The Republican., 1894-02-15
MERCEDES.
The Story Of Brave Little Mexi-
can Girl.

the silence save the humming of bright
winged insects darting hither and thlth-
er and the murmur of breakers along
the shore.
Across the restless eXpanse of waters
the Californian coast line is dimly seen,
like gray cloud upon the horizon, and
nearer CLEANS the white sail of ship
outward bound.
Down where the sand has formed in
drifts, high heaped by the action of the
tide child, stretched prone in the sun
shine, is watching tl4e course of a fish
ing smack that is making for the har-
Dor below. At her feet lies basket
filled with treasures that the incoming
tide has brought.
This is one of Mercedes daily tasks,
TO roam the beach, gathering up
feathery sea mosses and the curious,
many-tinted shells. to be carried with
Pachecos catch of fish or load of game
SHARED in the canyons to the distant
mainland.
When she is so fortunate as to find
rare specimens the tourists at San
Pedro are often pleased to give her a
bit for the pretty souvenirs.
Keep it, Carita, and buy bright
ribbon for yourself" the father says
when she would tender him her mite.
She is the only daughter among seven
lusty lads, but that alone is not the
reason they are so gentle with her.
lowered richly with beauty of the
dark, Spanish type, eyes soft, velvcty,
appealing, checks the vivid hue of the
pomegranate blossom, form slenderly
graceful-the hating step alone be-
trays her pitiful condition, for she is a
cripple.
During the summer months Santa
Catalina is astir with merry campers,
but at this season the island is seldom
visited, except now and then by stray
tourist, who, intent on viewing the
beauties of this picturesque retreat,
braves the discomforts of a rough pas
sage in the unwieldy fishing boats.
1t was in this manner that we-a
party of five, including yself-made
the voyage from San Pedro, landing at
Avalon, a hamlet on the eastern coast
of the island, the latter part of De
cember
had just recovered from lingering
Illness, and having received marching
orders from the good old doctor.
Joined q gang of surveyors bound for
the islands. The crisp, salt air seemed
TO put new life into me at once, and
when during our passage the wind
died out of our sails, l took my turn at
the oar with the rest of them.
That was a toughish pull" said
Boycc, the foreman, as our boat keel
grated on the shingle. "Twould most
eh, boys?'' - -''"' - L"
There may be a hotel in the place, -
hazarded. Perhaps we can get bite
20 stay our stomachs before we begin
unloading"-a proposition enthusias-
tically received. At this moment lit
tie Mexican girl who had been watch
ing our awkward management of the
boat with wondering eyes drew near
and shyly protfcred the desired informa-
ton in pretty, broken English,
"The hotel, senior? You have only
to walk very short way beyond" ="
pointing where, rising above an inter
vening bluff, the steep roof of that
building was visible. "Shall | show
the senior the path?'
So falling in her wake, we scrambled
up the sloping, pebble-strewn beach,
our arms weighted with fishing tackle
and sundry portions of camping outfit,
for we were going to explore the length
and breadth Of this rocky islet, former
ly the possession of a powerful Indian
tribe and the rendezvous of smugglers
in olden time
he latter fact | learned in subse-
quent chats with our new-found friend,
the Mexican girl Mercedes, who was
versed in island lore, as her father was
born and bred in the place, and Mer-
cedes herself had never left it save on
rare visits to the mainland
As the days passed and we became
more familiar to her, the little maiden
lost much of her shyness and constant
ly accompanied her brothers, who Of
ten went with US in our inland expedi-
tions.
From the first she had shown a de-
cidcd preference for my society, follow
ing me about like a shadow.
l had found it u simple matter to win
her childish regard-a handful of shells,
picked up during my rambles and
added to her store; the gift of gaudv
scarf, at which she had gazed longing
ly as it hung in the window Of the sin
gle shop the place boasted-these Sc
cured ready passport to her favor. [
afterward had cause to be thankful
that | did these trifing acts of kindness
that l made her my friend.
One morning my wife and nine-year-
old daughter, Lillian, arrived unex-
pectedly via the small steamer Falcon,
that made occasional trips from San
Pedro to the island.
''What foolish freak brought you to
Catalina, my dear?" l asked, as we
watched from the hotel veranda the
antics of Lily and Mercedes, who were
already fast friends,
why foolish?' she queried, de-
murely.
"a woman's answer, truly! To-mor-
row l am to leave these snug quarters
and go into camp dozen miles away;
what then is to become of your lady
ship?"
my ladyship Will go likewise" she
replied smiling.