New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1888-09-30


But they wouldn't let the cow in the church
cried the Youngest boy. bright-eyea Iau OF sonle
seven years: whereat there was nearly husn'
and Rafael was left to his customry guardianship
But when the cow and the man went out that
day the former started for her faVoritF gr'An.-
place. down the county road 10 her snrp.isr .nf
gentle quadruped felt stout pull OF reSlssncc
mon the rope. and turning to direct look OF ln-
dignant rcmonstrancc upon her quondan lonoW'r
received smar rap over her back Shc loWelcu hcr
horns and made threatening thrusl ~ n'L II ~
bclhCus subject. who met tins ADMINISTRATION WIN
such stolid Indifference that the beast was ialn 10
turn in aggrieved subsection, and folio" Wnohef
he led. . - ,;
NJ the church that morning TO find this discfedlt
able member Of their family with the cow, ponrn a
on the green directly opposite the church Us
sibly the poor fellow liked the pOnlp ana SNOW ~
well as any Of the children who, dressed IN thelf
best gayly climbed the steps of the oid MISSION
church with their parents or, lolieiIhe lhere
widc-eyed and open mouthcd, gazed at ths 'nions9
which constantly arrived.
If Santos's brother retained any recollection OF
what the priest had told him IN early DeccliDer
there no hint of il in his inert hgure anu ~
impassive face. lie rcclined upon the grass III
his customary lstleSs attitude, lying on one slut,
with his face partly shaded by his broad
hat Children eyed him with LOOK Oh 'a an,,
interest as they would have looked on any Oh
nature's phenomena. Farmers from remote quar-
ters Of the parish looked curiously at lhis la1y
der, who had not the grace TO dol ns W Snont
dav clothes or bestir himself on this the great
festal day Of the year. Young men p0ihscu 10
him. eeringly. they passed. win h"Ic-puu, n,
manhoods contempt OF the weak OF u, of nity
while young girls murmured solt "oruS Va p'''
and regret for what he had beer
The notes of an organ and sudden burst OF
song floated out upon the air, ana loW-'on ii
monotonous chant told that the service iilu
begun The crowd of men outside hearKeheGi az ~
The half-opened doors of the church., ana tl I
mothers seated on the steps OF the broau pat .
form before it, brought out a store % cA"oN0''
and q
In the midst Of the services one OF lnc S,ou .
farmers moving rcStlessy about me church Ouv-
side raised his ncad anu sHi"'" '"' ~
pciously. 80, -,
Pedro paisano. I smell smoke'' he said' with
decision addressing friend. 49,. .-o,,n, follo,,s
y" On. very like! Some of the young len low.
will be- smoking cigarritos on the sly, to pass
away the time until the sermon j., oyer. JuS'
Iet Father Neal catch them is all say
The Young will be young, ana. allcr al, VIM
harm lies in the pun OF ci@rrlto = Salu one
of the women, in an arologe'c zone "ien t"rrie
70 Lavc n fire in the crowded church, WIN al
the LIGHT dresses and the altar hangngs, and my
Juanta and Pepia there.
"Caramba But there is fire somewhere
eiaculatcd one Of the men. a little laier. -
Mother Of Tod. the old convent Is on nrc'
Already there was great ou'cry ana foli mo
tion within the church falhef Ne"i I'm o9
heard raised from the monotonous sing-sohg o.
spirjtual eXhortaIOn to the sharp comihSnu Vi
one who sees great bodily peril approaching.
One by one, friends Do not eio"H1. i Inag
Is no u"n and Won Francisco Santos, take your
stand one by each door. and keep those pig
Lrnt from crushing the women ana cnllur'i
Ci'b them back. if needs be- Take time ID
ra~.inr ont my friends; there IS no hasie'
Having thus admonished his congregation and
nro, ided for its safety, Father Neal hmaeli, III
t,ir,r illustration of lis words, WITHOUT waiting
Coz fnrtb.r ceremony, sprang through one OF inc
church windows, ard ran swiftly across me oiu
/ GRAVEYARD which las between the chnich al" 'lc
convent. tearing of his sacred N'Siui'l'S1 - NV
| ,rcnt Tins uucOpsciOu~ly bringing 10 uEht /"
{ goylv embroidered velvet smokine-Iackct.
/ II WIS Main from the first that to attempt TO
save the old buildmg WoUln DC u'Sii"'o cc @,
! losino FIGHT Such disasters were rare occur,
r,.rce in line little rustic settlement. ana men hh
! no means ready with which 10 meet 'htM' l"'''
were no hoOll-and-laddcr comHnI, :, no hoae-oir's
! No enoincs Breaking out III the lower sorry
| tho fire had seized al once upon the old Nooueh
stairway which formed the sole COMMUNICATION
with the third story at whose windows sGoro coz vi
more of frightened women appcalci III '@'n ~
! aid Buckets were brought, lines OF men loflhc'i
and. with water dipped from small reservoir
in the Of the convent inc men iGusnG NV
! consuming element, conc ntratlng lhclf eloi's
! nnon The old staircase. which formed PARKWAY
for the flames and draught like a blast furnace
/ for the fire. 80
Oh this is time wastcd-worse than useless
oxnostnlatrd Father Neal; the convent Will
/ La.e to 20 The women must be saved. here
Stefano-some of you fellows. Help me bring
up the old ladder that lies back OF 'lc cnurc,,
| Tu+ when The old ladder was brought, IL proven
| so sbal,v and dccrcpt that Father Neal W0uiH
| not lcf The men ri>, their lives upon II untll ne
had tested its strength himself, ana ne ran t"..hH
M the rounds until hc gained the topmost rulH'
not six feet below where the siflcNne women
were alternately calling upon Their lehON-p -, =
/ for help and heaven for PITY. but ans iIdti !"
lifetime OF high-iVng ana testing the gooU VIM
arc of the old mission had not tended IN any WHY
TO decrease the natural corpulencc OF the JoiN
padre and inst as hc caught ~ iJe c's'.l'niS W
Tho MINER windows and calcd out some WORDS oil
cheer - the terrified women, the ladder gave way
beneath his weight, and he fell heavily 10 the
| ground. 80
Across the road Santoss brother had 10y
watched the crowds disappear IN TIE u1lif cliurc'
as he Nigh; have watched colony OF ANS liile-
/ ling 10 and from their burrows. lut Mhth 'N.
services at length began ana inc dfonins C"'..'
was heard. any one who had taken pans 10 oo-
! serve him might have noted That MS gaze
travelled further on and rested upon the oid con
vent where Felicia alas no longer the cHceri l.
| lrht- hearted embodiment Of her hdln' h"'
hcavy-hcartcd and wet-cyod, awaited me h GU
| and the summons that were to condemn her ior-
evermorc 10 a barren and loveess life.
What! crying, child? Dost thou regret tn,
| to obey" demanded the mother SUPERIOR re-
proachfully coming upon the young @rl whI
underworld TO wipe away her tears unooSerVeu
Felicia brolenly dscaimcd any desire TO escape
from the pledges she was about 10 make
Then 20 down. my child, and trim inc "aNen
tapcr5 burning before the IMAGE OF inc llols
I Virgin and pray for strength to grow m grace
after her most righteous pattern, said the mOlhei
superior
Glad to be by herself for one little moment
Felicia stole softly down the stairs. eaihcrin-
her white drapcrics about her that they mehl
not be soilcd by contact with the staircase Sh'
was a little body, and the image was paced mgi
M in broad niche AT one side Of the entrance
hail. so that She could not reach the taper
until she had dragged a heavy chair mp 10 ih'
place, and perched upon its back. With TIN
insecure footing and her tcar-blirded eyes what
wonder that She trcmblcd and lost her balanc.
and fell, Ovcrturning the waAcn tapers. which
quickly famed MP through the him.y dIapere
and wrapped the wooden image in sheet OF
flame while the anrichted girl fed. shriekine
and amenting. back 10 the room She had left?
Columns of smoke poured through the windows
Of the hoary old building. and, wfcathing about
the old cypress trees outside, freed thcms' I've
again. to dart hcaVonWard in fierce eddy and swirl
Back and forth, in the binding smoke. rushed
men women and children mad with excitement
White arms waved from the upper cascm MS
The air rcsoundod with an unintelligible clamoi
snd outcry. Altogether, it was fine spectacle
fer cow and man, who crossed the road together
and halted IN the great gateway, enjoying th'
sight.
On the ground lay Father Neal. surrounded
by crowd OF eager deprecatlng sym iathlz ers
1T. Of no xrli u