Tazewell Republican. [volume] (Tazewell, Va.) 1892-1919, 1901-01-24

n
wv Maria del Vale, the wealthiest
mine owner in Morelos, reluc-
family departed this life, being as
sisted thereto by most of the physi-
clans in the state, and all the prom
inent bishops and priests, his only child
and heiress, pretty Ynez, was left to
the guardianship of her aunt, grim,
Dona Antonio.
artbroken as she was at being
thus left an orphan, for her pretty
American mother had died years be-
fore. Ynez felt that being thus left to
the tender mercies Of her aunt was the
unliindest cut of all. Everyone else
thought so, too; everyone, from John
Ward down, pitied the girl, and 50 for
that matter would you, did you happen
to have the extreme ill-luck of knowing
that belligerent dame, bona Antonio
del Vale.
Tall and masculine in port, heavily
mustached, as regards face, and made
ND. as to mental powers, of combina-
ton of three parts utter intolerance
and another part fanaticism and big
otrv. Dona Antonio knew two rul-
ing passions, an intense love of money,
and an overpowering hatred of Amer
leans. Had you given the dona her
choice between going to hell and con-
sorting there with the devil and his
tribe. or to America and the Americans,
she would have cheerfully selected the
former sulphurous place. People said
there was a reason for the old woman's
detestation for foreigners. AS a very
young and beautiful girl, she had been
engaged to, and deeply in love with, a
Young lieutenant He was killed after
ward in that very unequal and unjust
war between Mexico and America.
The shock of his death had left Dona
Antonio a totally different woman. and
her love for Lieut.. Coronado had
straghtway changed into a terrible
hatred toward the nation at whose
door her lovers death lay.
Such being the case, imagine Dona
Anontiasfeelings when her only broth
er took unto himself as wife pretty,
fair-haired American woman. She
neither forgave nor spoke to the couple
during the short years of their married
life. though living in the same town
with them. Only upon the death of her
sister-in-law did Dona Antonio conde-
scend to even notice her brother, and
only when he lay upon his dying bed
I -. - 20 - Sc
house. Once there, however, so. eff
fectively did she work upon his feelings
as to induce him to appoint her Ynez's
sole guardian. Not that Dona Antonio
loved the daughter of the American
woman-far from it. She merely
wished to direct the life and fate of the
girl. who, after all, was a Del Vale
and the last of her name. "There will
be no more hated Americanos now"
thought the dona, grimly. She would
see to it that the last of the Del Wales
made fitting marriage with one of her
own class and race, an old man-un
hombre serio-preferabl AS for that
vile gringo at the NINA de Buena Wis
IA" (for so did she designate John
Ward. manager of the Buena Vista
mine), she would far rather see Ynez
lead or in a convent than married to
he American.
Which you will agree was certainly
hard lines on poor Ynez, who had re-
ceived a half American education, and
! was at heart far more American than
Mexican. Also it was hard on young
Ward who had never loved before he
net the Mexican miners lovely daugh-
tsr and who therefore had all the hard
er attack. Neither of the young peo-
pie was very tractable, nor inclined &c
give in to the bigoted old woman, whose
only objection to Ward was that he be-
longed to the race she haated. For they
continued. to meet, as of yore, while
Dona Antonio was settling several Of
her departed brothers affairs. Wher
she discovered that the two were still
seeing each other daily, In spite OF hel
commands to the contrary, her rage
was something terrible. Young Ware
was forbidden the house, and poo
Ynez, struggling and in tears, was fore
IDLY dragged to her room, where sh'
was kept captive on bread and waite
: until her better senses returned, ant
she gave her oath to see no more OF th'
gringo, and to marry, instead, the hus
band selected for her by her Aunt An
tOnia.
This latter dignitary had been fixe
upon by the overbearing aunt, and
anything more could have been pos
. sble for the discontinue of naples
Ynez. this choice would have settled II
For Don Fernando Casanova, dyed
in-the-wool old reprobate, owned to
= least 60 years of age. He had bee
= twice married, both luckless spouse