Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1903-04-11
+ Or, The hdOnoiid Flower. r
COPYRIGHT, 100,
By ERWIN WARDNAN.
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CHAPTER Ill.
BY and by Inocencio was 1S. He now
stood six feet, bootiess, and was, more
over, a young fellow Of magnificent
build. Qt was his ancestors who used
to dance the war dance and cry "Ouich-
kat! not those who lived in castle
and wrote on crested paper, that he
had to thank for this.) His eyes were
as dark as the waters Of the Bio
Grande under the cover Of starless
night. and they looked out straight into
those of his fellows like the eyes of an
animal that does not know enough to
fear.
In the pueblito where he lived he
was regarded as a marvel for bravery
and strength. Once, when there had
been one Of those rare occurrences In
Mexico, fire, all the town had focked
about to see It, thinking it, for its rari-
ty, better than fiesta. Then. In full
view Of every one, with the flames
scorching him and the smoke binding
him, Inocencio had fetched out from
the fire an old woman in one arm, q
crippled girl In the other, while on his
shoulders was little boy. Oh, 1t vas
a marvellous feat, and beyond doubt he
was q youth of courage, they said.
Llama, for her part, was fast growing
into womanhood and was withal fair
to look upon. To Inocencio she was
very fair indeed. and his wont was to
liken her to the flowers that smiled,
rare, white and wonderful, from
among the dark leaves Of the magnolia
tree. La bella magnolia, he called her.
At times she glanced with such favor
upon him that he almost thought the
beautiful dreams he had dared to
dream were about to be realized, and
old Cristino would chuckle in his
heavy. ponderous way and. slapping
him on the back. say that all would yet
be well, that Liana's heart was In the
right place, after all.
Again clouds would lower and the
girl would look at Inocencio indiffer.
emily. Her scarlet mouth would draw
itself down In prim. cold manner.
and she would call him 1.-THE senior"
and ask him IN stiff. stilted tones II his
health were good these days.
Inocencio was al shy Of expression
as any Of his forbears that ever tip
toed in silence along dusky trail, and,
for the most part, he suffered these ca
PRECIOUS moods without word. But
there came an occasion Of memorable
outburst Of strength and righteous In
dignation which brought things rather
more to climax.
It was the feast of Guadalupe. and,
as usual. both he and Llama were In
the merry city with the good padre.
And merry indeed it was. The long,
straight street leading to the Santuario
formed q brilliant vista to the gaze.
Nearly every house along its length
was lighted with vessels of burning oil
and with q profusion Of many colored
lanterns and made gay with draperies,
green boughs and pictures Of the
Mother of the Mexicans," as thou
sand banners proclaimed Our Lady Of
Guadalupe.
The sidewalks were filed with
moving throng Of men and women,
their faces all set in the same direc-
tion-toward an arch Of fire that SPAN
ned the street In the distance. The
arch was formed Of paper lanterns
strung on wires across the street, and
the brilliancy Of the lights Illuminated
and outlined like some enchanted
structure against the sky the grand old
Santuario.
The plaza In front Of the church also
was filed with mass of humanity,
while surrounding it on all sides were
the venders of tortillas and strang,
fruits and vegetables with still strange
Indian names. The venders squatte0
on squares Of mating and sold their
commodities by the light Of faring
torches.
Although not 80 fashionable throng
as that to- be seen in the Plaza de Ar
mas. the crowd about the Santuario
was composed Of all classes. Cavaliers
In picturesque, silver laced riding dress
mingled with men whose white cal
sones, rolled up to their knees. showed
lean, brown. sinewy legs. There were
grave, stately Mexicans <nd eager,
talkatlve Americans.
AS the Padre Antonio and those who
were with him passed from the front
Of the cathedral across the plaza Ino-
cencio saw something that caused him
to clinch his hand and made the blood
surge to his head till the gay scene
spun before his gaze In a swaying
mist. He saw the bold, passionate look
Of q young American who was devour-
ing the beauty Of Liana's exquisite
face, and he caught the quick upward
glance Of Liana's eyes. the blush upon
her cheek and the pout Of her lips be-
fore she drew more closely the folds Of
her rebozo about her.
The next day old Cristino sat under
his portico. sewing up rent In a raw
hide chair bottom. Presently down the
road came Inocencio on q horse-he
had free use Of the PADRES animal
and. drawing up before the house. he
called to CristinO:
"Is Llama within? l would speak
with her."
When Inocencio was mounted for .
ride, he scarcely sat in the saddletree.
From the Campeche hat that shaded
his face down to the pair Of Mexican
SPURS that tlnkled their little steel
bells against their huge five spiked
rowels on his heels you might have
drawn a perpendicular line. 1t would
have taken In shoulders, thighs and