The morning call., 1890-05-26
CHIQUIRIQUITA.
Written for THE MORNING CALL.

G&0y QerS oil MEXICO, ana my 1atler Is an
officer in the United States Army.
When L was tiny girl without name
Sonora Martinez an aged Spanish woman,
came to see me. l opened my big black
eyes and smiled upon her.
She mufmured Chiquiriquita," which is
the fourth diminutive OF chico (smalD, and
means very very very small.
My mother called me Chiquiriquita, then
my father adopted the name. The garrison
people followed their example, and, finally,
l was baptized Chiquiriquita Belmont. l
love Arizona-the sand. the heat, the cacti
rising thirty feet toward the blue sky, the
low Mexican houses with their double over
hanging roofs, decorated with red peppers
drying in the sun, are picturesque to me.
Then the grand old church of st. Ga
brelle, with its three iron bells in the
pointed roof, Is dear to me. | often pass
out of the huge door in the side of the
church and visit the graves of the long
dead MeXicanS They are shaded by many
olive trees, and l think when look upon
them of THE Garden Of Gethsemane" and
1.-The Mount of Olives"
| love the Mexicans, but do not fancy
military people. l have two brothers oder
than myself, away at West Point They
are like strangers to me, l have seen them
so little. There are only two Americans,
except father and mother, whom care for.
One is old General Ames. l have known
him always. He has taught me to sketch
and read Spanish and German. He often
reproves me for wasting nay time. 81 am
only little Spanish CIR" L tell him, land
love to swing III my hammock and play on
my guitar and sketch dark-faced children"
The other American | care for is DR.. War
neT, the surgeon of pas regiment
l also like the army mules, particularly
Jack and Jnanita, two gigantic ones. | am
fond of John, my pet ostrich, who follows
me about everywhere. He is a head taller
than | am. His feathers are lovely gray
and brown. Michael, that is pas servant,
has put up hammock for me under some
shade trees near the house, and one beside
ii Tor John, and we swing and sleep in them
nearly half the time. When l was about IA
Years of age very nice adventure hap
pened to me. One day had taken a long
ride from the fort-7perhaps twelve miles.
l was riding oil JuaDlta, and Wanda, a
Mexican girl few years older than myself,
on Jack. My gun was fastened to my sad
die, and our lunch basket and water bottle
upon Wanda's.
Wanda suddenly called my attention to a
band of Indians who were almost flying
after us. their gay blankets streaming out
behind them as they rode like great red
wings. My heart for moment stood still
with terror. They were some distance
L
drew from her belt a shining revolver. In
an instant my courage returned. remem-
bered that the Indians were at peace with
their white brothers. told Wanda mot
to fear" and wheeled Juanita around
toward the advancing Indians. Then l
saw the cause OF their mad pursuit. Near,
quite near me- was gaunt famished wolf.
its strength fast becoming exhausted in its
wild flight. In its cruel mouth was dear
little pappoOse. The VOLTS eyes seemed
fuir hiaZinu
terrible mule cries and Jack lifted up his
voice in unison. The wolf seemed be- |
wildered and dropped the child.
l raised my gun and fired. The wolf
rolled over and died.
l jumped from Juanta and took the |
dusky little Indian bound to its hard board
10 my arms. 1 brushed back its straight |
hair and kissed its forehead and cried over |
1t. 1t smiled upon me. l looked up, and |
there around me stood several braves and a |
beautiful lndian-the mother of the child. |
L knew she was q princess OF the tribe, for |
on her bare brown arms were many brace |
lets, and on her head was silver band, |
upon which blazed great yellow jewel |
made to represent the sun. They stood |
about me, not q sign of emotion on their |
faces. The IUdian mother might have been |
carved in stone so calm was her face. After
moments silence one of the braves, evil
IDENTIFY the father of the child, advanced |
and spoke to the Indian princess. She
bowed her proud head and he took from
her neck cham of alternate gold and sill
yer beads Depending from the chain was
large silver crescent moon, in the center
of which was great brilliant yellow stone,
with smaller ones arranged as rays to rep
resent The sun, similar to the one III her
crown. lie brought the chain and fastened
it around my neck; then took the child
which | had all this time held in my arms
from me and carried to It's mother. Each
of the Indians fired an arrow into the wolf,
then, silently mounting their horses, rode
away. Half dazed l mounted Juanita
wanda had remained seated on Jack), and
we rode home.
For many weeks this adventure was con-
stantly in my mind, but gradually it faded
away until IL seemed but dream, except
when looked at my Indian necklace.
About this time Dr. Warner joined our
regiment.
WHAT the rainbow is to the dark cloud it
spans, what the fountain Is to the desert
wanderer. what the moon and stars are to
the midnight sky, that became DR.. Warner
to me. 10 him l was only his Coloners
little daughter.
One morning was idly swinging in my.
hammock dreaming when | heard the
sound OF horses hoofs, aud Edith Ames,
her beautiful face looking to me like the
picture of Saint Cecilia in the church, rode
by, accompanied by DR.. Warner. Edith
Ames was granddaughter of General Ames
of the Fort. and had come to our Southern
land to spend the winter with her grand
father. l felt as though the air grew cold
and sunless. threw my arms around John,
and pulled his feathers so harshly that
one soft, gray one fell to the ground
from my hand. That afternoon ma was
to give grand dinner in honor of |
some guests at the garrison. When was
child had fled from these grand entertain
nents, attended with much ceremony, and
visited some of my Mexican friends aud
eaten frijoles and tamales with them, but
now l enjoyed them, for l was sure to be
taken to dinner by my friend, DR.. Warner.
That afternoon lneZ, my mas maid, dressed |
ME Win unusual care. L fancied L looked |
my best in creamy white dress with Cloth |
OF Gold" roses, my favorite flowers, for dec
orations had almost forgotten my anguish
of the morning.
The guests gathered, and as went about |
from group to group, L fancied that the blue
gray eyes followed me with appreciation. | |
was looking forward to the dinner hour, ex-
pectlng to enjoy my usual pleasant chat |
with DR.. Warner.
Sans black face seemed an angel mes
senger as he announced dinner.
The guests followed ma to the dining |
room DR.. Warner crossed the drawing
room and offered his arm to Miss Ames. | |
watched them until they disappeared, |
then l quietly left the room. No one no
tlced me.
L almost flew along over the burning
sand. Blue above me was the sky-bue as |
the eyes l so loved. Cloudless and pitiless
shone the sun upon me. Life to me looked |
long and limitless as the great Mojaye
Desert SO near me, ard just as desolate.
No one cared for Chiquiriquita.
On, on l went-so wretched and miser-
able that even moments rest seemed ini-
possible-toward the dear old church.
AS drew near, TO my excited fancy its
gray walls seemed like heavenly city. l
could almost hear the three great iron bells
in the overhanging roof. silent for fifty
years. ring out clear and soft for the fair
Castilian bride of 200 years ago Then
chant deep and low requiem for the
sanity dead. pushed open the huge !
door, entered the silent church and threw
myself down before the picture of the |
Madonna.
In that blessed presence I felt comforted. |
Then nv eyes rested on the face of St