Weekly Chillicothe crisis. (Chillicothe, Livingston Co., Mo.) 1878-19??, 1882-12-28
THE STORY OF INEZ.

THE STORY OE lNEL.
Easy stages each day up the coast
line Of California. Slowly over the
6tcep hills which 10y in rank like break
ers rolling on the shore; down the other
side at hcter-skclter gallop; break
fasting in lonely lishermen's huts, with
the sweet surf-music coming to us with
the sun through the open door and
windows and dining at rude waysido
stations and homeliko farm-houSes.
This was our daily programmc-a very
pleasant one to carry out.
Yet the balmy brce2cs, bringing
sometimes spicy perfumes from the
pihe-clad slopes of the coast-rango
mountains, and again blowing dream
ily from the southwest, failed to call to
the cheeks Of our sisterthc bloom that
had been there. We idoized our
sister, and we do yet and always
shall, and We shall always do every
thing-in or out of our paths-which
will aid in the restoration of her health
and happiness.
ThecauseP you ask.
We say little of that among our
selves, and, we say less outside; but we
clench our fists and tap our revolver
handles mcaningly when there seems
resemblance in the faces of those we
meet occasionally to u villain who, in
designedly blasting the hearts hope
of our sister, has made us his lifelong
enemies.
Our ancestors gave us, among other
traits-somo good, some bad,-a vim
dictiveness of spirit that is as tenacious
rs life itself They could not help it;
neither can we. They came over with
Cortez, and ut the close of their glori-
Gus conquering settled in the Califor-
nian PENINSULA, where are, indeed, to
this day, the original estates in the
possession of lineal descendants. Yes,
Spanish American can forgive,
though it be against the grain, but he
can never forget. In this matter we
can neither forgive nor forget the ras-
cally adventurer who has cast black
shadow over our peaceful household.
In the autumn there came to the
hacienda q handsome young English
naval officer on sick leave, so he said,
to whom with ready hospitality we
offered the shelter of our roof.
Frolicsome. mirthful and an accom-
plished musician, he speedily gained
entrance to our simple ways and sim
ple hearts, and was treated as one OF
ourselves. We did not know then
how happy we were; we know now
by the contrast. He was soon CON
spicuous in the vintage festivals, tread
inc the luscious, purple grapes in the
great tubs, side by side with the girls
Of the valley Ga privilege they denied
nv brother Jose and myself, and al
ways the leader in the gay dances that
succeeded. Yet we did not grow jeal'
ous-we are only jealous of those we
mistrust. We boys of the peacefully
happy Sonorada valley still baskcd in
the sweet smiles of the senortas,
though we knew that their sweetest
smiles ard their sweetest words were
reserved for the strangcr-our friend.
None of our companions had gained
the love of Incz. They dared moi
speak to her of that, though n score Of
them had aching hearts, and werC
sinking into chronic melancholy. I hey
would bring in the skins of the griz
zly bear and the "mountain lion" aS
proofs of their valor, without exciting
in her breast even temporary ad
miration for themselves or theil
achievements. She would only say
"What a pity to kill those poor, harm
less beasts.,' Then the despairins
gallant would mount his waiting mus
tang and rush madly away, Sh,
notably differed from her own flesh an'
blood.
Long years ago there had been
wreck, and we had'saved from it
LARGE collection of English books. A
soon as she had learned to speak ant
read in your tongue, she commenced
pouring over those "mysterious attrac
tions'' to us, because we could not un
derstand why there could be any bette
amusement than frolicsome horse
back rides over the vine-clad hills an,
dales of the country around, mirthfu
dances at the harvest-feast, and rol
licking trips in white-winged yachts.
Roger Ayrtoun-that was his nam
quickly discovered tho intimate &C
ouaintance Inez had with tho Englis
language and the authors of his moth
erland, and we were more than eve
mystifed by the conspicuous concor
there was in their views. We 500
learned that she was made happy b
Rogers presence, and when he spok
of leaving we endeavored to dissuad
him, for was it not our only object +
contribute to her happinessp He wa
not behind in showing lively pleasur
in being with her; and their chats wer
of the merriest sort imaginable, whe
they sat on the wide veranda frontin
the bay, looking out on the brown sail
of the fishing boats. Could he hav
been thinking of her, or of lady-loy
far away, when he sang blithely afte
leaving her one night;
o thou moon that shinest,
Argent clear above,
All night long enlighten,
My sweet lady-lovel
Might we not induce him to stay wit
us in the valley, if her happiness dc
pended on itp We owned plenty {
fine land, and il he married Inez W
would give him all he needed, besid
her ample dowry. We had no chanc
to ascertain this, for there came by
special messenger from San Francisc
q summons to rejoin his ship imme
lately; and with quiet but seemingl
sincere farewell, he departed, promis
ing to get an extension of leave an
come back at once. And then tn
light faded out of her eyes, and ther
was but a sad smile when We spoke Q
Roger. Months flew quickly, and n
tiifngs came FROM him whom we no,
&.x,rnd ne boua haartlaou ,,;l