The morning times., 1897-02-05
ESPERANZA'5 VOW /

2 AOA INAtNAh - w" 4
but, Pancho, do you hot see how wrong
it would be the blessed saints would never
protect such union. No: tbs better to
part. Oh, my heart 'sloye," sobbed Esper-
ANA, as she stood with her betrothed at
stones throw from the chapel Of San Jose.
Alas, forthisfickle world of ours; we dream
sweet drearasand weave goldenfancies only
to be roughly awakened. So it was with
this pairofiovers; itnow lacked butamonth
before the little wedding was to have taken
place, and all was in readiness, when a fort
night before EsperanZa had sobhed out her
heart in the chapel of San Jose, where PAN
cbo had found her, all visions of their
happiness had vanished. EsperanZa' S faith
er had succunlbed suddenly to the deadly
typhus, and all thought of leaving the
widowed mother and the little ones had
to be abondoned. 1t was almost like giving
up her life to sacrifice her love, but Esper-
ANA was as brave as she was beautiful
and courageous as warrior. In the dis
NAL death chamber the night her father
died she solemnly vowed before her little
statue Of the Mother of Sorrows never TO
leave home until her brothers and sisters
could take care Of themselves. 1t would
be weary waiting and quien sale, per
haps Pancho would forget as the months
and years rolled by, but il must be done,
come what might.
But, Esperanza mia, y PanCho was telling
her-t was the first time she had spoken
to him since the funeral do you not see
that we could care for the niadre so much
tat tt,ar ,rD 10 har ADi act. ~
now. Do not send me from you, querita!'
lie pleaded. But it was in vain. She re-
minded him of her VOW to the Holy Virgin
and bade linn GO When she sent him from
her Il SCENE d as though the light OF her life
had gone out, and even the benign face OF
San Jose, at whose feet she threw herself,
looked down upon her celdly and indiffer-
emily, she thought.
Tie weeks and months following the death
OF Manuel, Esperanza S father, were long
and tedious for the brave girl who had given
UP herlife S happiness for the madre ana the
little ones. Misfortunes never come sinEiy,
and one cloud after another seemed to gath
er for time over tile old adobe house that
had once been so prosperous. The crliSHihS
blow fell when, one day during the rainy
season, the beautiful baby boy-the daring
of the family-was taken dangerously Ill.
All night long did EsperanZa and the inadre
watch the child conv ulSed with agony. All
night long the heavy rain fell III torrents
and was eatingi its way into the little dwell
ing, which lay at the foot of a liill. SO
intent upon tile baby sufferer were the
mother ana daughter that they did not see
that the water was flooding the living
room till tile ominous sound OF "A low,
steady gurglc fell upon tlelr distracted ears
"Oh, Holy Mother of God! What shall we
do?'' they wrang their hauds and cried 1t
was perilOIs to move one way or the other,
and death To the child 10 flee with him even
to the nearest neighbor's. The sleeping
children were awakened and huddlcd into
their clothes, and the remainder or the
night was passed in tears and prayers. At
early dawn, when the rain had ceased, the
little family wendcd its way to the chapel
OF San Jose hard by. Scarcely had the
mother carried out the sick child, when
the roof, which had been shaken and loos-
ened by the heavy winds and ram, fell IN
with a crash. With a despairine cry the
miserable family hurried To pour out their
grief to the good San Jose. They were In
very truth now homeless and h0useieSS
When the old parish priest came ont TO say
his mass and heard OF the calamity he com
forted Esperanza and her mother as best he
could and promised them assistance. He
gave I'D his own meager accommodations
TO them until something could be done
1t is very true saying that real charity
is always found among the poorand humble.
The neighbors Turned out in a body To rem
der all possible aid to the unfortunate fam
ily, ana tenderly they cared for the sick
child He will not die said the kind old
priest to the distressed mother. The
Senior san Jose will spare him TO thee, my
daughter"
Several weeks had now elapsed since the
dread night Of the storm, and the little
family were dOmiciled very comfortably
with their neighbOrs, while an attempt
was being made to patch up the wrecked
dwelling But in vain. The rain and wind
had done effective work, and it was found
beyond repair Even the modest hoard
| that Esperanza had been patiently saving
I'D against her wedding day-which, alas!
now seemed only a sweet dream OF the
past-and the profit she derived from her
ayulisitp lace work, would not be suffi-
cient to rebuild the little adobe house.
| Pancho pleaded his cause again and begged
| SO hard to come int o the family and be its
| support, but Esperanza remained firm and
| bade him remember the VOW she had made
| to the Holy Virgin.
Fidelity to prayer and duty is sometimes