St. Tammany farmer. [volume] (Covington, La.) 1874-current, 1902-01-18
''what is it?" growled Benjamin,

''What is it?" growled Benjamin,
who had not slept, and looked at her
in a manner she had never seen before.
"The pinata-have you forgotten,
stupid? Tonight is not Christmas
eve, no, no! But we're going to have
pinata, anyhow. Everybody is COM
ing-you will invite them yourself,
big stupid. I'll fill the jar with the
sweetest things you ever saw, end
we'll all have a knock at it."
Federico was mounting his horse
yonder, and riding away to inspect
some fields, and return in the evening
She was confused, and could say no
more, but pasted and pasted. The
pinata was put away then, with a
sigh, in a corner of the kitchen, and
she sat down beside it and dreamed
for an hour.
At ten Benjamin called her out be-
hind the low white walls. It was
very hot and she came in the big
straw hat. It's ribbons were red, and
hung across her shoulders with her
hair, or blew with it languidly. There
stood her cousin and Roberto, look
ing like sick men, but stern. They
seized her hands and bound them
with ropes. She cried out little,
but was too proud to beg for any
thing. Then they led her to the ruins.
She was terrified, but she defed
them. She laughed at them, as she
went, dragged on; and they but
turned smoldering eyes on her.
The ruins were lonely. Only the
all-powerful sun looked on the mys-
FERROUS avenue of the race long dead.
They tied her, standing, to the col
umn of ruined temple, in the sun.
"Tell me now" said Benjamin,
slowly, all the evil of his nature look
ing from his burning eyes, did you
give me your love at the feet OF that
god?"
"And if you say yes" said Roberto,
his voice like the ring of iron, then
are you traitor to me-"
"And if you say no, then are you
traitor to me-" echoed her cousin.
She was very white and could not
move her hands, which, tied behind
her, hurt her. "Big stupids!" she
dared, throwing defiance at them,
"you think you have me cornered.
Ha! ha! Have you not seen the corn
give single blade to the evening
breeze, that the breeze might wave it
to and fro? Thus, only thus, Benjamin,
the medieval, did I give my love to
you!"
'And did you not" cried Roberto,
sgive me, then, your love, at this 9th
err stone gods feet?"
"And if you say. yes" said Benja.
min, "then are you double traitor to
me.''
"And if you say no." the others
voice echoed, then are you double
traitor to me"
eyes, yes, oh, bloody beaten of wo-
men!" Knocked she; las the corn gives
it's tassels to be tossed, once, by the
morning wind, thus, only thus,
Roberto, the medieval, did give my
love to you!"
"And did you not, last night-con-
fess it, unbelievable wretch-yonder
by the heniquen, rest in the arms of
Federico?-for thus are you triple
| traitor to us BOTH"
"Beaters of women" she Knocked,
| naughty, erect and smiling, "you
| remnants of the medieval, as the
corn gives up it's fruit in the fall,
thus did I give my love to Federico"
"Triple traitor-base!" ragged Ben
jamin, whirled away in his trans
port, "as the corn is cut down-so
| you diet"
They slew her, and buried her body
secretly at the gods feet. To this
day, SO carefully did they conceal
their work, it is not known who
killed the fair-haired Soledad.
The slow, hot day dragged on. Ben
jamin and Roberto were seen no more
till the hot hours passed. The even
ing came, and the guests-on horse
back or in curious, old, high carriages
arrived. At night the great parlor
was alight. From haciendas as far as
200 miles away rode the guests. They
are a unique people, and have their
own amusements. They feel them
selves lords of the earth. They are
enormously rich, and many have trav-
eled widely.
The pinata is an earthen jar filed
with sweets or little presents, and
dressed up like a doll. 1t is hung
from the ceiling. Each man or maid
is blindfolded, takes q stick, and
strikes three times, often with conf
cal effect, to break the jar. Many
miss, and, in succession, others try.
When at last the lucky striker hits
the doll, crash goes the pinata, and
the sweets all fly. Then for the
scramble. This is distinctly Christ
mas sport, but is sometimes INDUCED
in at other seasons.
Dark maidens hid their dancing
eyes in that bandage, and struck at
air amid peals of laughter. Strong
men stumbled about in awkward
blindness. Once stick shattered a
window. Once fair lady hit noble
| gentleman on the shins. The fun was
uproar, and the doll swung whole.
But where was Soledad?
Il saw her recently" said Benja-
min, and shut his jaws.
| "She will come, no doubt, in due
time" echoed Roberto, his lips sheer.
ing and cruel.
|
"But where is Soledad?" all were
now crying.
''She will come" said Benjamin
But he could stand no more; he grew
| dizzy and went away.