Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1903-07-18

DESEKE ~ I'm !
day Ia different circles Of society, ac
cording to the number who have takei
part In the pious contention. The priest
cannot be ignorant OF what Is going on
but II Is said that the more ardu0us The
struggle and numerous the combatants.
the greater Is his inward satisfaction,
as evidencing the religious feryer Of the
penitents and his own popularity
among them,
The railroad house, which through
the courtesy of the company was plac
ed at the disposal OF our party during
the few days we were obliged to wait In
Mollendo. Is neat frame cottage. en-
closing a central garden and surround
ed by blossOming trees ana shrubs. II
occupies a charming site on an emin-
enoe overlooking a little plaza and COM
mandlng a semi circular eXpanse OF
ocean blue while from its rose
wreathed yerandas and nowery patio
the melancholy music OF the breakers
sounds forever in ones ears, The pref
~ casa, however, has a history strange
as sad. IL was built by Mt John
Thorndkye, the railroad man from Bos-
ton, when at the height OF his power ia
these parts, and was designed for his
own occupancy. In the great dining
room are handsome sidehoards and ell
cgant table service; the drawing
room and numerous sleeping apart
ments are large airy and well appoint
ed and all the windows open. French
fashion to the floor OF the encompass
ing Varandas. Though so long deserted
everything about the premises, is kept
as spOtlessly clean as on board a man
Of-war, for the old servant who has
been In charge SO many years stil looks
confidently for the return Of Don
Juan as he anectlonately calls his
former master The latter, who al.
ways took this man with him during
the days when he lorded II up and
down the road having been long ago
ousted by some changes Of railway
management, has not been near Mol
lendo for Is years, and Is not likely TO
come again, even II yet In the land Of
the living. Yet everything is kept up
as II he We're momentarily expected,
The flower beds are beautifully cared
for, the windows polished every day,
and every inch OF yeranda and uncar-
pcted floor scrubbed white as snow.
Meanwhile the carpets have faded and
moths have riddled the crimson hang
ings and Father Time has whitened
the hair of the ancient servitor, who
has never abated his devotion by one
jot or little. In fact he has gone daft
on the subject Of his beloved Don
Juan" and like n male Mariana I'm
the moated grange. is"aweary' because
he oometh not His allng wife. who
could not bear the air Of Molendo, long
since went to live with q married
daughter In Arequlppa, and died there;
but even her death could not take him
away for one day, for did not the mas
ter leave him IN charge and might he
not return to his own at any mOment2
When the Peruvian government seized
the railroad some years ago, and this
house among the other property, the
servant refused to surrender the keys,
and would have defended them with his
life, II need be. Another major domo
was put in charge, but the Old one
stayed on. IN spite Of the frequent dis
charges and lack Of salary, until his
real merit being understood, the harm
less and faithful lunatic had come to
be considered fixture here
Nights In this deserted casa, with the
watchful lunGtic rowing about and the
roar Of the restless ocean sounding IN
ones ears ara rather gruesOme Ghosts
Of abortiye schemes and dead ambi-
lions seem to be proving around the
premises, lurking In the empty rooms
and hidden behind moth-eaten hang
ugs. On the parlor walls are pictures Of
the Meiggs Brothers, once the railroad
kings of Peru-both long dead. or
Henry Meiggs. the older and more ia
FOR Bret Hart has written about him,
Mark Twain has used him for a text,
and for years he was part of the his
tory OF this country. Thirty years ago
he was a partner OF Ralston, the Cali
fonia banker and a close friend OF
Senator Sharon, Flood, Mackey,
OBrien, and the rest OF the golden
princes whose honors dated from the
days of 10 and who have now nearly
an Joined the silent majority. Under
some stress Of temptation, Meiggs com
mitted forgery In San Francisco, and
when discovery was inevitable he one
day calmly rowed out into the bay,
cllmbedupo the deck Of a steamer pur-
chased her. and saiies away in search
of pastures new. He came TO Peru,
bringing with him much Of his wealth
and all Of his irrisistable energy. These
he applied to difficulties under which
this country was struggling, and over
came them He sent back money to
California TO reimburse with good in
Derest those who had suffered by his
forgeries but he never returned him
self. and finally died here, one OF the
richest and most influential men on the
western coast From Ecuador to Pata-
gonia. through Peru, Bolivia and Chill,
Neiggs' enterprises extended, and the
result is a series OF railroads at right
angles with the coast, connecting the
interior Of the country with the sea-
ports, and giving to the mines In the
mountains, the nitrate beds estates
and sugar haciendas easy outlets to the
ocean. FANNIE Il. WARD.