The record-union. [volume] (Sacramento, Calif.) 1891-1903, 1893-06-10
ing and kept it, but it gave Bonita no


dreamt that he had such an cucumber
ance for father-in-law Careless, easy,
good-natured, the world all moving his
way, he had no care. He had married
Bonita because he loved her:
For rank is good and gold is fair,
And high and low mate i'll,
But love has never known law
Beyond its own sweet will.
1t was at this time that many social
pleasures were urged on Bonita. Balls at
the Del Coronado, across the bay, when
the white, mosque-like building, with
towers and turrets. looked like Aladdin S
palace of jewels; electric lights CLEANED
on beauty of Nature aud Art.
Benita's rare beauty won her attentions
on every hand. Through the crash OF
the music, in the scent of the flowers
came the music of the surf, and the
scent of the salt sea, ever recalling her
childhood and Santa Catalina Island, and
she wondered sadly il all these people as
sembled, who bowed before her now,
would even recognize her if they knew
/ who her father was, and the night winds
from the Valley of FL Cajon seemed to
whisper, "Quien sabe."
g For gold is far" and its devotees are
many.
In the mean time Nero had saved his
earnings, and had borrowed from his
| children enough money to buy few
heads of stock. These he gave Felipe
for the promise to leave san Diego for his
Santa Catalina home. He told Bonita,
and she aided him, and also gave Felipe
| a long-coveted hair RATA, silver mounted,
where the hand-hold came, to attach to
the saddle much effected by the Spanish
dons of long ago.
Felipe had started, but his old habits
! were too strong, and he came back a fail
ure, a bankrupt in stock and money.
So, then, Bonita told her husband, with
burning checks and moist eyes, her
trouble. Her recital finished, he said,
lovingly:
Il took you. darling, for better or for
worse. This Felipe is the worst of it..
Let him come here. Make the best of
him. 1t is no ones affair but yours and
mine. See, our shoulders are broad. We
can both bear the burden better.''
This loving argument, coupled with
advice from the pulpit of her own church,
to the effect 'that at the holy Christmas
tide all pride, envy and uncharitableness
| should be put far from our hearts so that
we might enjoy the feast in a true
spirit" decided Bonita to acknowledge
her father before the world, come what
may. Nero had seen Felipe and he told
Bonita that he had taken ''Fileep apart
and talked to him separately;" and, he
continued, The am so shamed OF hisself
he hab not got nutf shame in his decom-
position to fill de contract"
He spoke Of Felipe as if he were a
meerschaum pipe, and had to be taken to
pieces TO be cleaned.
1t was decided that Felipe was to
come to Mr.. Carter's before Christmas.
| Nero took the letter that contained the
money for clothes, and also Mr.. Carter's
proposition to establish Felipe in some
! business if he would promise to do bet
ter. He smiled at this allusion to work
and the smile seemed TO annoy Nero, for
he burst out in indignant rebuke:
Dat am too good for shirtless son of
| de shimmerings, and onless he behave
hisself when he hab such lubly relation
to help him"
Nero never would call Felipe Benita's
| father. He always referred to it in a
vague way. This vagueness annoyed
Felipe more than any other trait in
Nero for 1t was his winning card in the
game of life he was playing. Nero's SUI
perior tone and scathing rebuke, although
he knew he deserved them, annoyed him:
but, then, Nero had saved his life.
When Felipe would angrily assert
that Bonita ought to do for her father"
and that Nero should call him Benita's
parent, Nero would say. mot if de court
know hisself."
The day came, and Felipe, who had
washed his face clean for once, appeared
at the entrance to Casa del Alta, MIR. Car
ter's home. He created somewhat of a
jaunty tilt, the scarlet scarf at his throat
hoated free in the breeze the leather
fringe of his chaprillos waved like ferns,
the long taperdos from his stirrups trailed
| on the ground, across the silver mounted
pommel of his saddle was the braided
hair lariat. His mustang ambled
through the gates in a conscious way
Once through he dashed up to the front
door and drew the reinS taut with a
jerk, slipped off, and, with sombrero in
hand, he made sweeping bow to Mr..
Carter and his wife.
And then he was hurried in doors; but
Nero, rather impressed at the get up OF
his old enemy, was gazing still at the
closed doors and talking audibly.
'JeoshIcat, he am logged like de King
of de Deluslon Islands, sure sartin. If
he only stay good inside as he am out
side deere am hope for him." and he re-
treated.
Mr.. Carter was highly amused at the
dramatic spectacular debut, but he ac-
cepted it as part of the strange comming-
/ ling of the Old World with the New, so
noticeable in California.
Mr.. Carter wanted banquet rendered
to one of his friends on the anniversary of
his wedding. So Bonita had made all ar
rangements for it, and invited some of
her lady friends to assist her. The COM
pany dispersed before 2 in the morning.
and 1t was after the entire household had
sought repose when the terrible cry OF
fire rang out. The frightened guests
rushed out-the smoke was so dense it
was difficult to find their way
After seeing all safely out. including
his wife, Mr.. Carter ran to the stable fear
| ing the horses would be burnt
! Bonita, anxious to save some relic, ran
back 10 the west wing. When there. to
her horror, she noticed the stairway had
caught fire. Her agonized shrek for
n nj Aa1 i,,t H.. r
flames and noise Of falling timbers.
She turned frantically to the window.
As she did so Felipe came up with his
lariat coiled in his hand. He had crawled
over the roof of the porch.
ut is all right, my girl, I will save
you. on Will drop to the earth" he
said, "but no harm. l will lower You
with thisr
But what will you do?" said Bonita.
"Qulen sabe," he said in his old laconic
way, as he fastened the lariat around her
slim waist and under her arms; as he did
so he pointed to her to jump. She looked
! down, shuddered violently; then iupul :
sively put her lips to his wrinkled OH.
face; then Felipe, with almost superhu-
man strength, paid out the slack as she
! jumped from the first easement. Down
she went slowly but surely. Near the
| ground Felippe's strength failed him, but
/ she was saved unhurt.
By this time crowd had collected. and
the firemen had come, but too late to
save much. They saw Bonita fall. and
then. as Felipe swayed from the window
to the one below him, they rushed to his
assistance; but blinded, excited and be-
wildered, he fell, and was picked up un-
conscious, and kind hands bore him
away to safe place, but it was too late.
/ He only lived to say, The waves are
| calling me to Santa Catalina" And Fe-
/ lppe's life went out with the tide after
! the one noble deed of his lifetime. Twill