The National tribune., 1894-02-15
THE NATIONAL TRIBUNE WASHINGTON O. THURSDAY FEBRUARY l5

been the stable-bog gyto saved me.had it been
my lover
| 81 wish to marry no one" she said. did
| ], why should Iepe your ! could imagine,
| did / need him, a man whose strength and
| force would rule mine; one on whom, in short
/ could lean and be proud. fear / should
4 not find such one in you."
Floating halfway from innermost shore to
ocean, they were now approaching the mouth
of a cavern in am oyerhanging cliff, close to
the waters edge, With the sight of it came
| back the curious story fisherman had TO d
him when he had discovered it few days
before, in airnless trip about the bay. He
had found within the cave a statue of the
| Virgin Mary, very ancient-looking. How
strange that it shonld have all passed from his
mind till now! dipping the paddle into the
water, he urged the canoe toward the cavern.
Juanita looked up at the change in motion
| Il want to show you curious cave" he said,
| gayly. He beached the boat, aud together
| they stepped across the rocks and in through
| the doorway. The cavern was shaped like a
room. Its dripping walls rose from floor OF
white sand.
The image of the Virgin Mary, dark and
weather-besten, but cnriousy carved. stood
before the further wall Oh kind of altar oil
stone. He noticed an expression of awe in
Juanita's face as she looked at it. He called
her attention to the surface of the rock that
formed the doorsill. 1t was rounded as il by
the action of water.
The water" he said, "tbe fishermen tell
me, never reaches here. The rock was rounded
by footsteps. The place has its story.
MANY years ago, the fishermen say, before
California was seized for the United States,
this bay was the home of tribe of fisher In
dians. The Spanish Jesuit m issionaries, always
eagle.eyed, came upon the place, and one of
haD oft hnro Whafh trn
fancy or the Indians wish, this rough cave was
used as chapel, and statute of the Holy
Mother, brought from Spain, was set up where
you see it.
THE tribe became christianized but they
never changed their place of worship till the
priest died. Then they went off in a body
inland.
In days gone by" he went on, Offerings
were daily brought aud vows pronounced be-
fore this presence of the Holy Mother. Once
more | ask You for your love. Can you find no
favorable answer in your heart that we may
not plight our troth here to the Virgn?"
"In times gone by offerings and vows were
brought here; but the Mother has long for
gotten this her statue. Let her but show her
presence, her approval; let her but nod once,
and the answer you wish shall be yours" -.
What sudden tremor was that OF the ground
under their feet? What trembling of the drip
ping walls?
Was her challenge to be accepted and a
miracle performed? Both looked up fearfully
at the statue.
1t moved slowly, as If stirred by divine dig.
nifty; it bowed forward toward them, then
half moved back, hesitated. tottered, and, as if
to crush the sacrli geous challenger fell heavily
forward the sand. on the very spot where
Juanta had stood, and whence, nerveless to
help herself she had been drawn by Arthur's
strong arms.
He still held her hands, and raising himself
to his full hight. said: Il claim the answer"
Lettering on the grass, as we found them.
the two looked the next afternoon on the same
old scene of splendid beauty; on the blue circle
of the bay, fanked by brown rocks and green
lawns and flowers, the Golden Gate. and be-
yond, radiant sea and sky, dartng gulls and
one white sail, all as calm as If storm was never
known there f' -
And az they looked Arthur learned that even
like the trembling of the earthquake all his
panion's old restlessness her dreams and
doubts and fears, had sipassed away before a
newer, happier feeling heard an answer that
made him catch her in his arms and cover her
with kisses-won at last by the earthquake
Boston Globe.