New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1898-01-09
CAN BENITO'S DOWNFALL.

-.s the manner OF u
p.c,to was the only son OF one Sonora Mo-
-. Che had wandered into Tularosa one day
~, her baby IN her arms To wander In Tu-
...,sa aroot is no small achievement The sur
..u,ang country is greasewood plain. barren
lis and alkah patches as far as the eye can
.,h AT Three Rivers seven miles to the
-, there Is q creek which runs almost dry In
-,,rnsr but north east and south, for many,
80 leagues there is neither water nor shelter.
~, the child. with her child in her arms had
u,sa through the desert Journey was marvel
.A.ch WAS not explained at the time but which
-. in after years attributed to divine guidance
c.5ors Morales was very young. her baby was
49,, two months old. and its father. she said.
white man. He was her husband. and
:. could come by and by. But he never came.
IN. n-iest found her shelter in a crumbllng
.ao,e lint and in return she swept the church
-. -orewed the paper roses in the white-and-
~. seas unon the altar She lived mostly on
80, Renito grew 10 manhood and early
40. nroof that his mother had spoken the
.-,,h :, saving that his father had been Ainer!-
..,o nv the extraordinary activity OF his mind.
Or, that he was also half Mexican was evnced
!, his quite ordinary Incidence Of body. The
s.,,ook his education The progress OF young
Morales was astonishing HIS reputation
5000 Advice was asked of him as frequently
a. NJ the priest and those who followed II ola
x.u for his Inspiration was keen common
.sn.e and an eye to the main chance II dawhed
slowly upon the padre that his pupil was com
ting 10 be Of unduly great reputc. that his own
p-est,ge was nenaccd; and when Benito was in
his twentieth year the good father thus ad-
dressed him:
"My son." said he. you are now man. and
YOU should play mans part. You should go
on, into the world and work for the mother
who has so long supported YOU"
The word work VAS d terrible stab to the
hear. OF Bcnito Blu, am / not to be priest?"
be asked.
NO" said the father piously. you have not
the spirit Of the priest You love the things OF
this world.
Benitos fine black eyes grew rapt, and he
opened his lips to protest But the father had
some knowledge Of mankind himself. and he in
terrupted And then" he suggested. the
padre must be always poor, but a brain like
yours can make much money in the world"
The fine black eyes sq4rk!ed with greed. The
white strain was strongest in his love OF gain'
insomuch indeed that j, overcame the laziness
Of his Mexican blood. and the thought Of ad-
venture which should be rewarded with gold
fred Benito's soul
"Where shall ! go?' lie asked.
"To the railroad, 60 s.corro, to Santa Fe. to
Tucson perhaps even 10 Los Angeles" the priest
answered vaguely You can grow rich-ah!
very rich-n Socono or santa Ft, you need not
frrth a. mi o
come back to your mother. and you could not
60 IT, maybe. if sou were So far away as
Tucson"
"But l must have money to go with" sug-
ested Beni;o
The priest looked al him reproachfully. Your
mother did no; need money when she came from
the north and carried YOU in her arms" Benito
was silent. But perhaps We can get one dollar
or even two. l VII 90 to-day and Try to gather
It for you. Have YOU no money Of your OWN"
NO" lied Benito, glibly.
"And get" said the good father. perplexed.
you have often been paid when you have given
tdHce"
81 gave the money to my mother Did she
rot deserve that l shOuld?" asked Morales.
nghteously
The padre doubted but he held his peace. He
gathered 81 20 from his grateful flock. and Ben
Ito Morales, taking that and the SO be had been
Il bis lie in saving. started forth to seek his
fortune His mother wept placdly for days, as
The smoked her cigarettes on the shady side OF
The house or knelt in church and prayed and said
her beads while the swallows flew back and
hrth and twi,tered among the rafters In time
che ceased to weep. but she talked necessarily
Of her only SON.
Two years passed before Benito came back to
nis own. He had gone in the summer. and in
ue summer be returned A drOuth was upon
lhe land. In those two years there had been
20 rain The priest prayed and the people sup
plcated and thc N.-,lr. OF 81. JOseph was carried