Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1885-07-01
Calls aud Sketthes.
ROGERS'S LUCK.
Continued from yesterday

ing again. tdyd! mat tnou Snoulust
pine for vanquero like Celso-a great
animal who can get drunk on even chicha ;
Pah, Thou. my maid. and drawing wag-
es. Jealous of pecna-and she pudgy,
too, say'st thou noto Come. Rita. have
some spirit ~
But. senorita mia, you mistake
Are not these tears for Celso ?" de-
manded the young girl, a peremptory
frawn on her brow. but a twinkle of hu-
NOR in her eye.
..Si-pues-g,te son-yes-but-'
1T is enough, Master Jelso goes to
the mines at Magistral tomorrow.
warrant he rides not hence to San Pasqual.
Now, Rita, no more tears-thou hast Re
Uenge!"
but that's not it at all! !" cried Rita,
stung to desperation, but still approaching
her climax OBVIOUSLY. as BELTS her race
and sex. ''Celso has not been flirting
again--or maybe he has-I don't know
he was at San Pasgual last night. But
when was Just now bringing your choco-
late-I had to make it myself, too, for
Donata and Ventura and Rudecinda are
not come home from the rel0rio. and
burned my finger with the stuff-why.
then the men were almost ready in the
plazita. and oh, Senorita lula. I'm so
afraid that Celso'll 90 and get killed"
But. por Dios, what is this thy black
birds chattering tongue is saying? AL
most ready, indeed, and for what? And
who is to kill thy precious Celso?"
Rita stared at this outburst OF petulance
from her gentle mistress. The naatdtdOS
grtngos, then, to be sure. that are camped
down in the acequia under the aldm0s.
Such impudence! To come and lie down
in the patrons ditch But our men will
serve them out Lucky may they feel
with one single little bone left wholer'
".Silen-n-n-ci - trlled the mistress !;
and in the time that stupefied Rita would
have taken to cover her charges little
high arched feet, the girl had invested
herself with all her dainty raiment. She
even paused to cover her black satiny hair
with the inevitable embroidered towel :;
for no scarf nor shawl was at hand, and it
was not to be expected that any woman of
her nation would venture with bare head
into the suns direct rays, hold the occa-
sion what it would of urgency.
The men in the plazita had hastily gath
cred arms, their ignorance and prejudice
wrought up to blazing point by Celso's
ncendary apostrophes. If acts of their
own countrymen had been involved. they
would have gesticulated and vociferated,
and then would have dropped the matter.
secure IN the national inertia. But the
peril here was imminent-these malUad0s
America,a0s are so energetic, so unresting.
My, por Dios ! they might run their sor-
cerer of machine here into the very
house at any moment Hark! Ave Ma
ria What was that ?-is it true these
engines have whistle that speaks? But
this that made them start was only the
familiar note of bugle that Don Eulalio
was wont to use for a call to work. And
the bugler was the patrons pretty daugh-
ter, whom they saw never, save when she
rode over his territory with her father.
vouchsafing them about as much plying
half-tearful notice rs she gave to the
vicious, tong horned Spanish cattle among
which she passed. And. indeed. at the
present moment Tulita in her heart, felt
much as if she had been set down in the
midst of a tramping, believing herd of
beasts. The novelty of the situation gave
it double importance to The rioters. To
Law their grievance before the pair0ncita,
to manifest to her their valor and patri-
otism-what luck Better than if the
patrons self were here; he might resent
this arrogation of his supremacy. So they
pressed forward and around her. and at
her shouted and bawled their fears and
their designs. But lula, pale and trem-
bling as she was. set her soft lips firmly
and blew commanding blast upon the
horn.
"DO you know what that means? To
work You have lost two hours. My
father will keep back a half DAYS wages,
have no doubt, and there will be no
function on San Juan's day. TO pay for
this The Americans come to Santa Cat
arinaP And. pray. what is that to you
Does not Don Eulato Cordoba own the
hacienda, Shall his workpeople dictate
whom the master shall receive? But no
such luck" the girl continued, sadly.
more solloqulzing than addressing the
men they would not buy my fathers
land. The Americans are not here. They
went to Sausal Nero"
But Celso says it, cried the men,
land Celso saw them ?"
"Cel-l-l -so-o-or the feminine circum-
fex of scorn was whitening. "Celso saw
them, Celso sees centipede in his glass,
| have no doubt. Thou. Marcos. knowest
my fathers will for the man who comes
drunk to the plazita Why, then. didst
not thy dutyP Away with him to the
c0lab0zd"
Her decision and her self possession told
upon them. Abashed. they collared the
luckless Celso grown maudlin. and led
him away to the ballroom in one of the
adobe bastions, whence many a blast of
shot had rushed forth in bygone days of
Indian warfare.
Like many another tempest, this dis
turbance cleared the atmosphere generally
at Santa Catarina. The men set about their
business with the zeal of apprehensive,
conscious peccancy land Donata and Ventu-
ra and Rudecinda, knowing their matinal
detection. accomplished their household
duties with twice their usual effect and eX-
petition. Only poor Tulita Cordoba was
the worse for the adventure Frustrated
by excitement. she shut herself in her
own cool, dark chamber. and there, on his
return. her father found her, living limp
with pain Her smooth temples were
plastered with the adhesive pale-green
leaves OF the nlcotinium-that favorite
remedy of her race for cerebral affections
and Rita lowered about. insisting upon
the application of a tobaeco-soaked ciga-
rette-paper, since the herb had failed of
its efficacy. The girl rallied at her fathers
coming and set forth in eager tones the