Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1892-10-07


| And the tide of anguish in full flood pours.
Sleep, little heart, in happy peace
When life shall give thee glad release,
When thou shalt ascend to Christ, and know
That he clasps in his hands of love earth's
Stanley West in Good Words
| A MEXICAN SEXTON. !
Arshur During had great fondness for
visiting cemeteries. Not on account of
those that were buried there-they were
out of sight. impersonal and conveyed no
distinct impression to his mind. His fond
ness for cemeteries was architectural in
the main and speculative in part. He was
fascinated by the thought that SO many
millions of people had lived and left no
trace but sacred to the memory" name
and date. His favorite walk of a Sunday,
| when at home, was in the large cemeteries
contiguous to the town he lived in. His
mind was perfectly healthy; there was
nothing morbid about him; in fact visit
to a cemetery would cure him of the blues,
not give him a fit of them. He had never
seen Mexican one, SO when an oppor-
tunity presented itself he took advantage
of it.
I He had gone with party of magnates
to Mexico in their special car as stenog
rapher. Being liable to be called on at
any moment he always carried with him
his notebook and several well sharp
ened pencils. This had got to be such a
habit with him that he, took his notebook
with him to theaters. weddings, to church.
When he went on trip with his employer
he carried another extra in the shape of
what looked like tourists field glasses in a
leather case, hanging from the shoulder
| by leather strap. It held a flask and
| three silver cups, and on this occasion con-
tanned cognac. 1t was fad of his en-
N ployer's, who disliked to see whisky or
\ brandy bottles around, but who, when he
wanted nip. wanted it then and there.
| Arthurs opportunity to see Mexican
\ cemetery occurred on their way down to
! the capital. They had their car cut off at
one of the towns and remained over one
day. His services not being needed, he
| strolled about the place and finally drifted
toward the cemetery.
1t was about the size of two of our city
blocks, inclosed by wall some ten feet
high. The only living occupant of the
place was an old Mexican pottering about,
hoe in hand, seemingly engaged in clean
ing the walks and graves from weeds. AS
Art hur passed him he mechanically said
"Good morning." and was somewhat
start led to have his salutation returned in
his own language
"Good morning, sir. speek Englesh, l
speek every language, every language have
| to get buried sometime"
"Are you the sexton?" Arthur asked
Il take care the grave, the grave take
care long time You spcek SPANISH"
mo" he answered.
"Ah, too very bad, Spanish a beautiful
language. You want to get somebody
| buried?"
"Oh, no; only walked in here out Of
curiosity. That's curious headstone,"
Arthur said, pointing to one near which
| which they were standing.
"Of truth, yes. You like to hear story
of that graves'
.Then tell you. First translate. TO
memory of Juan ell Peon. By a friend
| Fifty-one year take care that grave"
Arthur looked duly astonished, as he
seemed to expect it. There was one strik-
ing feature about this grave, it was the
| only one in the cemetery that had a head
stone 1t was of granite; a shaft, uncut,
untrimmed, unpublished, just as it came
from a quarry On the face of it was some
lettering, not cut into the stone, rather
scratched-as if done by weak, unaccus-
toned hand.
Arthur looked at the old sexton, who
was regarding him attentively.
"You want to hear story of gravel"
"Yes. if YOU please" Arthur answered.
] "You got ten cents? The authority make
I me collect ten cents from every one who
come in, to bury the poor who cannot bury
himself. Thank you. Now, listen me-"
/ Mechanically Arthur took out his note
book and put down what he said. The
Mexican had one popularity. He put into
his conversation wherever he possibly
could the words "d-n" and ''by dr."
for the purpose seemingly of conveying a
sharp impression of the essence and perfec-
ton of his knowledge of English.
"This grave fifty-one year old. The man
inside twenty year old. suppose he same
age now, by d-n. When he eighteen year
of age, he became himself in love of the
dear d-n daughter of the great hacien-
dado, Don Marcos de la Vega. Very rich,
Don Marcos. Plenty mines, ranches, bull
ocks, civilizations. Very high in the land.
Very kind hearted, merciful.
"Poor Juan Peon. he get crazy for
Chonita de Ia Vega, very crazy. Don
Marcos very. by d-n, kind to him, he send
him away to the mines, but Juan he come
back every time. Every one know when
Juan back, he come and sing the Indian
song, THE Love of the Tree for the Sky.
Very pretty song, very pretty, very much
tenor voice. Every night he sing it. In
front of the house every night when every
body go to bed he sing the song. Very
strong tenor voice. Powerful Every
body know when Juan back, they say
Juan ell Peon is singing ''The Love of the
Tree for the sky to Chonita Vega
| Impossible to keep Juan away. He
leave the mine, he leave the ranch, he
leave his mule, he come back and sing
that song. Two year he, by d-n, sing that
song. He never speak to Chonita When
he see her coming he kneel down and look
at the earth. Very polite peon. He dc
nothing only sing every night.
"One night Don Marcos he call his may
erdomo, Don Miguel. He say. Don Mig
uel. there Juan he sing again. I got sore
eve. tired that d-n same song. Go kill
him.
s.Don Miguel very honorable mayor
domo. Very kind hearted, he never lei
Juan know he going to kill him; he go be
7 hind him, by d-n, and cut his head in two
like colifor. Very kind hearted man
Don Miguel. Juan never know he dead
.'Next morning everybody know Juar
dead. Everybody talk. BY d-a Don Mar
COS he say:
81 give 5000 to know who kill my peon;
he owe me thirty dollars But Chonita
she look her father in the eye. She know
: he kill him.
"I never speak again. she say, or
curse my father
i For forty EIGHT year she never speak
. She dumb, by d-n, she dumb. She called
:, La Beata Muda'-the blessed one, dumb
= ''Plenty man come to marry Chonita
but she shake the head. Then Don Mar
COS he get angry. He say, BY d-n, Che
> nita, you get married anyhow, and wher
:, you have baby you speak then, by d-n.'
"Chonita say nothing; she get up and q
into other room and come back with knife
1.-THE proposer, he change face. He sa!
\. to Don Marcos, I very tired; go hom
- and take leetle Sleep He right. ricl
E.