The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1896-08-21
THE PASSION FLOWER.
e. 1
BY B. B. Dh LUNA

The gardens are tangled, the ruins are
old and gray, hardly one stone standing
above another The bells are silent and
covered with moss. Even the grave
stones which mark the resting places
of the dead are dull and dark; the
names being almost illegible. All is
quiet, all is sad, ail l. deserted, save in
one place, where, elm Ding on q broken
arch glows in UNIV onted luXuTianCe
the warm brilliance of the passion
flower. 4 thing of life amidst the uni
versal death, a thing of beauty amidst
the desolation. Quivering in the wind,
burning in the sunshine, whispering in
the moonlight. 1t springs from grave
apart from all the reel. a grave scarcely
recognizable as such, save for the fallen
stone, upon which can be family traced
one woTd-a word which once drove the
city mad. a name which lives in song and
story. the name 'Chonita-"
The people shake their heads over the
tale even now, and in the soft moon
light evenings the dark-eyed maids
lightly touching their guitars, sing
with tender pathos of Cnonita- Chon-
ita, the wondrous dancer the beauti-
full. the gay.
Never were eyes so dark and tender.
never We're lips so red, never was siren
more bewitching. With her dainty feet
she danced into the hearts of all who
saw her. The whole city went mad
Men died with her name on their lips.
Still she laughed and danced Cruel2
Heartless3 Yes. But, ah! the most
beautiful thing on earth.
The young maids hated her, for their
lovers forgot them after one look into
her dark eyes. The mothers cursed her,
for love of her meant death to their
sons. The priests feared her, for, 70
them, she was tha very incarnation of
evil; the devil who tempted their dis
cipIes To sin. Yet what cared Chonita?
Tears, prayers, curses, alike fell un-
needed ON her rosy ears One smile
from her lips and she set at naught
all priestly teachings. One glance from
her ewes and the teachers themselves
could not resist her.
Dance on little feeti Over the hearts
of men, anywhere, everywhere. In all
of Mexico there is but one ChOnitsi, and
life is short! Dance on, dance on, the
waves are not more light. Soon will
all be over. The music. the passionat"
pleadings the cry from a thousand
adoring hearts: 'Brava! bravo! Chou-
ita! Chonitai' Soon the curtain drops,
the lights are out, all is silent Not for
thy beauty, thy wondrous grace, thy
cruelty. do they remember thee. Not
these the burden of the songs the dark
eyed maidens sing-ah, no, Chonlta!
One day there came to the city
stranger. "Americano," the people
called hir.l, and he was tall and fair and
Ia lahnnltl
after one glance at her radiant beauty,
he. too, loved her. That was nothing
Was she not the idol of them all? But
the moment that she looked into his
eyes. her heart awoke and SO she learned
what love was
Night after night she danced, each
time more wonderfully than the last.
All! how they loved her, adored her.
But she heard no longer their shouts
of praise. she cared not for the lights,
the music. She danced but for hiseyes,
his love. Alas, Chonita,
The DAYS passed quickly-ah, 50
quickly! Then over the sunny Land
broke the dark storm of war. Awakened
from their dreams, forgetting love,
their idol. all, save their country, Mex
ico's sons esponded to her call At tlie
stranger, too, hastened away; his coun
try also demanded aid; and with him,
but all unknown to him, went Chonita.
for loves sweet sake
Disguised as his servant, her lovely
face darkened with dyes, her beautiful
hair cut short, through all the hard
times that came she followed him. HeI
little feet that had danced so merrily
rested in the stirrups night and day.
Many a time her life stood between him
Many a time her hand, once covered
with jewels, showered upon her by the
passionate sons of her native land.
turned aside their flashing swords lest
they should harm him.
Naught did she care for peril or pri-
walton. All would she bear, though
reared like tender flower
Only To lie near him, to look upon him.
even if all unknown. Only to hear from
his lips the careless praise a master
gives a servant. She, the adored; she,
whose kisses he had once begged for.
All. we'll, Soon it would be over, soon
she would tell him. Then he would
know how she loved him. Then she
would be happy. Wait, wait! Alas.
alas, Chonita,
Already, though she knew it not.
he had forgotten her and the days gone
by Already there had crept into his
heart a love more pure, more holy. A
maiden of his own land had won him
with her gentle ways. \ maiden W hom.
when Texas should be free. he would