The people's journal. (Pickens, S.C.) 1891-1903, 1900-11-29

man..
"Well, when you get to be a man
what then"
"T shall marry you first Of all. And
then shall go far into the immense
forests of the mountains there"-he
pointed to the distant peaks Of the Cor
dillera, beyond which lie Tepic and
San Blas-"and l will hunt and hunt
and hunt
The boy broke off for moment to
listen to the wind playing delicately in
the branches Of the tree above him, q
rapt expression OH his handsome,
swarthy face. Did he hear his Indian
forbears calling "Yo-hi-ouanw
Eyes, and l will sleep OH n bed Of
grass, l will follow the traces Of the
stag and the taguar r.
"But what will you do with me?"
chimed I'm Llama, the feminine In her
asserting itself. She stopped her stir
ring and dropped her stick. She let her
little chin fall into her clay sOiled
hands and looked at him wonderingly.
"Oh," said Inocencla, laughing and
forgetting "Yo-hi- i-ouan," 81 shall buy
you home In gay Guadalajara. Would
you like best that 1t should be near the
great quadrangle Of the Plaza de Ar
mas, where the military band plays, or
close to the governors palace, where
the flowers are so beautiful, or next to
the big cathedral, where they burn a
nailllon lights"
"Why, Inocenclo" exclaimed Llama
admlringly. And then she added, 81
think l should like best to be near the
dear Santuaria." She rubbed her pref
ty check up and down his arm affcc-
tionately. "Becausc you know, l love
1t So"
For several years now the good padre
had been taking her and Inocencio
there on the feast Of Guadalupe to join
In the fiesta of the people. The vast
nave Of the Santuaria, crowded with
kneeling forms, and the dazzling splen-
dor Of the white and gold altar had
quite stolen away the child's warm re-
ligious soul.
The children went on playing quiet
ly for few moments, each busy with
separate thoughts, until Llama inter,
ruptcd the silence.
eyes, ! love the Santuariu, and 1t
would be kind Of you to buy me
house close to it. But. no ! should
want to go with you, Inocencio. Grand.
father will be old and withered then
and only have two teeth left. Oh, no;
l should want to 60 with you, decid.
edly."
"You couldn't, into the deep forests.
You are a girl" remarked Inocencio
dryly.
Liana's lip trcmbled for second
Then she rejoined with dainty tri-
umph in her voice:
"Ah, well, perhaps l shall not want
to marry you at all"
1t was at this Juncture that Inocenclo
had brought his lips together in mas
terful, grim fashion-n fashion which
he Ind and which grandmother saw
sometimes. but seldom Llama.
"There is no use in many words. I
like them not. But am going to mar.
~ YOU"
The next evening. when the padre
came to hear their lessons and they
were seated around the little table with
the kerosene lamp in the center Llama
Informed his reverence that Inocencio
hsh spoken to her "muy NAL"
The padre pulled face, and, draw
Ing the boy close to him, whispered
something in his ear.
Inocencio smiled and stood uncertain
significantly.
"Hc Is going to beg your pardon Ia
Da8lish,' the padre explained.
Then came Inocencios rich, mellow
voice, with a childish treble in 1t:
"A eos. ask Of YOU partiin. Zee hands
kiss Of YOU"
isn't the English tongue funny, pa
dre!' laughed Llama mrrrily. "ATay
learn it too! I'll study hard"
No wonder they loved the good padre
OF their little pueblo, He was a man
Into whose being something better
than mere scholarship had passed
woodcraft and weather wit, the friend
ship Of animals and a delicate sympa-
thy with the life of childhood. The
gentlcncss Of his manner contrnstcd
oddly with the bIgnrss of his physique.
And he was quite content to spend his
days In his humble little corner Of the
earth. He was too fastidious as we'll
as too lowly to care greatly for the
flinging up Of caps In the street.
Yes, the Padre Antonio was one Of
the Elisha kind as against the Elijahs,
one Of the sort that heal bitter waters
with n handful Of salt, make poisonous
pottagc wholesome with Il little meal
fnd quiet. simple ways to deliver poor
widows from their creditors and Sc
cure homes for orphans. In the pocket
Of his cassock you could always find
deck Of cards, but that was only for
the game Of solitaire. His sncrstan
and servant, old Jose, had carved him
sort of card table out of the trunk OF
tree. and instead Of going off with
his pipe or his cigar, his flute or his
guitar, as other padres did. he would
90 to his little table and have his game
OF solitaire.
Several years before he had said to
Berrendo and Cristino: "The little ones
are bright. They ought to go to
school," And the two old men half to