Wichita eagle., 1888-01-13
THE LITTLE GAME.

The place was Spanish mission in what w
are accustomed to call the wild, new west
forgetting that Franciscan friars converted
the Indians here before the pilgrims LANDED
on Plymouth Rock. The pueblo of SAINT,
Cruz was one of the towns of the building In
dians, scattered up and down the yellow Ri
Grande, not far from the ancient city o.
Santa Fe; and Father Acacio was bordering
as he walked, how best to teach his charg,
the dogmas of his holy religion. while in til,
east Miles Standish and the men of his ill
were solving the Indian problem in the NOR.
popular way-by "frst falling upon their owl
knees, and then falling upon the aborigines
One of our astute governors of New Mexico
sold as wrapping paper the old Spanish
archives, so that little remains but tradition
of the work of these early missionaries be
yond the history that certain "Friers of St
Francis moued with 4 zeale of charity, and q
desire TO saue soules, craued license of tie
Vice Roy of Nueva Espanna to 60 to the
sayd townes and to endeavour to learne their
language to paptize them and to preach the
holy Gospel unto them"
Tradition alone tells how the devoted
band who followed the first explorers accom-
pllShed their mission, and we cannot vouch
for the truth of this little story Of Father
Acacio; certainly his system was never ap-
proved by his superior or his fellow laborers,
and need cast no reflections on them, though
a more honest man at heart. or one more
jealous for his faith, never trod a mistaken
path.
Father Acacio had been greatly aided in
this enterprise by his friend the Spanish gov
ernor Of New Mexico, Don Juan de -, who
had his own reasons, based in worldly wis
dom, for the converting of the savages who
filled the pueblos around him. Don Juan had
assigned him a large parish and small
chapel, and the good PADRES heart had
sweled with Joy as he saw the fields about
him white for the harvest. But now, after
laboring for three years, no was obliged, with
chagrin, to count his converts on the fingers
of one hand; and Of these only little Cande-
laria, the chiefs daughter, could answer
9 question in the catechism. Now, to COM
plete his modification, runner had brought
him letter from the bishop of Santa Fe.
saying that he was about TO start on tour of
the churches, confirming postulants, catechis-
ing and baptizing converts. He trusted to
find at Santa Cruz a goodly number of cate
chumens as the fruit OF Father Acacio's long
ministry. The bishop would begin in June
with the lower Rio Grande pueblos, and
would reach Santa Cruz about harvest time.
He would be accompanied in this tour.by his
excellency the governor, who was eager to
see what progress had been made in the
Christianizing and civilizing of his Indian
subjects. With this letter came brief, con-
fidential one from the governor
He wrote that the good bishop, sainted be
his name, was growing old and feeble. and
ba lu cuff cia for ha
pied. The governor had advised his choosing
as colleague the most successful of the mis-
sionaries in the surrounding pueblos, and it
was the friendly intention of this letter to
advise Father Acacio of the chances before
him The governor limited of the prob
able succession Of the colleague to the
bishopric, and recalled their old friendship
when students at Salamanca "Ah. my
Acacio," be wrote, what rare games of cards
we used to have! There is 10 one in Santa
Fe who has your skill. If 1 could but play
with you once an evening. it would give new
ZeSt to life. Display now the astuteness for
which you were SO remarkable as a youth,
and we shall enjoy many a game together
when you occupy the highest clerical seat in
New Spain. A sunny smile crept around
the corners of Padre Acacio's mouth at this
reference to their student friendship.
Il was the brighter then" he said to him
self, triumphantly. "Ah, how many times
have beaten him at ombre behind the Capilla
San Bartolome Sacred image del Pilor, but
those Were blessed days," Father Acacio's
hand sought the folds of his robe and brought
from an inner pocket, not breviary, but
well thunibed pack of cards lie shufiied
them i'll silence: and seating himself in
a shady angle under a Eeliotrope over
ten feet high, where the farng Mexi-
can sage Of the closter garden would
not dazzle his eyes, then and there dealt
himself a good hand. Then he replaced
the pack, with a sigh, and passed into the
church, remembering, as the bell peaied out,
that he had set aside this morning for In
stiucting his people in the catechism, and
had made an especially eloquent appeal to ali
present on Sunday. had even sent the altar
boys through the pueblo it'll the announce
ment that indulgences would be granted to
hose who came. The cavernous nGd church I
sas quite empty as be entered, and his heart |
'ank within him as he thought that even /
pretty Candelaria had deserted him. There
was nothing FOR him TO do but to wait He
sat down in the rude open confessional, and
@ pass away the time took out his cards
again and began game of solitaire.
Presently the bell ceased ringing, and he
heard footsteps in the organ loft $50 called, |
hough it boosted no organl-hght. skipping
footsteps, not to be mistaken for the hating
gait of old lsidor, the bell ringer. Father
Acacio bad hardly time to hustle his cards
nto the sleeve Of his gown when Candelaria
was al his side
why, child, is it you who have rung the
,elli' the priest asked. "Where is ISidors"
"Where everything else in the village isl
'eplied the girl: "at the ghost gamble"
"The ghost gamblel What. pray, is that's
sit is q custom we have borrowed from the
northern Indians. When q mar dies his
property is arranged in bundles: his nearest
clatiye takes the part of the ghost and ali
'thers take their turn in Playing with him
With marked plum seeds for the bundles"
lis it good same!" asked the padre alb
ent mindedly. How do you play it.n
"There are eight plum seeds; Two are black
m one side and white ON the other, two sre |
marked with spots, two with the hesds OF but.
aloes, two with half moons. You rattle |
hem in a box and throw them Each COM
I'D the two moons and buffalois head. two
lain ones and two black spots, that is cestn
Il see,r said Father Acacfo. it IL a>good
anne; but, Santiago preserve us! this people
entirely given to gambling; would stake
heir SOUS with Satan, and win them from
i'm, too, for they are not stupid ct play. IL
hey were only half as bright at learning the
techism! Well, there is one comfort: all
other missionaries have the same material
, Z, ,al with and no one of them can have
lch promising neophyte as my Candida ,
"a. Come. my child. recite to ne tAe seven