The San Francisco call., 1905-01-29

lily Oh lllG Ott hNAttc1i ioIu IOiONAS.
~ ENOR MANUEL ESPITACIO
e HIGUERA DE MORENO'S si-
Z esta was rudely disturbed by
mighty din in the front yard.
Lrdolently parting the tonnage Oh the
great grapevine, the lateral prahches
of which threw into shadow the en-
tire house-encircling ve:anda upon
which he was seated, the senior looked
out and at the point toward which five
lew born but full lunged dogs were con-
yerging. Just beyond the yard gate,
ewing the hostile demonstration In eVl-
dent trepidation, stood a man. He ap-
neared to be a stranger, and an AmefI-
cano at that. With few energetic IN
suits the master scattered the yelplng
pack, when the newcomer approached
and stood at contrast with his host.
He was tall, gaunt, angular, with an
unbearded tan blackened face, ana d
nervous reStleSSneSS of manner. Inc
other man was round, plump, indolent'
with a complexion the native sWarthl-
ness of which had been modlhed by
his time-silvered hair and beard, and
much avoidance of sunshine; super
imposed upon this was the FAINT cru
bescence which told of long continued
commerce with the native WINE OF MS
. land.
The senior made a low bow OF cere-
monious politeness and motioned the
stranger to the easy chair just vacated
by himself. After word or acknowl-
edgment the guest began:
"Harkens is my name-John Har-
kens. I've just
"Eh. Marcela" and with an apollo
eetic smile to the somewhat startled
Granger Senior Moreno waved his
hand before his mouth and shook his
head
A nrettv dark-skinned girl of perhaps
eighteen summers, with pair of glo-
rious black eyes, light footedly ap-
preached The old man addressed
few words to her, and she turned to
Harkens
"Meester, my papa say for you talk
to me- an I'm goin' tell heem what
you say"
We'll, Miss, tell your pa-now-
that nv team has got stuck down the
road a piece an I'd like TO hire span
of his hosses to take me to Jolon."
The maiden hesitated, pondering
troublOusly.
II don't know what is stoke, she
confessed.
Mr.. Harkens, figuratively, shouted
. into the ear of a long alternating i'm
agination to supply a synonym.
"Hoss tired. Lay down. No pull
him wagon. SavVy?
AS soon as the senior had been made
acquainted with the difficulty and it's
proposed remedy he sprang to his
feet, made a couple of low bows and
spoke energetically. His tone and elo-
Quent gestures. more clearly than his
translated words, indicated his belief
that the purpose of his long life un-
doubtedly had been to arrive at this
day, that he might relieve the tenn
porary inconvenience of a transient
stranger. He turned and issued q
command to a swarthy lad who, clad
in a gingham shirt and much be-
washed pair of blue overalls, was
lounging in the yard. Another COM
rnand and a large, luscious watermelon
appeared. Over this refreshment the
host, through his interpreter, opened
conversation.
you all alone, Meester 'Arkens, no?"
mo: my wife-now-she's back
there
you got some cheeldr'n, amt it?"
:"Tha's YER bad Heemself, e got six
teen"
"Goshi"
Pity seemed to be mutual.
"'E say tha's ver' 'ot day, an Jolon
eet ees long away an high up. Eef you
will do heem the honor to honor heem
weeth the honor
She gave 1t up and returned to head
quarters for fresh start
"'E weel theenk it an honor eef you
weel stay here tonight. trfumphantly.
''Thees 'ouse is yours"
well, I'll see what the old-now-
woman thinks" and after clinkfng
glasses with his host and absorbing a
goodish dose Of his wine Harkens Joined
the boy, who was In readiness with the
horses.
An hour later a covered wagon
creaked up and Harkens alighted, fol-
lowed by woman only less spare and
angular than her lord. He began the
work of freeing the horses from the
vehicle, but Moreno, who had come up,
waved him back and with a gesture
brought to the task a couple of boys
(boys were plentiful thereabouts), and
with a courtly bow ushered the couple
within the plastered walls of his house.
The evening meal brought the Moreno
family together in force. A few Of the
sixteen were dead or absent, but they
were more than represented by an ar
ray of sons-in-law and daughters-in-
law and their olive branches.
There was seemingly interminable
time of punctilious individual presenta-
tions. and 1t was with a sigh of relief
that the Harkenses finally sat down on
either side of the host. In the course
of the conversation that ensued the
American explained that he had jour-
neyed to these parts upon information
-now-that land might be had cheap
here. The senior delved into his memory
and described the locations of several
cuarter-sections known to be for sale.
giving minute directions as to the most
accessible route to ~>~~>AAA~<
each. OVVs