Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1890-04-10
NINO DIABLO.

and Eliminating herds, leisurely unsaddling
his horse.
The unsaddling over at last the freed
horse gallops away, neighing joyfully, to
seek his fellows, and Gregory stepping
slowly and pausing frequently to look about
him as if reluctant to quit the cold night
air, turns towards the house.
Close to the fire, skinner in hand, sat
Magdalen, Gregory's fat and forid wife,
engaged in frying pies. There also, on a
high, straight-back chair, sat Ascension,
her sister-in-law, wrinkled spinster; also,
in low rush buttoned seat, her mother-in-
law, an ancient white-headed dame, star
ing vacantly into the flames. On the other
side of the fire we're Gregory's two eldest
daughters, pretty dove-eyed girls of six
teen, both alse named Magdalen; they were
twins, and born on the day sacred to San
ia Magdalena. Slumbering. dogs and eats
were disposed about the floor, also four
children. The Youngest, a girl of five, sat
on the floor nursing a kitten that purred
contentedly on her lap and drowsily winkeo
its blue eyes at the fire.
Gregory stood on the threshold survey
ing the domestic scene with manifest pleas
ure.
'Tell me, Gregory, said the mother,
what news do you bring?'
''They say he returned, sitting down
and taking the mate-cup from his daugh-
ter's hand, ''that the invading Indians
bring seven hundred lances, and that those
who first opposed them were all slain. Some
say they are now retreating with the cat
tie they have taken; while others main
tain that they are waiting to fgno our
men,
"Oh, my sons, my sons, what will hap
pen to them!'' cried Magdalen. bursting
into tears.
"Why do you cry, wife, before God
gives you cause?" returned her husband.
care not all men born to fight the infdel?
Our boys are not alone-all their friends
and neighbors are with them
'All their friends indeed! And this
very day | have seen the Nino Diablo; he
galloped past the house, whistllng like
partridge that knows no care. Why must
my two sons be called away, while he with
no mother to cry for him, remains be-
hindu
'You talk folly, Magdalen,' replied her
lord complain that the ostrich and
puma are more favored than your sons,
since no man calls on them to serve. the
state; but mention not the Nino, for he is
has made and fights not on this side nor
on that
Coward! Miserable' murmured the
incensed mother.
Whereupon one of the twins flushed
scarlet. and retorted, HE is not coward
mother"
"And if not a coward why does he sit on
the hearth among women and old men in
| To | 70
a daughter of mine speak in defence of one
who is vagabond and stealer of other
men s horses!'
The girls eyes flashed angrily, but she
answered not word.
Hold your tongue, woman, and accuse
no man of crimes, spoke Gregory. LET
every Christian take proper care of his
animals; ana as for the infdel's horses, he
is virtueus man that steals them.
At this moment clatter of hoofs, the
jingling of bell, and shouts of traveller
to the horses driven before him, came in at
the open door. The dogs reused them
selves almost overturning the children in
their hurry to rush out; and up rose Greg
DRY to find out who was approaching with
so much noise.
II know, papita," cried one of the
children. "It is Uncle Polycarp."
''You are right, child" said her father
cousin Polycarp always arrives at right,
shouting to his animals like troop of
Indians
The traveller soon arrived. In a few
| minutes the saddle was thrown off, and the
fore feet of the bell-mare fetted, and the
horses allowed to wander away in quest of
pasturage; then the two men turned into
! the kitchen.
A short, burly man aged about fifty,
wearing soft hat thrust back on his
| head, with truculent greenish eyes beneath
arched bushy eyebrows, and thick shape
less nose surrounding a bristly mustache-
such was cousin Polycarp.
Heaven be praised for its goodness,
cousin Magdalen, he said. ''What with
pies and spices your kitchen is more frag-
rant than garden of flowers. That's as
it should be, for nothing but rum have !
tasted this bleak day. And the boys are
away fighting, Gregory tells me. Good!
| What, cousin Magdalen, crying for
the boys! Would you have had them
girls? p
eyes a thousand times she replied.
| drying her wet eyes on her apron.
All, Magdalen, daughters can't be al
ways young and sweet-tempered, like your
| brace of pretty cartridges yonder. They
grow old, cousin Magdalen-old, ugly and
| spiteful; and are more bitter and worth
less than the wild pumpkin. But / speak
not for those who are present, for | would
say nothing to offend my respected cousin
Ascension whom may God preserve,
| though she never married"
| Ascension gave nervous twltch at the
red cotton kerchief on her head, and
! cleared her throat with a sound SHARP
and short like the shrill swallows cry, y
when
'Madre del Cielo, how you frightened
me-" screamed one of the twins, giving a
great start.
| The cause of this sudden outcry was dis
covered in the presence of young man
quietly seated on the bench at the girls
side. He had not been there minute be-
fore. and no person had seen him enter the
room-what wonder that the girl was
startled He was slender in form, and had
small hands and feet, an oval olive face
smooth as girls except for the ineipient
mustache on his lip. In place of hat he
his head to keep back his glossy black hail
that fell to his shoulders; and he was
wrapped in white wooden Indian poncho
colt-skin coverings. shaped like stockings
to his feet, with the red tassels of his EN-.
broidered carriers falling to the ankles.
The Nino Diablo!S all cried in a
breath, the children maafesting the great
est Joy at his appearance. But old Greg
DRY spoke with affected anger. ''Why
| do lvray IL,