
Senior Carlos de Dominguez was the
accepted suitOr. He was handsome,
tall and manly, but alas ! without for
tune. His suit was violently opposed
by Don and Donna Feliz. who, upon
finding the attachment becoming
stronger than they wished. resolved to
move to Santa Barbara, a mission a
hundred miles northwest, where re-
sided many wealthy families, among
whom they hoped to make suitable
match for their daughter. All future
intercourse between Marcelina and
Carlos was sternly forbidden. but,
through the medium of an old Indian
nurse, they obtained one interview be-
fore parting.
Carlos renewed his vows of undying
love, and told Marcelina between his
sweet caresses that, as her parents OBJ
jected to their union solely on the
ground of mis- poverty, he had deter
mined to win wealth; that an old In
dian, bound to him by ties of gratitude,
possessed knowledge of rich mine to
which he had promised to guide him,
and his company. "Wait for me but
two years, my darling Lima, and if, at
the end of that time, you do not hear
of me, you may know that have per-
ished in the attempt to win you"
He then gave her a cutting of a
grapevine, telling her to carry it to her
new home and plant it, keeping it as a
reminder of him, and that while it
lived and grew she might know that he
loved her. The cutting was in the
form of riding whip. Vowing eter-
nal fidelity, the lovers parted, and the
next morning Lima and her parents
started on their journey, while Carlos
and his company, with the Indian
guide, wended their way over the
mountain to find the precious gold.
Arriving at herdestinatiOn, Marcelina's
first act was to plant the cutting upon
the hillside, with many tears and pray
ers for the safety and success of her
lover.
The vine grew and fourished with
wonderful luxuriance, gladdening the
heart of the waiting maiden. But days
of trouble were in store for her, for
Don and Donna had found, as they
thought, a suitable companion for their
daughter, in Spaniard reputed to be
very wealthy. Marcelina disliked him
from the first. Why should she not
He was ugly in appearance and grizzled
with years. Her violent opposition had
the effect of pOstpOning the marriage,
her parents hoping that she would for
get her former lover. The two years
were rapidly drawing to a close, and
nothing had been heard from Carlos.
AT length her parents, pressed with
poverty, fixed the day for the wedding
with the rich suitOr of their choice.
The eve of Marcellina's wedding day
was the second anniversary of her
parting with Carlos in the olive grove.
She had crept away from the scene of
busy preparation within her home, and
hiding herself beneath the shadow of
her beloved vine, she sObbed and wept,
wishing that she might die. Approach
ing footsteps arrested her attention.
She started and attempted to hide her
tears for fear of her parents. Lima,
Lima ~ greeted her ears in a familiar
voice. Tremblingly she waited the
near approach of the intruder, when
with one wild. joyous cry of Carlos"
she dropped into his arms, her beauti-
full head pressed close to his thrObbing
heart.
1t was indeed Carlos, returning at
last faithful to his promise, bringing
the fortune with him which his honest
Indian guide had found among the
Sierras. Other things being equal,
these avariciOus parents consented that
their daughter should choose between
the suitOrs, and the next day she be-
came the wife of the adOring Carlos.
Years passed away, the parents died,
and Carlos lost his wealth +; but the
faithful vine, once the token of fidelity
between these lovers, now became the
means of their suppOrt-its fruit while
they lived bringing sufficient income
for their maintenance.