Evening capital journal. (Salem, Or.) 1888-1893, 1893-02-25
A WOMAN SCORNED.

oh hCituiOS anu Sul lioJiduS WOulU
agree, both young and beautiful. She
was the widow of the Count of Pun
tos, who, knowing her vivacious ma
ture, had before his death appointed
a guardian for his two little sons.
The fortune which Veronica inherited
from the count consisted of valuable
city property and two magnificent
haciendas in one of the fertile valleys
near the City of the Kings.
AS soon as the first months of
mourning had passed, and after hav-
ing fulfilled all forms required by
social etiquette, Veronica abandoned
the house in Lima and with multi
tudinous trunks and boxes estab-
lished herself in one of her country
homes. Here she reigned a queen
and could give full sway to all her
whims and caprices. That slight
conception may be formed of her
power, it is sufficient to say that she
had at call some 1000 slaves.
Among these there was robust
and graceful young mulatto, godson
of the late count, who had always
been treated with especial care and
distinction. At the age of 13 the
count, his padrino, had taken Panta.
leon to Lima to enter upon the study
Of that quackery, pure and simple,
which in those days passed for the
science Of medicine.
When the count considered his god
son wise enough to correct even a
prescription Of Hippocrates he
brought him back to the hacienda
There he was employed as medico-
apothecary; quarters were assigned
him, with the control of number of
slaves He was authorized to clothe
himself in a manner befitting his pro-
fession and permitted to occupy a
seat at the table where ate the major
domo, the overseer and the chaplain.
The majordomo was a Galician,
coarse as a cork tree, and the over
seer, apparently, was cast In the same
mold. AS to the chaplain, he was a
chubby, mercenary friar, with bull
face and a nape the color Of saffron.
These three men accepted the situ-
alton readily, partly on account of
the handsome doctors spick and span
appearance, the distinction of his
manner and his keen wit, partly be-
cause he was useful to them. To sum
up, the young physician was attract
i've and sympathetic; very soon the
slave became a constant companion,
they treated him as an equal and
confided in him as an intimate friend
On the part of the less honored slaves
there was much grumbling and
jealousy.
When my lady, the countess, was
fully settled in her country home she
found time dragging little heavily
on her hands. Accustomed till now
to the gayety of the most enchanting
city of the Paciic--its bull fights,
theaters and fiestas--the days seemed
suddenly becalmed. Accustomed to
the delirium of society and its kaleido-
scopic exhibit of fresh faces, her
present little domestic circle seemed
tame and ifeless. The two Galcians
and the priest were perforce admitted
to her salon, and she soon delightedly
welcomed the slave. Had he not
been her husbands godchild and
protege2 Besides, he was regular
Don Precise and could prescribe a
sedative or administer a potion for
her imaginary ailments in the most
sympathetic and gentlemanly man
ner.
Pantaleon not only pleased his mis-
tress because of his attainments, but
his courteous youthfulness and vigor-
GUS, beautiful physique formed a
pleasing contrast with the middle
aged vulgarity of the chaplain and
the Galicians.
Veronica was woman, and III say |
ing that we imply that her imagina-
ton was subtle and heightened the
contrast considerably.
These great Peruvian haciendas or
ranches are set in the midst of the
coast desert like GASES. Water for !
irrigation is brought from the far
distant mountains, and the constant |
labor demanded requires large num-
bers of servants-slavery in Peru has
now ceased. To a traveller halting |
amid his weary, scorching, trackless
ride across the desert, where during |
many hours he has seen neither tree,
shrub nor life, it is an enchanting
sight this home of ease and plenty.
The white adobe walls, one OF two
stories high, encircling an inner
court, at little distance the charm
ing garden of flowers, tropical plants
and trees-the palta, olive, fig and
ferns-the tall, graceful cane, the
dashing Spanish caballeros with their
coarse but picturesque colored dress
all these are as tints in landscape
of beauty. But with all there is mo-
notony and ennui. The leisure and
isolation of life act wearingly upon
the always impressionable nerves OF