Eagle River review. [volume] (Eagle River, Wis.) 1890-1927, 1899-03-16
JUANITA.
J ~~~O
=, c+ory Of Old Mexico.

The little town OF San ga us - ~
Inc ,;,.o most other little Mexican
mu, ns that it hardly needs any carefui
j %pscription. Lying as it does IN one
Eess .t Of that vast wilderness of Old
n ,1arico q tiny patch of green on the
MsA'( ~ the sun-scorched earth, it
, s'rs itaignifcant to a degree, and
S.+rollv if is not down on the map
..sh towns rarely are. Its few fields,
h,,vely struggling against the heat
.,6 drought, are but sparsely watered
~ little creek which flows from a
r,lue close by, and which seems to
disappear into thirsty earth few
k,,dred Yards farther on. San Carlos
N.st is composed merely of few
Inv abode houses clustered together
around square little plaza, and the
remnants of what had once been a
tny chapel, built hundreds Of years
before by the old Spanish fathers, and
hln standing a crumbling, time-worn
monument to their memory.
Yet primitive as was the little town,
here Juanita had lived all the happy
eighteen years of her life, and right
here she was contented to stay until
she should be laid away beside her
sleeping grandfathers and great
grandfathers in the little graveyard
beside the chapel, for she loved the
dear old place; and-possib1y because
she knew nothing Of the great world
teytnd-she never even thought of
leaving it. Then, too, there was an
other and still stronger reason. Her
father old Don Jose, had promised
her to the son of his oldest and dearest
friend, who had fought with him
years before in the war with the hated
Americans and who had been wound.
ed in the battle Of Cerro Gordo be-
fore the famous old City of Mexico it.
SELF Now secretly-this was just
what the young people had desired
Pedro and Juanita had grown up to.
gcther from childhood. They had beer
constant companions, and were they
not the handsomest couple in the
whole broad valley? Had not Juanita
oil her fathers lands as her dowry
which, united to those which Pedro
owned, would make them the largest
land owners in the village? 1t was
certainly a most desirable match, and
the two old men congratulated each
other as old men will who have seen
their fondest hopes fulfilled, and
empted many a sparkling cup to the
health Of Pedro and his fair young
bride.
But now Juanita was sorely troubled
Everything had gone along smooth
" as ever until one day something had
happened which bid fair to upset all
Mer plans for the future. On Ger.
@m bright morning there had ridden
Up 10 the door of her fathers hut one
VI band of Americans who were
respecting in the gray mountains
'Iat lay away over to the west. He
was a tine looking young fellow. and
w man who had been prospecting
'Vt TWO years under the fierce sun OF
olu Mexico he was remarkably fair,
"Hu Wen his blue eyes had a frank
I ,.i' about them which was fa1
a'.'sieDt from the ever-suspicious
sc Which characterized the men
" 'Lat quaint country. He wore the
, Ls1"i uFeSS of men Of his occupation
Vse Que flannel shirt and corduroy
f. users tucked in at the top of his
-, ,''! roots, a red handkerchief knot
w.. ,."'IeSSly around his neck and huge
heels. O"nsiins iio" LIS
s se%-.i'a had been standing in the lit
Ao, vS'~'ns on the opposite side of the
W, anu mad not seen him until he
,. IS almost beside her, so that 1t ap-
5as,e 10 her as if he must have sud
~ a., sprung from Mother Earth.
Tn, 1'Ds mad seen her about the
b S.m Instant she had seen him, and as
h f imn his wide sombrero and asked
gsc,n.l, 'Vet spanish to see the don,
lss, +'>vOOsly his pulse quickened.
s,Ti W. was really a very beautiful
ID Ian al girl. by far the most beauti-
psga eS'ofe he had seen during the
aDr o o"1fse of his stay in that dis
q he III country. and the expression
tee girls face fiattered him not a
b ~, s''i he had almost forgotten
sb 1 Sss he had finished bargaining
ut AND ia'her fer provisions for him,
scces aI HIS men, which he did at last
IA fabn,nI getting only at the payment
81 AMI @s'alouS sum, and when he tnrn.
aa IF, aW her standing where he
tsrs sDo,l ner he started and would
3 rri SeN en- had he not felt the pierre.
sssd p p1, olack eyes of Dom Jose p fas.
u t Spon him. As it was the the old old
i dausFSt,'ed the start and ordered
Erer Sx S;s hastily into the house,
lo,1 had been in dire e eonf Suan VITA,
Ms 4 oa;, and late lat night whe hen
y snOa.sI,etssly into the Ii1t,o Sn oe. nau