The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1902-08-08
dhe Truth Belated.
A Tragic Story of Mexico

Inlfteen years after the death of
Macmillan, Queretaro still held fac
tlons. lmperialists, proud, half-ruin-
ed, hated Republicans; reconciliation
was slow. Mauricio Norfega, hurried
on to his marriage with Paula, made a
mistake. His people We're Imperialists,
hers had followed Juarez; so his friends
despised her. She, unable to live with
out social position in Queretaro, grew
bitter; and they ceased to love-
Mauricio entered his big street door.
Whereon the iron knockers were dol
phins. The house was COOL and he
passed through it to the patio. Three
sides of that court were walled; the
fourth was open, where the land fell
away to the valley; and near the
patfo's foot the aqueduct, that worlds
wonder, reached the earth after its
long, flight The water, sweeping into
a tunnel, laughed with the last of it's
sun. Paula cIme and sat on the aque-
duct.
Then we shall separate" said he.
He was twenty years old.
We are children" she answered.
i was fool to love you. Rather than
live on, tied and grating-'' She
shuddered. The lines which curved
down from her mouth meant discon-
tent and envy.
Il shall leave you today" he said.
and stared at the distant arches of
the aqueduct. 1--WE do not love each
other"
She rested her head on her hand
twisting her fingers in her hair. ct is
better" was her answer, IF you leave
me Felipa.'
81 he walked step or two away. 1.-THE
| mother should keep the child. The
father should have Notwithstanding.
She brought out the baby which lay
IN her arms, pink and asleep. He
I'd 49,
back and stared at it again. After
that, looking haggard, he went out;
and the street door, with the iron dol
| phins, changed.
In Mexico, sunshine seems time. and
as you look back over the years it is
sunshine that you see. Diaz won his
enemies, and, in Mexico City, Noriega
| partoek of it. He served Diaz FOR
years, and grew weary of life. So,
after the manner of the dreary, he came
back, Don Porf1rio having made him
secretary of the state of Queretaro.
A girl of fifteen years old, played
| sylph-like along the aqueduct. An al
| ley led thither from the street. and
Mauricio came walking. At the SPOT
where the freedom of the valley burst
| on him, he paused.
What are you doing, little girl o"
said he, hoping that it was she, for
something in him cried for her. She
| looked up, laughing, where she stood
on top of the aqueduct, with her hair
| flying.
I prI my hair in it sometimes" she
| said. She liked him.
Let me see," said he.
She knelt down and dabbled her
| hair; then got up with it hanging all
over her face, dripping. 1t was dark
red. She laughed, and put a piece
4 n n Ir0 froY1 I10,
at him. Water dripped on her lips.
| 'See?" she said.
What is your name ?" he INQUIRED.
| as one who asks mercy
| Felipa Morales she said.
| He bought a house beyond the plaza.
| next that of old Don Hdefonso and his
| sister Gertrudis.
'Mauricio," cried fat Ildefonso, .the
| past is dead. We remnants of imper-
1alism are bitter no longer Make it
up with her. We thought YOU had
| died, and | swear I wanted to marry
your widow myself" He made in
f1ated jokes of his cheeks.
His sister, a doleful body, wiped her
eye. She is very mild, Mauricio,' she
| said.
But Noriega, going into his court,
| said simply: 1.-The past is not dead. !"
A year Mauricio lived retired, save
| for the business of state. In his garden
with books-Calderon, Sampoamor,
Peres Galdos-there was he nearest to
| happiness. But he knew that he only
| put off the search for Felipa. He saw
| her sylph-1ike figure in dreams; wan
dered by the adobe wall, and longed
for her. In his life there had been
| one spot of beauty, one onIy, and that
was Felipa, with the dark red hair,
| dripping water in the aqueduet
There is a church, whose tower is
messy and damp. In the court before
| it you walk over brfck-paved graves.
Here one tree dies, a limb at a time;
one limb for every year. 1t is a CEN
fury of death. He walked there on
New Years Day, and Felipa, with the
servant, came out. Behind her, ling
ering, prayer book in hand, came Pau
| la. Felipa's face was full of that pow
! er which holds, and resurrects. Her
finger was on her lips when she saw
| him, for she knew him, and her eyes
| smiled. She went away; and she was
| a woman.
| Noriega stopped before Paula. 1--WE
! should look at one another" said he.
ito understand ourselves
They looked, and she hated him.
| "Ah-now we understand" he sigh
| ed. 1--WE do not love each other. Have
| you told Felipa who I ann"
Il can not" She wrapped the silk
| rebozo round her.
/ He cried out in pain: "But she is
| sure to learn. You muSt!"
She shut her eyes; he saw her go
| away, with her eyes shut. 70 him,
thereafter, everything was Felipa as
she walked over the graves. O thou
God, beautiful she wasi