Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1886-09-30
could have worked the mine ourselves

@Good, and lost sven that labor. Look
you, little brother. Show to me now the
Mexican that has ever made a real of n mine
in California. How many, ehs None! Not
a one Who owns the Mexcan's mine, ehg
Americanos! Who takes money from the
Mexican's minef Americanosl Thou re-
msmberest Briones, who spent a gold mine
to make a silver ones Who has the lands and
house of Brionesl Americanos Who has
the cattle Of Brioness Americanos! Who
has the mine of Brionesl Americanosl Who
has the silver Briones never foundl Ameri
csnos! Always the same Foreverl ALL
earramba"
Then the Evil One evidently took it into
his head and horns to worry and toss these
innocent as they were
still further, for purpose. For presently to
them appeared one Victor Garcia, whilom
a clerk of the Ayuntemiento, who rallied them
over aguardiente, and told them the story of
the quicksilver discovery, and the two mining
claims taken out that night by Concho and
Wiles. Whereat Manuel exploded with pro-
family and burned blue with sllphurous male
diction; but Miguel, the recent ecclesiastic,
sat ivid and thoughtful Finally came a
pause in Manuers bombardment, and some
thing like this conversation took plnce be-
tween the cooler actors:
Miguel (thoughtfully)-When YVES it thou
didst petition for lands in the valley, friend
Victor?
Victor (amazedly)-Neverl 1t is a sterile
waste. Am / foola
Miguel (softlyl-Thou didst. OF thy gov
ernor, Micheltorena. have seen the appli-
cation.
Victor beginning to appreciate rodential
odor1-Sil had forgotten. Art thou sure it
was in the valleys
Miguel porsuasively)- the valley and up
the falda.%
Victor with decision)-Certainly. Of a
verity-the falda likewise
Miguel (eyeing Victor)-And yet thou hadst
not the grant. Painful is it that it should
have been burned with the destruction of the
other archives by the Americanos at Mon
terey.
Victor cautiously feeling his way)-Pos-
Biblemente.
Miguel-It might be wise to look into it.
Victor (bluntly)-As whys
Miguel-For our good and thine, friend
Victor. We bring thee a discovery; thou
bringest us thy skill, thy experience, thy gov
eminent knowledge-thy custom house pa
pert
Manuel breaking in drunkenly)-But for
whats We are Mexicans Are we not fatedl
We shall lose. Who shall keep the Ameri-
canos off!
Miguel-We shall take one American inl
Hal seest thou, This American comrade
shall bride his court, his corregidores. After
little he shall supply the men who invent
the machine of steam, the mill, the furnace
eha
victor-But who is he-not to steals
Miguel-He is that man of Ireland. good
Catholic, at Tres Pinos.
Victor and Manuel (omnes)-R oscommon?
Miguel-Of the same. We shall give him
a share for the provisions, for the tools, for
the aguardiente. 1t is of the Irish that the
Americanos have great fear. 1t is of them
that the votes are made-that the president
Is chosen. 1t is of him that they make the
alcalde in San Francisco. And we are of the
church, like him.
They said "Bueno" all together, and for the
moment appeared to be upheld by religious
enthusiasm-a joint confession of faith that
meant death, destruction and possibly for
gerry, as against the men who thought other
wise
This spiritual harmony did away with all
practical consideration and doubt. II have a
little niece, said Victor, whose work with the
pen is marvellous. If one says to her, Car
men, copy me this or the other one-even if
it be copper plate-look you it is done, and
you cannot know of which is the original.
Madre de Diosl the other day she makes me a
rubric* of the governor, Pho Pico, the same,
identical. Thou knowest her Miguel. She
asked concerning thee yesterday
With the embarrassment of an underbred
man, Miguel tried to appear unconcerned,
but failed dismally. Indeed, fear that the
black eyes of Carmen had already done their
perfect and accepted work, and had partly
induced the application for Victor's aid He,
however, dissembled SO far as to ask:
"But will she not known
"She is q child"
"But will she not talk?n
SNot if l say nay, and if thou-eh, Miguel?,
This bit of flattery (which, by the way, was
lie, for Victor's niece did not incline favor
ably to Miguel had its effect. They shook
hands over the table, @But,n said Miguel.
"what is to be done must be done now.n "At
the moment" said Victor, 'and thou shall see
it done. Eh3 Does it content thee? Then
comet"
Miguel nodded to Manuel. ''We will re-
turn in an hour wait thou here"
They filed out into the dark, irregular street
Fate led them to pass the Office of DIR. Guild
at the moment that Concho mounted his
horse. The shadows concealed them from
their rival, but they overheard the last in
functions of the president to the unlucky Con-
cho.
Thou hearestT said Miguel, clutching his
companions arm.
"Yes," said Victor. "But let him ride, nv
friend; in one hour we shall have that that
shall arrive years before him. and with a
complacent chuckle they passed unseen and
unheard until, abruptly turning a corner,
they stopped before low adobe house.
1t had once been somewhat pretentious
dwelling, but had evidently followed the for
tunes of its late owner, Don Juan Briones.
who had offered it as a last sop to the three
headed Cerberus that guarded the Ell Refugio
Plutonean treasures, and who had swallowed
it in single gulp. 1t was in very bad case.
The burrows of its red-tiled roof looked as if
they were the results of age and decrepitude.
Its best room had musty smell; there was
the dampness of deliquescence in its slow de-
cay, but the Spanish Californians werc sensi-
BILE architects, and its massive walls and par
titions defied the earthquake thrill, and all
the year round kept an even temperature
within.
Victor led Miguel through low ante room
into plainly furnished chamber, where Car
men sat painting.
Now Mistress Carmen was bit of a
painter, in pretty little way, with all the
vague longings of an artist, but without,
fear, the artists steadfast soul She recog-
nized beauty and form as child might, with
out understanding their meaning, and some
how failed to make them even interpret her
woman's moods, which surely were natures.
too. SO she painted everything with this in
nocent lust of the eye-fowers, birds, insects,
landscapes and figures-with a joyous fidelity,
but no particular poetry The birds never
sang to her but one song, the flowers or trees
spake but one language, and her skies never
hrsoh ,al ~, .aoI, H.