Williston graphic. (Williston, Williams County, N.D.) 1895-1919, 1905-01-12
Don Ra111o11's
Revenge
3 mrs. ". DAVENPORT HuDnALL

By HRS. ". OAV6NFVA1A 0 oO3'AA1
"A WAY down in Old Mexico, Senior
"a Ramon gloated over his vast pos
Sessions. Day by day he became more
and more disconnected and morose, as
he looked upon his broad acres, fields
Of coffee, sugar and hemp, and as lar as
the eye could reach, and beyond, ne
could call the land and all who dwelt
thereon his. But Don Ramon was
widower, because all the pretty senor-
itas and the widowed senoras looked
upon him with fear. .-
It had been whispered abroad that
somewhere away back in his life there
had been q young and pretty Donna
Ramon, who had mysteriously dlsap-
peared, after she had gone win MIN "
the far away land of the Gringoes.
Be that as it may, only he knew and
when. he courted pretty Senorlta lnez
Sanford, just fresh from the convent
and devoted care of the good sisters OF
Sacre Occur, he never could fathom the
evident fear she had Of him. lnez was
the only daughter of a noble Mexican
family, consisting of three brothers ana
her widowed mother.
All wanted her to marry Don Ramon
because of his broad lands and great
wealth, and upon her shoulders rested
the responsibility of recouping the lost
fortunes of the noble Sanford family.
The boys either would not or coulo
not work, and as soon as they found
Senior Don Ramon had fallen in love
with gentle Inez, their future seemed
assured.
Surely no girl in her right mind
would refuse such an offer, much less
Inez, who was simply penniless girl,
with naught but q sweet, gentle dis
position and beautiful face. 1nez Kept
her own counsel, and almost broke her
heart over the turn affairs had taken.
She loved her mother, and brothers. too,
as she knew nothing of their escapades.
But she had been to mass at the great
cathedral on some Of the sacred feast
days of the church, and her lovely eyes
had wandered around many times when
she should have been aging her prayers.
and they encountered the admiring
glances of Don Pedro Garcia, he of the
powerful form and graceful carriage.
Inez always looked for him every
time she went to the cathedral, and he
was always in the Same place, no mat
ter at what hour sh, was there. She
wondered how it could be that he knew
when to find her.
After she left the care of the sisters
and went to live with her family, no
matter when she attended the mass, he
was always there. Heart answered
heart, and her eyes returned his loving
glances, and some day she knew she
should meet him. Surely, the Blessed
Mother Mary would bring all around
right. So Inez continued her work
among her flowers, and sang the live
long day, as she nursed her secret love
for Don Pedro. She knew who was un-
der her window at night, singing the
old love songs to the twanging OF his
guitar and the stray notes she found in
the early morning, as she strolled i'm
the garden. surely could only come from
one source.
But alas! one day as she came home
from a visit in the country to an old
schoolmate, imagine her establishment
upon entering the room to see Don
Ramon chatting Familiarity with her
mother and brothers, and her mother
addressing her, saying: 'lnez, dear,
Senior Don Ramon has conferred the
great honor upon US of asking your hand
in marriage, and we have accepted him
for you. Come here, dear, and let us
congratulate you upon your good for
tune
+ Inez looked from one to the other,
and great tears welled up in her eyes.
"Oh,, mother mia, don't love Don
Ramon. I-I-oh! don't ask me to
marry him. l cannot-I cannot"
She ran out of the room, and up to
her little shrine, and poured out her
heart to the Mother of Sorrows.
Sonora Sanford made the best of the
situation, and laughingly excused her
by saying it would all be right by to-
morrow; it was because the proposal
was so unexpected, so sudden.
After Don Ramon had gone, Sonora
Santora went in quest of her willful
lnez.
What do you mean?" she said.
Don't you know we are as poor as we
can be, and it only remains for you to
wed the Don to keep us from beggarly
poverty, and the Don has promised to
help your brothers, and me, also. You
must and shall marry him. l had
pledged my word"
Poor Inez! Her life became one long
torture, and at last she gave her I'M
willing consent, and then the Santora
household became one vast workshop OF
preparation.
All the girls and widows shook their
heads and prophesied dire disaster to
follow the marriage. But Don Ramon
showered his passive bride-elect with
costly jewels and richest fabrics for her
apparel.
Alas! one evening as Inez was sit
ting in the garden, as she thought alone,
she heard the love song she knew so
we'll, and some one else heard it also,