Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1889-04-21
A KNIGHT ERRANT OF
THE FOOTHILLS.
sY BEET KARrE,
Author Of Tales ofths Argonauts," "crss-
sy," Etc.
For the pIsnasch-copyrieht 1881

few snatches from bis breviary. For
the Good padre had some reason to be
troubled. The invasion OF the Gentle
Americans that followed the gold dis
coyerv Of three years before had not con-
fined itself to tho plains OF the Sacra-
mento. but stragglers had already iound
tbeir vsv to the Santa Cruz Valley, and
The seclusion OF even the Mission itself
vas threatened II was true that they
l.l NOT brought their heather engines
a. discmbowel the earth in search OF
COLI hpt Il was rumored that they had
olreo3v specnlated upon the agricultural
proInci.veness of the land, and had
esp,ed "the fatneSs thereof" As he
reached the higher plateau he could see
the afternoon sea-fog- 10 oo-
literatc the fair prospect already pulilng
through the gaps In the coast range ana
on a nearer slope-no less ominOusly-
the smoke of recent but moro perma-
ncntly destructive Yankee saw-mih was
slowly drifting towards the valley.
"Get up. beast " said the rather,
digging his heels into the comfortable
Aauks Of his mule, with some human I'M
PATIENCE. cor art thou. too, a lazy rene
Rade? ThnkeSt thou, besotted one, that
the hereto will spare thee more work
than the Holy Church Z"
The mule Thus apostrophised in ear
and flesh, shook its bead obstlnately as
If the question was by no means clear TO
ats mind, but nevertheless started into a
little trot, WHICH presently brought 1t TO
the low ai0bc wall OF the courtyard OF
- toral h. frafn
A few lounginR pcOns In the shadow OF
nd archway took off their broad-brimmed
hats and made way for the padre, and
hali-dozen equally listless vsquros help
ed him 20 alight. Accustomed as he was
20 tie Incidence and superfiuity OF his
hosts retainers, to-day 1t nevertheless
seemed 10 strike some note OF irritation
in his beast.
4 stout, middle-aged woman OF ungirt
waist and beShawled head and shoulders
appeared ut the gateway as If awaiting
him, After formal salutatlon she drew
him aside into an inner passage.
ole is away again, your Reverence, ="
she said.
"Ah-always the same 2"
"Yes, your Reverence-and this time
10 meeting of the heretics at their
2,aeblo nj Jonesyille-whero they viii
ask him OF bis land for a road. "
AT meeting? Z" echoed the priest,
uneasily.
"Ab, yes n meeting-where Thur
Cio SAYS they shout and spit on tho
ground. your reverence, and only one
has a chair, and him they call "chair-
man because of it, and yet he sits not,
hut shouts and spits even as the others,
and keeps up tapping with q hammer
Ike very picO. And there 1t Is they
are ever resolving that which IS not
and consider 1t even as done.
Then he Is still the same, said the
priest. gloomily, as the woman paused
Tor breath.
Only more 80, your Reverence. for
be reads nought but the newspaper of
the Anaerlcan0s that Is brought IN the
ship the New York 'Erald and recites
10 himself the orations of their legisla-
Tors. An il was an evil day when the
shipWrecked American sailor taught
him his uncouth tongue, which, as your
Reverence knows, Is only mt for beasts
AMI heather incantation.
fray Heaven that were allhe learned
Of him, said the priest hastily "for l
have great fear that this sailor WAS little
better than an atheist and an emlssary
from Satan. But where are these news
papers and the fantasies OF pu6hcitd
that ill his mind ? 1 would see them,
uy daughter.
" You shall, your Reverence, 0nd more
too. she replied eagerly. leading the
vay along the passage to a grated door
which opened upon small cell-ilke
APARTMENT whose scant light aud less air
came through the deeply embayed win
dows IN the outer wall. Here Is his
,,t0diO.'
Ia spite of this open invitation, the
padre entered with that air of furtive
~ 3 minute inspection common to his
orier. Ills glance fell upon rude sur
vcyor's plan OF the adjacent embryo
town Of Jonesyille hanging upon the
wal. which he contemplated with a cold
uis.ayor that even included the highly
col0red yignette of the projected
louisville Hotel in the left hand cor
ucr lie then passed to super
vsors notice banging near 1t. which
h. CANNED with n suspicion height
CIci by that uneasineSs common to
mere worldly humanity when opposed
20 an unknown and unfamiliar language.
But on exclamation broke from his lips
when he confronted an election placard
immediately below it. 1t was printed IN
Spanish and English, and Father Felipe
had no difficulty in reading the an
nouncement that "DOn Jose Sepulvida
would preside st a meeting OF the Board
az Education in Jonosvllle as one OF the
trustees"
This is madness, said the padre.
Observing that Dona Maria was at the
moment preoccupied IN examining tho
pictorial pages OF the illustrated Ameri-
can weekly, which had hitherto escaped
his eyes, he took it gently from her
hand.
Pardon. your Reverence, she said
With elightly acidulous depreciation,
but thanks to the blessed Virgin and /.
your Reverence's teaching, the text is
lut gibberish to me, and L did but /
glance at the pictures
Much evil may come in with the |
eye. said the priest seutentiously, "as I
J Will presently show thee. We have .
lcre. ne continued pointing to an illus
iration OF certain college athletic sports, /
"a number Of youthful cavaliers pos
turing aud caperipg III partly nude con-
dition, before a number of shameless
women, who emulate the satUrnaiia OF
heather Rome 10y waving their handker-
chiefs. We have here companion pic
tuTe. he said. Indicating an illuStra-
ton Of Rymnas;ic exercises by the
students of female academy at com
mencemcnt IN which, as thou seest,
even the aged OF both sexes unblush-
,nRlY assist as spectators with every ex-
preston Of immodest satisfaction.
lave they no bull-fghts or other
teemly recreation that they must indulge
IN such wantonness " asked Dona Ma
TIA Indignantly. gazing, however, some
b. a. - IL IA