Clarke courier. [volume] (Berryville, Va.) 1869-1997, 1899-07-19
THE LITTLE SON :.
:. :. OF ANITA.

we found her one day when we were
exploring that part of New Mexico.
making collections from the fauna and
fora of the country for the Smithsonian
institute and never expecting To see
anything so deliciously perfect as that
barbaric specimen of Mexican beauty
as she stood winnowing beans in the
shade of her adobe hut. She wore only
the camisOle. the single garment of her
people. but her brown. bare arms were
strung with bracele Is: silver beads and
rings and earrings set off her rich. ripe
beauty and acceutuated her charms. and
corals made the duh black of her un-
bound hair take on the soft effect Of
velvet against the rosy red Of her oval
cheek. Her perfect chin was dimplcd.
rare type in New Mexico. but ex-
planned 10y other traces OF Castilian
blood. And she was married TO a Nava-
Jo Indian poor Anita
Why the girl should have selccte /
him from among number of more de-
sirable and richer suitors no one could
tell. He was an inferior man even
among his own people. of SQUAT figure
and most disagreeahle features. She
was already "A widow when she married
Mauuel Ascham. having espoused old
Jesus Martin when she was Is. He had
died when she was 90, leaving her mon
ey enough 10 say masses for the repose
of his soul and boy Of years. who
was as beautiful as his mother-and
that Is saying Il great deal.
We saw them often and never tired
ftu IN IL. =
bodily graces of the two-the hoy like
some wild thing his perfect limbs un-
clad, save on fiesta days, his great
dreamy eyes always full of slumber.
his red pouting lips ever warm with
his mothers kisses She loved him as
such women love one human thing out
of the whole world. and she cared not
at all foi her husband or any other
man. Only little Jean. the rosy rogne :
One day we found the little fellow
tumbling in the sand with small va
grant dog that had been beaten and
starved. but which was at once chosen
by little Jean 10 he his comrade.
wait me n little thou" expostu-
lated his mother. II thee will make 10
have 'hijuela, my son, and thou
canst play the So sweet moOsic
Anita was as good as her word She
let the Americanos watch her long
brown fingers fashion the native Jews
harp from weed stalk and linen
thread. and then she taught the boy TO
put II between his small white teeth
and fan il so that sweet strains would
come. Even the battles of that wonder
ful land can learn the tempo.
But Jean was soon displeased with
his "biiuela" and wanted the brown
dog that was like a skeleton dog. hut
very good and loving and after he had
eaten several "frijoles. " could play like
little brother And we, coming from
land where the dog is always the hon
ored guest Of the family, prevailed
upon her to keep the cur and give il n
trial If it should prove troublesome.
We showed Manuel. before we left, how
he could easily dispose of il. And there
by the Americanos became participators
III very strange tragedy.
Anita gave us some idea of why she
made such an unequal marriage. She
chose Manuel Aschan because he had
the cunning TO make love to her little
son. He had taken him To the fiesta pick
sung "El Carbonero" and taught him
To ride ii burro like cavalier and
brought him sweets from the shops in
the city. So. as il was lonesome with
no man TO come home from the orchard
or the herding, she married Manuel
and gave Jean father, for il pleased
her that the two were so fond of each
other Besides she trusted Manuel But
whoever trusts n Navajo Indian must
keep both eyes watching. He will not
mistreat his wife. for the laws of his
people forbid that women should be
treated as interiors, and he will not or
der her To saddle his burro or do any
menial work for him, but he thinks.
and an Indian of that country who
thinks Is dangerous and unscrupulous.
When Manuel began life, he had
only a spade. but he was going TO show
the other lovers of Anita that she did
well to marry him, and he worked hard
and now had goats and chickens oats
growing six feet high and a fine herd
of the small, lean sheep of the country
that have long horns and whose flesh is
sweet and juicy.
Manuel hated little Jean, whose ia
fher was dead and could not help him.
He was jealous to the death OF the poor
baby, and each kiss Anita gave to the
boy planted a fresh sting in that Indian
heart.
But outwardly he was as kind as
usual to Jean, and when the pretty boy
would cling to his treacherous hand
and coax to walk half way up the slope
among the cedars with him on his way
to the goat herding Manuel would fon-
die and caress the little brown hand,
and all the time he was thinking his
Indian thoughts.
One day when Manuel went, Jean
wanted to stay at home and play with
Teja. the half starved cur that was
now rs round and plump as Jean $ self.
''Go. thou, then, dear little one.
said his mother "and take thou the
poor TeJa; thou lowest him so. l"