Smyrna times., 1889-05-22
THE PADRES CATS.

IS now majestic ruin, and the race for |
whose regeneration it was founded is |
nearing extinction; but sixty years ago |
Padre MateO was the busiest man in the |
world. There were the massive struct- |
ures Of adobe to be erected, neophytes to
instruct and discipline, infants to bap- |
tie, hordes of hungry Indians to feed |
and funeral services to preach, for be-
fore the benighted savages could be
brought to understand that the mission
was being established for the saving of
their souls they had sent many Chris
tian to join the army of the blessed
martyrs.
| But when, after ten years Of toll, the
/ buildings we're completed, and the last
martyrs were buried, and the infants
were all regenerated, and the Indians
were pacifed by gifts of trinkets and
clothes, time began to weigh rather
heavily upon the Jealous padre. He
heightened the services and sang mass
every day and performed all the cere-
monies of the church with scrupulous
eXactness; he provided the mission with
cattle and sheep, and taught the Indians
to sow grain and to labor with tools, yet
there were long hours left Unoccupied
and the priest was often lonely.
After the soldiers were removed to a
younger mission the padres parishioners,
with the exception of Gaudaloupe Cor
teO, the ancient sacristan, were all m
dians. Now, Gaudaloupe, it must be
confessed, made but a poor companion;
for, his work being done, he straightway
stretched his lank body upon a bench be-
tween the great arches at the sunny side
of the building and went to sleep
Years passed away. The mission pros
/. pered The harvest Of souls was bounti-
ful, and where once had been an I'M
broken solitude now uprOse a picturesque
Indian village, with houses built Of reeds
or Of adobe, and the winding streets all
leading up to the great gray pile on the
hill
One morning, while the sacristan slept
on his bench, Padre 1Iateo sat outside his
: door with hiS book on his knees.
The rugged mountains were veiled in
miles Of blue mist, but their snowy crests
shOne in the sunlight Upon the velvety
slopes Of the foothills grazed cattle and
sheep. The wide, fertile valley was
bathed in golden light Far off-a silver
line-glcamed the Pacific ocean. The
village streets were deserted. Save the
droning of insects and the regular respi-
rations of the doing sacristan, not a
sound broke the stiffness.
= The padre had almost fallen asleep,
when, hearing the patter of bare feet, he
looked UP to see some dark skinned boys
carrying litter Of kittens toward the
creek.
) Que! Cue" cried the padre, rubbing
his eyes. "Adonda Va V? Would you
destroy the poor Littens:"
Isl, padre" replied one little Indian.
Para que?" questioned the priest.
They are too many, padre, " answered
= the little Indian, pobing his great toe il
J the dust and looking longingly toward
the creek.
But wait! The pretty things They
!, have not yet bcheld the light of day
Give them to me" cried the benignan
priest. They shall not perish, for l vii
care for them myself. Are they no
pretty, my worthy Gaudaloupe? Opel
thine eyes for an instant. See! are the
not pretty?'
Surely, had the sacristan foreseen tn
consequences, he would have made re
monstrance then, before the padres pas
IN sion strengthened; but, being sleepy an
selfish, Gaudaloupe only chuckled as h
settled himself for another nap, think
= ing. Now that the reverend padre ha
o somewhat to amuse him, perchance
may be permitted to doze in peace"
Il.
from the adoption of family Of cats
- the manner in which it is prone to il
lG crease. At the end Of the second yes
Padre Mateo'5 cats were the bane of IL
sacristan's life. Every day the prie
found it necessary to reprove GaudalouI
for some sad dereiiction. Either he had II,
bathed Celestine's sore eye, or the do
of catnip tea for Antonio had been ne
d, lected, or Christafus had been allOwC
ma. to scamp6r off before breakfast-for,
it understood, each cat had high SCUM
IN ing name, and place at the padre
table, and regularly partook of repa
!. three times day.
Had Gaudaloupe not so highly vene
s. ated the PADRES sacred calling, the
would surely have been an open rebC
lion; as it was, the sacristan had to co
tent himself with thinking his indign
re- ton.
~ "DIust l." thought he, with risil
spleen, Il, who am 70years old and ha
stitch in my back-must l, besid
nv dusting the altar and ringing four hea
uDJ bells and tending the PADRES house
do obedience to an army of yowli
cats? Es vergonzoso, indeedT
a., Had he not feared the PADRES ma
jly diction he would have murdered
creatures without compunction. He ey
gave up his morning nap, sitting W
~ his little red eyes open and scowt
his wrinkled, yellow face, while he TT
to devise u means Of ridding the wO
.' of the pests. In vain he pondered.
ICE. cats flourished, and the padres fondn
o.o increased, and Gaudaloupe was scolC
ICE Of more frequently than ever. Heart
o-n stonel the priest would excla
. 'Would you let them starve? am S
e. YOU gave no milk to Carmina's new
So tens this dayl and well you know she
not nourishment enough for them
You shall do penance for your iniC
~ tiesr
"But, your excellency," the sacria
-! would demonstrate with great humil
,em aSg 'I had no milk left after supplying
sick babe of the squaw who died
a6dl aieh week. Surely the kittens can wait. "
ion. "Wait?" stormed the padre. care
100 not wailing from hunger evennow2 I
. Zoo cries pierce my hearti How can Il
q them to your charge and go away
IA. eight long days-and go mustl-kr
ats. ing that they will not be fedy
- At these words hope sprang up a
In Gaudaloupe's periidious heart
no cart thou going away, reverend
70 dre?" he asked, meekly. cam l, ind
to be left alone for eight long daysg
? the "It is true, replied the priest, 81
'eatIy e,iI Il must 60. am summoned to re
been to my superior at San Luis Reyi an'
Com journey win require eight days.
;, oe- how can go? The Indians can get 9
,rs we'll enough, to be sure, but what,
-, you, heart of wood, what will becor
80 my catsg
I'm So Gaudaloupe promised earnest
'EQ attend to all their wants. to call
- regularly to their meals, to adminis
a..,v the ailing ones their allotted spoons
Ioequal herb tea, and to endeavor to solac'
,Sfsage. ,ss,sISs cheer them during the absence G
sale By priest Next day, as Padre Mateo