The Laurens advertiser. (Laurens, S.C.) 1885-1973, 1900-12-05
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fl Or, The ha0nofia Flower. III
81 BY VIRGINIA LEILA WENTz. II.
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CoPYRIGHT, 1900, II
BY ERWIN WARDMAN. ~
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i Or, The ha0nofia Flower. II:
= BY VIRGINIA LEILA vyENTz. II.
II corrnronr, 1900, /
BY ERWIN WARDMAN +
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CHATTER Ill

stood SIX feet, bOOtleSS, ana was, more.
over, young fellow of magnificent
Dulld. Qt was his ancestors who used
10 dance the war dance and cry "Ouich.
ka. not those who lived in Il castle
ana wrote on crested paper, that he
hau To thank for thiS.) His eyes were
ms dark rs the waters of the Rio
Grandc under the cover Of a starlcss
night, and they looked out straight into
those of his fellows like the eyes OF an
animal that does not know enough to
fear
In the pucblito where he lived he
was regarded rs Il marvel for bravery
ana strength. Once, when rherc had
been one of those rare occurrences in
Mexico, fire, all the town had ilockCd
about To see 1t. thinking ii. for It's rnri.
ty. better than fiesta. Then in full
view OF every one, with the flames
scorching him and the smoke binding
him, lnoCcncio had fetched out from
the fire an old woman in one arm. n
crippled girl in the other, while on his
shoulders was little boy. Oh, 1t was
Il marvellous feat, ana beyond doubt he
was youth of courage they said
Llama, for her pnrt. was fast growing
Into womanhood and was withal fair
to look upon. TO Inocenclo she was
very fair indeed, and his wont was to
likcn her TO the flowers that smiled.
rare, white and wonderful, from
among the dark leaves OF the magnolia
tree. La bella magnolia, he called her.
At times she glanced with such favor
upon him that he almost thought tho
beautiful dreams he had dared to
dream were about to be realized, and
old Cristno would chuckle in his
heavy, pondcrous way and. slapping
him on the back, say that all would yet
be well, that Liana's heart was I'm the
right place, after all
Again clouds would lower ana the
girl would look at lnOccncio indiffcr.
entlE. Her scarlet mouth would draw
itself down in Il prm, cold manner,
and she would call him "the senor"
ana ask him in stiff, stiltcd tones If his
health were good these days.
lnoccnclo was as shy of expression
as any OF his forbcnrS that ever tip
tocd In silence along Il dusky trail, and,
for the most part, he suffered these ca
PRECIOUS moods without Il word. But
outburst of strength and righteous in
dlgnation which brought things rather
more to n climax.
1t was the feast Of Guadalupe, and,
as usual, both he and Llama were in
the merry city with the good padre.
And merry indeed 1t was. The long,
straight street leading to the Santuario
formed brilliant vista to the gaze.
Nearly every house along its length
was lighted with vessels of burning oil
and with profuslon OF many colored
lanterns and made gay with draperies,
green Doughs and pictures OF the
Mother Of the McXicans," Is thou
sand banners proclaimed Our Lady Of
Guadalupe.
The sidewalks We're filed with
moving throng of men and women.
their faces all set In the same direc-
tlon- toward an arch Of fire that span-
ned the street I'm the distance. The
arch was formed OF paper lanterns
strung on wires across the street, and
the brilliancy of the lights Illuminated
and outlined like some enchanted
structure against the sky the grand old
Santuario.
The plaza In front Of the church also
was filed with a mass of humanity.
while surrounding 1t on all sides were
the venders Of tortillas and strange
fruits and vegetables with still stranger
Indian names. The venders squatted
on squares OF mating and sold their
commodities by the light OF naring
torches
Although not so fashionable throng
as that to be seen in the Plaza de Ar
mas, the crowd about the Santuario
was composed OF all classes. Cavaliers
In picturesque, silver laced riding dress
mingled with men whose white cal
sones, rolled up to their knees, showed
lean, brown. sinewy legs There were
grave, stately Mexicans and eager,
laxative Americans.
AS the Padre Antonio and those who
were with him passed from the front
OF the cathedral across the plaza Ino-
cencio saw something that caused him
to clinch his hand and made the blood
surge to his head till the gay scene
spun before his gaze in swaylng
mist. lie saw the bold, passionate look
or young American who was devour-
Ing the beauty Of Liana's exquisite
face. and he caught the quick upward
glance Of Liana's eyes, the blush upon
her cheek and the pout OF her lips be-
fore she drew more closely the folds of
her reboZo about her.
The next day old Cristino sat under
his portico, sewing up Il rent in a raw
hide chair bottom. Presently down the
road came Inoccncio on horse-he
had free use Of the PADRES animal
and, drawing up before the house, he
called to CrlstlnO
as Llama within? would speak
with her."
When lnoccnciO was mounted for a
ride, he scarcely sat I'm the saddietrcc.
From the Campechc hat that shaded
his face down to the pair Of Mexican
spurs that tlnklcd their little steel
bells against their huge five spiked
rowels on his heels you might have
drawn perpendicular line. 1t would
have taken in shoulders. thighs and
all.
Llama came around from the other
si2r OF the house. smiling and radiant
1t made her proud to see him there sc
fine and splendid. She went up to him
with look Of greeting in her eyes and
bagan stroking the big horses name.
"pve just been out by the wood shed
feeding the cat and dog"
yea" aaid Inocencio.