Santa Fe daily New Mexican. [volume] (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1885-1897, 1893-10-14
MANIA AND MARYSIA.

Mania and Marysia were 16 years of age,
and both possessed the grave and melan-
choly beauty of the Uranian maidens, the
large eyes, blue.as the evening sky and the
heavy brown tresses. They seemed to be
sisters as arm in arm they wandered by
themselves across the sleeping moors and
in the glades among the frs. They bore no
relation to each other, however, save that
of friendship; but, oh, how dearly they loved
one another!
Orphans, neither the one nor the other
had known her father, needy laborers who
had died young, but with both still fingered
the memory of a tragic day when men in
black garments had carried away the bodies
of their sweet, dead mothers to lay them
away in the tomb
Mania and Marysia had known each other
since the days Of their infancy, but it was
only when Mania, the last to put on mourn
ing, threw herself sobbing on Marysia's
neck, ON leaving the church where still
burned the funeral tapers. it was then only
that their affection BECAME strong, almost
fierce It had q singular charm, this alb
sorbing love for each other, between these
two pure childish souls in the midst of this
hard rural life, surrounded by a landscape
harsh and sad. where witchcraft ruled, and
where the marvellous lay in ambush under
each osier tree and galloped over the plains
by night with stealthy step.
Mania and Marysia lived in the same
''hata" and cultivated little strip OF
ground which supplied their few wants
Evenings while spinning they filled one an
other with superstitious fears by reciting
the legends in which their young memo
ries were already rich, as of certain per-
son, who, awakening once about midnight
on the border of meadow, where fatigue
had overtaken him, perceived woman
standing near him. As he regarded her Gu
riously, he noticed that she had feet like q
beast.
On entering the village he related his vi
sion, and people were not surprised when
shortly afterward a pestilence ragged among
the cattle, for the specter was none other
than the death of the cows The same pre-
sentiment personified caused the cholera to
appear under the form Of woman who
walked on the water, signing sadly. She
had red shoes and collar Of coral. Then,
too, the treasures that became weary Of
sleeping in the earth and offered them
selves, revealing their presence by some ST..
pernatural sigma blue fame, a cat or a
child running hurriedly around the place
where the gold was found buried.
Mania and Marysia being very pious did
not fail in any church service. When from
their lonely 'hata' they heard the holy
bells call to prayers, the two young girls
fastened to carry to the feet of the images
all shining with fine gold and glowing
colors, the goodly offering of their little
souls as chaste as the hollyhocks. But
when after the service the youths wished
| to take them to the dance Mania and
Marysia fled frightened like two wild par
tridges.
On certain evening they were spinning
hemp by the light of resinous branche!
which burned in the fireplace The nigh
outside was lighted only by occasiona
stars, and the snow fell internationally. A
intervals the gusts raised clouds Of slice
that tapped against the windows lik
swarms Of frighted moths seeking refuge.
And, behold, as midnight approached
came the sound Of church bells, confused
! and muffied.
The orphans looked at one another sur
prised. The holy feasts of the calenda
they knew by heart, and surely none fel
upon this particular day, much less at thi
hour of the night!
"Without doubt we have but imagine'
that we heard the bells" they said to eac
other. But no. The bells rang, and thei
voice, beautiful and sad, foated languidl
on the limpid air like bark on the water
'Since the Lord calls, he must be obeyeo
Let us co."
And the two friends in haste covere
with lambskin their trembling shoulder
and departed.
The church, filled with the faithful, wa
aglow with the light Of many tapers. III
orphans felt their hearts freeze With
them when they saw that this multitud
was standing absolutely mute and motion
less. There was among them none Of tn
parishioners whom they knew, but onl
strange faces, terrible in their aspect. A
last the young girls recognized few, bu
they were those of people already deac
Shivering with fright, Mania and Marysi
tried to pray with fervor and not to hee
the sinister assembly.
The great door opened, and before th
high altar appeared the officiating prizes
| w u6u GuEucu WV 6I0 uuO WOAoAApCAcs VI
young girls could see his long white beart
descending to his waist, and his hair stream
ing over his shoulders. They recognize
then holy pastor who had been dead
hundred years and whose portrait hung 0
the wall Of the presbytery. 1t was he, jus
as he appeared in the painting. feature fe
feature. On his yellow skin, however, al
pearsd something dull, like ancient mold.
Mania perceived near them her dead got
mother, and little farther along her ow
dear mother. The latter remained indi
ferent, like stranger, without even seem
her child, but the godmother bent towar
the orphan and said hastily In her ca
"Why did you come here, little ones FL
for the love of Godi Fly quickly! And
you arc followed throw all that you ca
behind you, or you are lostp'
Hearing this, Mania and Marysia stro,
to gain the portal and began to run swift
along the road, but the crowd of the dea
galloped after them and almost overtoo
them. First the girls threw slipper b
, hind them and then another, followed /
the pretty little aprons. The dead satiatt
their wrath for an instant on these object
their creaking fingers rent them; the
grinding teeth tore them spitefully. The
the pursuit recommended. The vast arr
: of the dark sky embroidered now with 81
very stars had the air of q funeral clot
above the winding sheet Of snow stretch'
over the sleeping plain. The haggard ey
of the two fugitives seemed to see runnir
before them the convulsed silhouettes
the bushes, and at their heels sounded Il
steps Of the horrible and fantastic throng
Mania and Marysia threw away the
skirts, and their finely worked "koschula
and their beads. and holy medals. Thu
reached at last their 'hata," half des
from fright and cold.
Then, rs one of them bolted the door, 81
heard an INDISPENSABLE voice say the
words: