Mower County transcript. [volume] (Lansing, Minn.) 1868-1915, 1883-03-21

lures were Complementary. so muct
they found in common of appreciation
and attainment, that their companion
ship sutficed each for the other, almost
without contact with the little world
about them.
This morning, taking new rout,
homeward from one of the long, health
full strolls in which both delighted, the,
saw, on turning the corner of the church
yard wall, Ramon's rude furnace and
made their way thither among the scat.
tered refuse and rubbish. all manner o.
debris, and sodden, undried abodes
Ramon Gutierrez was unloading his kiln
briskly whisking off dust and ashes from
the fowerpots and deep bowls that lay
clean, red, unglazed, in the uncovered
oven. The innate tact and uDfailinp
courtesy of his race stood him in ready
stead when they announced their err
rand.
CHOW placidly he takes it all, said
Charlotte Pleyel. "Do you suppose
that stoicism is assumed for effect, or is
it one OF the race characteristics you Of
ten haunt in my face %
Your latter hypothesis is correct, y
said Miss Harrod, dryly: " l rejoice to
note that you prove amenable to in
struction. Given an American or an
Englishman of this humble grade, what
tiippancy, what would.be Righteousness,
what impertinence Of attempted equality,
would meet sucn an unusual step as this
of ours But this poor fellow, without
blankets enough to protect him from the
cold, with every tradition of poverty and
privation behind him, maintains his own
self-respect without m effort to infringe
upon ours. My dear. it is the coloring of
heredity; drop, perhaps, of the blood
of some ancient hidalgo runs in his veins.
Behold the man ~
Ramon had been gazing on them with
an ease of regard that was as uncon-
strained as inofensive, manipulating the
while the mass of molds. He put out
his hand with a war hing word as Char.
lotte would have Initiated him, then
laughed good-naturealy at her uncom-
prehending dismay.
he says they are toohot to handle"
said Miss Harrod. "Later, when they
shall be cool, they are at our service"
"Ask him If we may come, as we
planned, to work here. I have always
longed to work here. have always
loDged for work like this. OF course we
will pay for the trouble we give"
Ramon when their desire became clear
to him, discla1med all thought of re-
Enumeration. But of surety! Most
gladly will give yop aught Of pleasure.
Will the lady try no W.? These clumsy
cups and dishes, these homely flower
pots are all have now. But other forms
can mold as we'll, when there is need.
Will you but give me thought-one
little word of what you would have For
money? All, no. How should l be
paid for poor ball OF clay? The whole
round world, is it not made of earth p
and shall l ask pay for bit of its crust?
No! My house is poor and small, but it
is yours"
II.
Thenceforward Charlotte and Miss
Harrod found novelty and purpose in
their frequent visits to the little dim
room where Ramon wrought. The lathe
learned lovelier shapes OF symmetry and
strength, as Its master modelled his crea-
tions after many cut and design of
| world famous vase, anu artistic amphora,
and long lost lachrymal. The two wo-
men made themselves foster-mothers of
his work, and brought forth every fine
fact and fancy in their ken that might
avail in his art. Ramon's sincere but
simple gratitude was as far as possible
from abjectness or sycophancy. He took
their aid with straightforward directness
and matter-of.fact good faith, and a
quiet unconcerned maintenance of his
own dignity, scanning and cr1ticising
with the artless freedom Of child old
line engravlngs and etchings that we're
priceless.
els he the less happy for knowing
nanght of Wedgewood and Palllssy ?
Would be be more skillful for learning
Of d. Cesnola and Schliemann? Would
it make bic g laze smoother or more bril-
liant could he read of Pompeil and her
frescoes, and all the treasures exhumed
there %
NO." said Charlotte; she has COP
led that drawing-see with what admir-
able aptness-all ignorant that the ciner-
airy urn it initiates held the ashes of
king and hero! Let HIM alone in bis
blissful ignorance"
But many an unwonted coin found it's
way to Ramon's hand for his improved
workmanship. Not alone with patterns
they aided him. Sending away for man.
uals on all branches of The ceiemic art.
the two studied together, and then YER
bally impaired their knowledge to the
grown up child who could not read for
himself. And Miss Harrod, practical to
a degree, paused one fternoon in the
full swing of their daily healthful tramp
among the barren hills, and made Char
lotte share with her the burden of a
great silken kerchief filed with clay
that her dilettante geology told her was
kaolin, and patient reading and pertina-
cious experiment found it's use. Then
Charlotte unpacked her kit of porcelain
colors, and set artistic eye and dexterous
fingers at work in skillful ornamentation
OF over'glaze. So spread the fame of
merit to be found in Ramon's dishes and
fiagons, and his PLAQUES and tiles, crude
though they still were. in that far-off
valley, where as yet the beautiful was in
ignominious subsection to the useful.
But, for all the pleasant consciousness
OF good deeds done and benefits con.
ferred, Miss Harrod was i'll at ease.
She saw how every germ of feeling Ia
tent in the inactivity of Ramon's nature
was uOVoAOPAhts III VIC lBAt duu WaEuIu
of their conduct and counsel. Reared
among Gutierrez's countrymen, she
knew to a shade every possible combina-
ton i'll that strange compound of pride |
and passion, of hardihood and humility,
of impulse, Incidence and irrationality,
making mp the ardent, inhammable
southern nature. She told herself all
reassuring things, and rebuked her sus-
picions. and ridiculed herself for an ultra
tendency toward romance. Yet her
misgiving and foreboding grew apace.
She could not fail to note how Ramon's
speaking face glowed into sudden warmth
when, lingering in his work-Ioom, Char
lotte's soft voice breathed appreciation
in the few broken words she could mas
ter Of liquid Spanish; and how his beau
tiful, lustrous eyes lost their languor,
and lighted up with an intensity of adj
miration that was almost fierce, when
they dwelt on Challotte's fair, sweet
face. One day, Ramon, kneeling to
knead the plastic CLAW fell his check