The Eaton Democrat. (Eaton, Ohio) 1875-1903, 1876-04-20
a JA6UAR STORY.

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to defy our climate. After the march
my husband led you through the woods
this morning, one would have thought
you'd have been glad of rest, and here
/ find you writing away like any abogado
Qawyer).
Sospeaks, gliding out with the supple
grace Of Spanish blood into the veranda
in which I am seated, my charming
hostess, Sonora Diaz, one of the most
piquant little beauties that Murillo
ever dreamed Of, though sadly marred
by the custom (unhappily almost uni
yersal among the hills of Paraguay of
carrying in her smooth, olive cheek a
uuid of tobacco that would astonish a
man.of-war's man, and chawingn it
ever and anon with the relish of Down
Easter over "plug O. real Jeems'
river.n
Well, really, sonora, after all the
wonders have seen in this fairyland Of
yours, I had need write them down as
fast as see them, lest, as your proyerb
says, one nail should drive out another" !"
And in this there is'certainly no ex-
aggeration. 7al
Senior Diaz's rancho stands on gentle
slope, overlooking the broad, smooth
sweep of one of the countless tributaries
of the Parana, on the opposite bank of
which the wild grass surges up in one
huge green wave to a height of ten or a
dozen feet. The house itself is of the
characteristic type common to all parts
of Spanish America-the cool, shady ye-
randa the long, low front; the painted
walls. and cross-barred windows; the
patio or courtyard :, the fat, parapeted
osotea (roof); giving quite fortress-like
appearance to the whole building. For
several acres around it, the cultivated
ground, like battalion of soldiers in the
heart of mob, displays its long, even
lines of feathery sugar-cane and huge,
.banner-like bananas, in striking contrast
to the dark, impenetrable masses Of un-
tanned Jungle that shut it in. A very
paradise, in truth, were there not snake
under every leaf by day, and more
mosquitoes than air to breathe at night.
You fatter our poor country, senior,
with the courtesy of your nation. But,
as see that you are putting by your
writing, will task your gallantry so far
as to beg your help in watering my
flowers, for it is not easy for me, with
my lame hand, to manage that great
watering-pot." 4is
"Be pleased to use my hands as those
of your slave, sonora, when and wherever
you may need them. By-the-by, am ]
wrong in imagining that you promised
me a story connected with the laming
of the hand of which you speak9
would not willingly be Troublesome, but
when you have leisure"
"With pleasure, senior; it is very kind
of YOU to interest yourself in such q
trife. As soCn as the plants are
watered, shall have the honor of sery.
ing you cup of coffee on the balcony
and then, if you are good enoughsto care
to hear it, the story is quite at your ser.
vice."
And accordingly, ten minutes later,
find myself sitting on the yeranda ovel
a cup of such coffee as have not tasted
since leaving Arabia, with little Lolits
Dolores, my hostess only daughter
and my especial pet, nesting at my side
while the sonora, defuly rolling up and
lighting a paper cigarette, begins as fol
lows: 5
"When we first came here, senior, s
good many years ago, the place was very
different from what you see it. My hus
band had a grant of land from the gov
ernment, which was glad to give away
ground about here to any one who woulc
take the trouble to clear it-and we'll i
might For in those days the mat
| (iungle) reached right down to tn,
waters edge, and such a black, horric
tangle it looked of briers, bamboos
Spanish bayonet, wild fig, Llama, pirijao
locust wood, and what not, that I felt a
if daren't go a step into it for fear o
being lost altogether. But my husband
and his poems went manfully to work
chopping, telling, roofing, fencing, dig
ging, all day long, except just in tn
worst heat, and many time I've seel
them come back so tired out that the,
dropped down to sleep where they were
and it was only when they woke up again
three or four hours later, that they haI
any thought of food.
| However, bit by bit, we began t
get the ground into some sort of order
but even when we had cleared it, an
begun to plant it, we had still plenty Q
enemies to fight against. The ants wer
the worst; for, apart from the havo
which they always made in plantation
they have a way of running thei
galleries underground till they fairl
undermine the whole surface, and
breaks in just like the crust of a pie
There's a place a little to the north I
this (we'H chow it to you one of thes
days, when we go up the river in boat
where you see huge pit in the grount
4 full of bushes and wild grass, with hei
and there a few moldering timber
where whole village sunk at once, th
foundations having been fairly hone,
combed by the ants! And thence come
our saying that Paraguy has two en-,
mics los Indios brarosy los hadii
lsOrniigasP 1.-THE wild Indians and the al
; Indians)
However, luckily for us, there WEI
no Indians about here, except the Ind
, nadndos (tame Indians), who behaved We
enough, and used to bring us food an