The copper country evening news. [volume] (Calumet, Mich.) 18??-1907, 1896-12-26
A Western EnOlh Arden.

Sonora Jacks,n's bare little kitchen
was aglow with light and warmth, and
the sonora herself, baking tortillas for
Jose's supper, was gay as tropic bird
in the gorgeousness of her attire. As
for Jose, he sat on the doorstep. in the
moonlight, humming love songs and en-
joying the odor of chile con carne which |
floated out from the kitchen.
The woman at her work chartered |
gayly with the man on the doorstep,
her strong white teeth cleaning with
frequent laughter. A handsome woman,
of buxom figure and full, sensual lips,
with child's boundless capacity for
happiness and a child's unthinking en-
joyment, her emotions lay upon the
surface, sounding no depths of love or
hate. She was very happy tonight, for
Jose was in good humor, which was not
an occurrence so frequent as to escape
notice. Jose had an overweening fond
ness for mescal and aguardiente, and
the depth of his potations gagged the
level of Maria's happiness. Jose was a
1.-the, wiry fellow, with doubtfully
handsome face-keen, black eyes too
near together and thin, eager lips, with
a canine curl at the corners. Maria had
learned to look for certain cruel CLINT
| in the eyes and restless twitching OF
the lips. That was the danger mark.
Beyond it lay the malice of fiend, in
scrutable, irresponsible, likely to find
vent in anything from wasp stings OF
bitter words to the angry thrust OF
knife.
But tonight he was gay, and Maria
was glad. When the tortillas were ready
she called him cheerily to come and eat
Jose sprang to his feet, and. swapping
his fingers like castanets, tripped light
" across the floor i'll graceful exaggera-
ton Of the bolero, while Maria, stand
ing beneath string Of bright. red chiles
hung from the rafters to dry, laughed
until her shadow on the whitewashed
wall assumed fantastic shapes. They
were very merry over their frugal meal,
which they ate with the greediness OF
those to whom life is not prodigal o.
pleasures. Jose's hand went often be
7 meath the table and drew out the wln'
Jug, which grew much lighter as tn
meal progressed. Jose felt that th
D saints smiled upon him, and he laughed
r to himself as one who hugs a pleasan
, secret to his breast. But the laugh ha
+ o sinister yjng, Us Maria noted dubious
y.
And, as they ate and made merry
r fate, wearing the guise of a feeble, hal
: naked man, with long, untidy hair an
beard, gaunt frame and tremblln
}, limbs, was stumbling toward thel
through the greasewood and cactus
1t with staring, hollow eyes. His he
a brain seethed with bitter thoughts {
/. them, and his cold heart knew no +
Is lenting. For over year he had bee
d lying in Jail at Ensenada, this MAN.
J. ing there without trial, in dam
noisome cell, fighting the fever and Il
rats, and he an American. The big
of the Jail was still upon him, and
shiyered, although the night was sol
st He was footsore and weary with his
10 mile tramp across the country. l.
We cholla had torn his limbs and t
ne ''Turk's head" pierced his feet. But
f. held straight on with steady purpc
We and stumbling haste. His mind, edo
st ing wildly about one central though
lis faced now the future, now the pa
nv God, what had he not suffered--i
IN Daniel jackson, from the state of Mail
Nv an American of the Americans!
"a. chung tenaciously to these facts. He +
lie his identity slipping from him and hi
"A self hurled, an avenging fate, upon
no objects of his hatred. He thought
he must be going mad and strove to ht
mt himself together by mentally rehearsl
Ia the past.
Of Ten years before he had left his no
er- on Passamaquoddy bay and sous
ed wealth in the placer mines OF MeXl
20 He had been more successful than ma
nv of his fellows, had 'stuck it rich,
rat fact, and at last, drifting into Tia Ju;
w. in the course of his idle wanderlngs,
oh fell in love with the place and W
EN- Maria, the only daughter of old Ran
the Garcia. He could have had the girl
the the asking and without the Formally
of wedlock, for old Ramon's eyes glitte
,ed at the Americano's obvious wealth,
the girl loved finery better than
tho thing except fiattery. But there hinge
a some trace of the old Puritan stool
m. Daniel Jackson's veins, and he mari
il the girl before a justice, which was
It" marriage at all from her Catholic pr
Ion of view, but hard and fast enough II
his.
They had been happy, too. for ia
son left no wish Of Maria's ungratlf
ian and she sang like a lark from morn
an on night. AS for Jackson, he cared Tor
IAN girl only and made few friends am
emit the Mexicans. To one man. howeve
ici- Jose Ruiz--he took a superficial liz
for Marias sake. Jose and Maria
grown up together, and Jose had
,rv. as much part of old Garcia's no
SER hold as of his fathers, just across
ta- arroyo. lie seemed to Jackson an
on going, good natured fellow, witho
thought beyond absorbing az much
shine and mescal as daylight and
cbt purse--or Jackson 's-would admit.