St. Tammany farmer. [volume] (Covington, La.) 1874-current, 1892-01-23
A LEGEND OF SONORA
a. Ee-,s tale Of spanish Love .
Tragedy.

Tragedy.
Two persons, o man and . woman,
faced each pther under . clump Of live
oaks liarl by were visible the walls
of an adobe house ciumbling with age.
The sun was setting; . slight breeze
stirred In the dark branches of the
trees. whis all through the hot Mex
lean day mas been mOtionless The
woman wac dark and small, with large
eyes aud o graceful body; the man. q
swartby vaquero. in serape and SOM
breru.
"And you heard him say-that?" said
she.
"Yes, soLorita He said: 4 love you,
I love you. twice like that. And then
he kissed her."
''Ah, he l.issed her! Anything else?"
''Thisw lie handed her slip Of fold
edpaper. II contained a woman's name.
few words of passion and a signature.
As the senorita's eyes pcrused it they
contracted, and she drew in . long
breath The vaquero watched her keen
~. II found il in the arbor after they
had Ronc." said he. -
She looked away dreamily. "Thank
you. thank; you. Mazeppa," she muir
INJURED. III is late. l must 60 in now.
Adios, Mazsppa!" She turned and, NOV
ing slowly, vanished behind q corner Of
the adobe house.
The vaqsero remained motionless
until she was out of sight. Then he
pressed his hands to his lips and flung
them out toward her with . pas
sionate gesture. The next mo-
ment he had mounted his horse and
was gone. ,I
An hour passed. Again the sound of
hoofs- A handsome young senor.
jauntily attired. galloped up to the door
of the house and. springing from the
saddle, hitched his rein over q large
hook projecting from the wall. 'IIola!
Maria. littl. one!'' he called out in
rich. joyous voice, "Wherc is my little
Maria?"
The senorita appeared smiling. She
was in white, with q reboso drawn
around her delicate face. She bore
twO-handled silver cup. curiously
chasel. ''Ss,e." she aaid, 81 have
brought yos some wine. Such long
ride, just to see me!' She was holding
out the cup towards him. but as he
was about u receive it she drew it back
suddenly. She was pale; her eyes gilt
tered. II TOO am thirsty" she said.
She lifted tie cup 10 her lips and took
. deep draught "Now you shall finish
it." she added. handing it to him.
He nodded to her laughingly. ITO
our love-" hs said. and drained it. ''But
how strangely you look at me. little
Oner' he exclaimed. rs he set the cup
down and caught his breath. "Is any.
thing wrone?"
''Ali is we'll" she answered Il am
happy. Are you happy?"
~? l am: with you. am not?"
She put Ser hand in HIS "Let rs
nevcr,be psrted any more" she said.
''Come; we': 60 to the hilltop and see
the moon rise"
Hand in land, they sauntercd along
the path up the bare hillside. On and
on they walked. slowly. slowly. Maria
gave a little gasp and glanced with di-
lated eyes mt her lover. He smiled
family and tried to draw her toward
him, but somehow did not: and still they
moved slowly on their way. The hill
top seemed strangely far Of. Maria |
pressed forward. grasping her lovers
hand. What made the distance seem
30 long? S9rely it was but q stroll OF |
ten minutes yet it was as though they
had been walking an hour--a year.
many years!
Down the hillside path came horse
man. riding quietly and humming .
love song. lie was close upon the two |
igures before he appeared to be aware Of |
Ihcm. They half stopped. rs il to speak |
10 him. The horse shivered and
plunged The rider stared at the couple
bot an instant, then. driving home his
'rurs, sprany past them.
Mother Of Godw he faltered. cross
ng himself; rs he threw backward
glance up tie path, on which nothing
was now visible, 1.-THE ghosts! The little
Zirl who. trey say down below. poi
'oned herself and her lover fifty years
lgor'-N. Y: World.