Evening capital journal. (Salem, Or.) 1888-1893, 1891-11-21
ISA'S LOSS AND HER GAIN

San Juan was 105 years old, and was
held in great veneration by all the
people.
The little struggling Indian settlement
was sixty miles from the priest, who
could only come to them once a year;
so when any one was in trouble he went
to San Juan, who comforted him and
helped him.
He had always seemed so strong and
active until few months ago, when he
began to show signs of failing. He did
not go about from house to house as
much as usual, and when the women
chided him for staying from sight he
would shake his head and mysteriously
look up at the sky.
When pressed by the women, who
could not conceal their anxiety, he
would tell them that before the apples
were ripe again in the cactus hedge
down by the old mission lie would go
away from them all never to come
back Then the women would humor
him and take him to their houses, and
send for old Mariana, who lived little
distance down the valley, who made
the medicine for the settlement. Won
derful medicine it was, out of roots and
herbs and seeds, but it never did San
Juan any good.
When Isa, Antonio's wife, saw that
the old man was indeed getting weaker
she told him that he must come to her
house and live. San Juan shook his
head and said that he had place on
the side of the hill, where the sun was
always shining; he could sit in the door
and watch the children playing in the
valley, and he was always the first one
to see the priest when he came riding
over the hills. He loved that place and
wanted to stay there.
But lisa entyeated him, and finally he
lodged in her house one night. That
night Antonio stayed at home with Isa
and the children, and when San Juan
would again have gone away lisa begged
him to stay longer, because Antonio
was good TO her when he was in the
house. So San Juan, for the good he
might do, spent another night in Isa's
house.
After they had eaten their supper of
beans Antonio brought in more man
zanitta roots and piled them high, so
that the flames leaped and the fire
cracked and filed the house with light
Little Pedro clapped his hands and
tried 10 catch some of the queer figures
that danced upon the adobe walls.
lisa watched San Juan's face. IL was
drawn and cut by deep wrinkles. His
eyes were small, deep set and dim.
His straight, tangled gray hair hung
about his face. and made one think of
coarse torn cobwebs hanging from
dirty ceilings in abandoned rooms. lisa
begged San Juan 10 take blanket and
lie down, for he was tired she knew,
But he only stretched himself out
before the fire aud gazing absently AT
the flames drew San Juan Qsa's eldest
son, who had been named for the old
mani to his side,
lnt CAltu sat uoMn bl NlAV VtAiAlCh
door beside him and listened while the
aged San Juan, slowly and with quiv
ering voice, told him stories about the
early days in the valley.
Many miles from Caliente stand the
walls of the old mission, fast crumbhne
into ruin and decay. In tho inches
where the cruciflx used 10 rest the birds
build their nests and the bees swarm
about the western windows. In the
hall which echoed the solemn chant,
or the voices raised In prayer there Is
only silence. unbroken save as a
piece Of the wall eFumbles and falls Il
the earth. Il is deathly now at the old
mission. The wind slghs through the
dead grasses as the work OF destruction
goes ON, giving earth back 20 earth
San Juan tells the boy about the
days when he was there working up
and down the valley for the padres,