The record-union. [volume] (Sacramento, Calif.) 1891-1903, 1893-06-10


the sky good night from the far hight of
topmost peaks.
In this lovely home-lovely by nature
ana art-the warm, poetic temperament of
Bonita inherited from her race, COM
blned with culture. had full scope. and
life was at its best She did not forget all
OF LIES duties, but with true unselfish-
ness she sought to make life easier for
those whose life did not run in such
pleasant ways, and the poor and needy
blessed her tor daily acts Of goodness.
Among those, her early friend of Cate-
ma. Nero Washington, who had really
been the one who brought her into these
ways of pleasantness. So Nero and his
progeny eight i'll mum Der had been
sent for, Nero and his daughter for the
household service, and the other seven
mad lucrative work obtained for them.
Proud and important was Nero when
ne, as general tactotum, felt he was secure
for life.
AS in nature, silent, full-howing
stream that for many summer days
gIided placidly along to the sea, is agi-
tated suddenly by a breeze, the harbinger
of storm, till each tiny ripple is turned
to waves, turbulent and turgid, so uneX-
pectedly in life may come storms of cir
cumstances that disturb, fret and ruffle
the stream of lite as it flows to eternity's
sea.
An old proverb in old folk lore, al
though not often used in polite parlance,
is no less true: "Man often gets stick To
break his own back" And Bonita, in
her kind charity befriending Nero, little
thought he would be the breeze that her
aided the storm OF her life, or be the stick
to punish her, after the manner of the
proverb noted.
part. Nero had asked for half holiday to
90 fishing beyond Point Iona, and had
sailed away with light heart, and in
company with few of his colored friends.
When lacking around the Point Neros
attention was attracted to an object on the
water bobbing up and down. On closer
view and nearer quarters they saw it was
man cllnging TO a cask. They rowed
hastily for it, and were just in time to
prevent the now unconscious man from
Shipping into Watery grave. Cold and
stlH, covered with scars and bruises, it
was not till the man was recovering con-
seriousness that Nero recognized Felipe
Pardo, Benita's father, and Felipe, with
sardonlc glance, recognized his old
neighbour.
'Clar to gracious" was Nero's greet
ing, thought you were dead as bat on
de Sandwich Islands. Whar you cum
from anyhow? l jess recognized you as
de old yam-footed debbil dat nebber
liked me at de old home. Now l turn
good for ebil, and jess raise you from de
dead. Whar was you boun' fur on dat
barral? No steam, no sail. Guess you
tink you not make port berry tas' -
Felipe, now recovered, looked at him
steadily and said:
II come to look for my girl, Bonita"
Nero rolled his eyes till only the whites
were visible, and replied, with fine
show of Indifference he was far from
feeling:
.tSbe ,,,n-, hob lafF dose ,,or4. - 10
univarse long time ago. She one berry
purity gal. Likely she am married.
Felipe looked wise but made no re-
ply. The color was coming back to his
greasy, dirty face, and the old greedy.
cunning expression lurked in his beady
eyes.
Nero asked his companions to give up
fishing for that day so as to sit Mr.. Fe-
leep ashore"
II hate to depribe you of de fish, he
said, apologeticallY.
'No depravity at all, )" was the courte-
Gus rejOinder OF his friends as they turned
the sailboats PROV towards the shore.
Soon they were near the spray-most
rocks that hid the slip from view, where
the waves rolled up the white sand
slopes nov flushed with rudy gold of
sunset"
They beached their boat, and, with
a little aid from the two men, Felipe
could walk to a saloon near the water
front. After d drink, in answer to Nero's
curious questions, he told how his sail
boat had been upset in coming up the
coast, and, by clinging to the water casE,
he had tloated proyidential-ike'' near
the bay. He had been in Mexico, at
different points. all these years; and all
the comment Nero made was the sarcas-
tic observation:
"Dey mus hab missed you when you
left, jess lik' a coon misses de dog when
he done stop chasing 'im."
Nero never mentioned how he had
come to San Diego, but shrewd Felipe
suspected and bided his time.
Nero walked back to Mr.. Carter's, re-
solving, in his own mind, what would
be the best course to pursue-whether to
tell his mistress that her father was here,
or to leave time and Felipe to break the
unwelcome news.
Nero talked audibly as he walked, and
thought:
''Clar to de good Lord wish l wus lik'
dat man dat stole de oXes and pulled 'em
tails tust into de cave so to maxi de pee
pie tink DER tracks led outen de cave. I'd
hide Mrs. Nita so quick he'd nebber find
her no how, de t1amgusted pugwummely
dat he is, no account to de good Lord or
man. lie hab head, so hab pin. He
am a prodigal dat no one wants to kill
to hab an elefant roasted wild mintum
sauce COS her tader am cum. Now, | no
account niger, but he am de wuss white
trash. If he had no sole in him I'd bison
him wild one good dose of de best oxhide
gas and foxforus acid, mixed wild carbo-
mic gas; but dere he am, too bad to live
and too good to kill; but if tightening
streak TUX him we'd all say, Amen"
Here Nero found himself at the gate
Nero groaned as he passed through to his
quarters to think he had saved one so
worthless.
The next week Bonita, all unconscious
of her fathers proximity, was passing
through Il street when she heard her
name in the well-remembered tone of
her father, and, in a second, he stood be-
fore her, dirty, greasy, disheveled as of
old.
lie took her hands and peered into her
face Bonita shuddered as she met his
evil eyes-repulsion, horror, almost over
come her, but, controlling herself she
said bravely:
Felipe, 1 thought you were dead.
Where did you come from?'
Il wait fer you long time" he replied,
Nov l come fer you to read, to write fer
me. The padre promised this when you
lett me-"
81 cannot come" she said; but YOU
must 60 back to our home, and | will
send you money-much more than L
could bring you in fish,
He looked at her with cunning greed.
"How muchee you give?"
For an answer she thrust her we'll
filled purse in his hand and said, breath
lessly:
Leave by steamer tonight and will
send you more, more-all you wish-all
you want"
Then turning she took the electric car
that went in an opposite direction from
her home.
He stood still looking at the purse and
said, with a CLEAN of hideous, hooking