Williston graphic. (Williston, Williams County, N.D.) 1895-1919, 1901-01-31

N1HEN rich old Don Antonio Jesus
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 thesstate, 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 Antonia.
Heartbroken 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
unkindest cut Of all. Everyone else
thought 50, too; everyone, from John
Ward down, pitied the girl, and so for
that matter would you, did you happen
to have the extreme ill-luck of knowing
that belligerent dame, Dona Antonio
del Vale.
Tall and masculine in port, heavily
mustached, as regards face, and made
up, as to mental powers, Of combine
ton of three parts utter intolerance
and another part fanaticism and big
otry, 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 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,
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
straightway changed into terrible
hatred toward the nation at whose
door her lovers death lay.
Such being the case, imagine Dona
Anontia feelings when her only broth.
err 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
did she so far unbend as to enter his
house. Once there, however, SO ef-
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
womar--far from it. She merely
wished to direct the life ana 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-preferably. As for that
vile gringo at the ''Mina de Buena Wis
ta'.s(for SO did she designate John
Ward, manager of the Buena Vista
mine), she would far rather see Ynez
dead or in convent than married to
the American.
Which you will agree was certainly
hard lines on poor Ynez, who had re-
ceived 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
met the Mexican miners lovely daugh-
ter, and who therefore had all the hard
er attack. Neither of the young peo-
pie was very tractable, nor inclined to
give in to the bigoted old woman, whose
only objection to Ward was that he be-
longed to the race she HATED. For they
continued to meet, as of yore, while
Dcna Antonio was settling several of
aer departed brothers affairs. When