El Paso daily herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1881-1901, 1900-08-06
ROMANCE OF
EARLY TINES
(Continued from 9Th psge)


brown as the other children we're.
Her name was Dolores, and l though
her the most beautiful thing In the
world. We were together constantly,
and fell in love with her and she with
ms, tnJusa we were both too young TO
know It, know 1t now, and so help
me God l love her yet.
"We lived there in the little village
for years. My father WAS an educated
man, and he taught me to read ana
write, and told me of the great coun-
try where he had come from whlch was
really my home. Presently he oleo,
and after that l went to school at a
little Catholic mission house where my
mother took me. Dolores was old enough
then to learn, and she went win me.
We went every day, and after wn1ie
began to spend most of our time tnere'
when we were not playing out In Cne
cactus and the wild sage bushes.
"FAther Juan was the only 1rleno
we had that we could 60 to safely ana
ask questions. he settled Oil OF our
disputes, and It was natural tnat one
day went TO him on the most import
ant errand. Twas eighteen and Dolores
was sixteen, but we had MADE up our
minds to get married and we were de-
termined: but we would have be soon
killed ourselves IS to do IL without
telling father Juan.
alt WAS with fear and trem bling thst
we went to the little mission that night,
to tell our secrets. The little room
was bare, with a great table down the
center, and o crucifx on stand In the
corner. We had been there many
times, and had not feared, but that
night my tongue stuck fas. in my
throat, and L had even then, before
the priest came into the room TO see
us.a pre,entiment of what was to
happen.
He came into the bleak room fin
ally, while Dolores and 1 stood there
-miIine and beth of US inclined to
cry with fright and happiness. L
mustered up courage after while, and
told him. L showed him that 1t was
time that we married. 1 showed him
that had house, where we could live
with my mother, and thst had sheep
and could tend 81 the garden.
81 cav q change come over his face
while l spoke: have never been able
to forget 1t. 1t has hauuted me all my
life. 1 might have known then, but L
did not.
HE did not speak for long time,
and when he did his voice had changed
until even Dolores noticed It.
MY SON.. said the old priest, and
1 can hear his voice now as plainly as
did then. 1 had feared this, had
feared this. You cannot marry her
1t would be wrong
"'At that 1 got angry, and at the
same time self reliant, and 1 insisted
on Knowing what he meant.
"'You don't know who this girl is
said father Juan, while he looked first
atm and then At her. Who is she?'
why said. father, they say you
brought her here, surely you know
"'Ye.,' said the cid priest, brought
her here do know who she is. 1 say
you cannot marry her. You do not
know who her mother was, or who her
father was, do you? Therefore 1 cay
you cannot marry her.
Then 1 asked himwho her mother
was, and be told me. It was my own
mother, and he himself was her father.
Col will forgive me, 1 know. for what
1 did. Doctor, 1 was mad, 1 was blind
ed, and did not know what l had
done, until 1 saw that had killed him.
He raised his arms up above his head
when hesaw that was going to strike,
aud the knife went straight to his
heart.
""I overturned the table in my ex
element, and 1t made loud noise. l
stood waiting. with a Feeling that 1
have bad ever since, and that has
made me wish only to make my self
safe. Nobody came to Investigate the
noise, and after while took cours &c
to look around.
"Dolores was down on she stone floor
beside the priest, crying, but she final
ly stood up, and urged me to escape.
She wanted me to take her with me.
You zee doctor, che did not understand
than. ] did not even speak to her, but
started towards the door, and then she
understood. l heard her fl II to the
floor, and curiosity made me look
back She was lying across his
body, and her fingers had frightened
around the handle of the knife that
was still sticking in the old priests
breast. Her head struck the flag stor es,
and she was dead. There was a stream