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

CHAPTER II.
The magnolia tree that had been
planted out by the accQula had seen
spring give place to summer and au-
tumn to winter nearly 13 times, when
at last one day old Berrendo and Girls
tino, his ncighbor, hit upon merry
plan. Hcnccforth there should be 10
more wrangling. The field over which
the water flowed was to be Lianas
marriage portion.
or course they would have to wait
awhile for the wedding. Inocencio
Berrendo's grandson, was only II, and
Llama, the granddaughter OF Crstino
was but 8. Meanwhile, having deter
mined upon the plan which should put
an end to the contention OF years, the
two old men were In rare glee. In
their abandon they drank to the health
Of their grandchildren more times than
was good for them in parras brandy Of
the best
BerrcndO was sharply denounced in
consequence by his wife. but Cristino,
poor old fellow, had no senora's gra-
cious presence In his house. TO be
sure. Llama opened her great eyes
wide when he laughed inordlnately
and sat down on Il table instead Of a
chair. But az he allowed her to take q
picture Of ST. Catherine that hung on
the wall and cut oUt the saints figure
for doll she thought. on the whole, 1t
was rather nice.
Inocencio and Llama had grown up
together, and they were both alike In
thls-they were orphans. The little
girl was but 3 years old when her par
ents, who had gone to spend week
with some cousins in near by pueblo,
were carried of by pcstilcnce Of
smallpox which swept down upon the
town. The boys mother had died in
giving him birth. AS to his father
well, no one ever spoke Of his father,
and Inocencio grew so at last that he
disliked to ask his grandfather any
questions concerning him.
However, he noticed singular thing
In this connection. Whenever by any
chance 1t happened that he was bold
enough to broach the subject Berrendo,
having yruffiy warded him Off, would
Invariably break into the samo t&tba
snatches Of an old Spanish song:
De mi lago t'escaparas,
Pero de mis- bola-quAndol
And then he would go about his work,
putting and steaming at n great ratio.
Berrendo had never been gaucho-
lnocencio was cure Of that--so why did
he sing this couplct? That was n
gaucho's song.
The devoted grandmothcr-~she who
nursed the stone bruises, picked out
the slivers, kissed away the troubles,
gladdened the young heart by her SIM
pie tales-had told him one thing.
though. His fathers name was Claude.
His mother had asked that the priest
should give her baby that name, too,
and he hadClaude Inocencio.
but Inocenclo Is n name long
enough to hear every day." the old We
man had concluded, "and your grand
father likes 1t better"
Llama liked 1t too. She would have
been lonely without Inocencio. He he'd
been her champion and lover-aye, and
ber worshiPer as well-cver since baby
hood. Once whom the tiny, soft eyed
ahing, a coquette even then, had put
her arms around the stalwart boy and
hsped In pretty Spanish that she loved
him he had stopped whiting his stick
end answered solcmnly:
but. Llama, you do not love me 40
well as Pancho Manuel You gave him
half OF your banana yesterday"
ON, ST. she had answered, with a
en&hf toss of her lovely baby head, "1
nked rancho yesterday, but like you,
Inocencio, today"
And Inocencio had kissed her. not
satisfied and not understanding, vet
trying to bo content. The glamour Of
his love cast about her an unreal light
out Of which shone so perfect figure
that lie bowed before her. while bis
straightforward nature endeavored to
grasp the tortuous windings of tenn.
permanent beyond his comprehension.
Yet at times was he also masterful.
The day, for instance, when unknown
to them Berrendo and Cristino had do.
cidcd upon their merry plan. The chill.
dren were making little adobes and
building toy jacals out under the mag
noila tree, fetching their water from
the acequia In miniature ollas.
why do you sigh, InocencioW asked
Llama, stirring her wet clay vigorously.
rs 1t because the English that the
padre gives you for your lesson tomor-