The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1906-02-04
CHAPTER I.
EDRO and Petronilla lived in country called Bea
or French Navarro, now the southwest corner


grapes kissed by the golden sunshine npened into deli
eous richness later yield their juices for amber and
Above the hills and on the south of them lay like
string of pearls the capped Pyrenees, and this
boy and girl lived in castle built the side of of
the mountains. $3.50 . 49," - @>-- -o' r.: Z
Many years ago the walls of their home had echoed
with the laughter of noble and Of royal guests and
host of retainers here had served their masters while
richly clad ladies and gentlemen had rpped up and down
it's broad staircase and had danced in it's long salon.
But the present had money with which to :
entertain distinguished guests bats owls flew in
and out thru the banquethai which portion of
the building long since fallen to decay The family
pied wing of the castle, to which everything that
could make the habable had been conveyed but
then the apartments could not be called coy or
cheerful. 49, '~- s--s -, ...' --
The apartment which the children liked best Of all
the great kitchen which kept clean by old
Jules the cook, and Olympic his wife On the rafters
hung provisions Of kinds hams and bags Of
such vegetables will keep during the winter, with
bundles of various herbs for seasoning meats and the
bitter varieties used medicines On the shelves
against the wall were arranged the cooking utensils the
threeegged copper potts. secured and shining ike gold
and snapped in the wide chimney and welcomed you like
good friend: - =. FL 4 .
Pedro and Petronlla were twins, and were so much
alike that their Catalina often declared it
mercy that they not both boys both girls for in
that case one might often have been soundy cued
piece of mischief planned and executed by the other
they played with other children, they talked all
matters with each other and the fact that their
had been passed in the companonship of grown
people made them wise beyond their years: IT. g.
Atho money scarce in the household, there were
which they had learned to ride almost as they
could walk such being the custom in those days in noble
families: - =. - 40 ~ y =. !.
For that period the twins very we'll educated.
They could read and wrte-an accomplishment which
many ladies of the time did not possess
they understood French and Spanish, having prac
tce in speaking the former language with Jules who
a Frenchman and the latter with Tomas who was
spanard well as with occasional travellers who came
from Spain and down from France, and to whom the
door of the castle always OPEN, -,
= Brother Francois Franciscan friar, who belonged
a village,
four times week teach the children Their
mother their aunt who lived with them, greatly
spected Brother Francois, to whom they told all their
troubles and of whom they asked advice.
Pedro and Petronilla considered their mother more
beautiful pictures of the Madonna in the castle
chapel She always black and, except on Sundays
and fee days. the goods of her gown was quite coarse
often very sad tho thinking of trouble
in past like the people in that part of the world
she could easily change from to for her nat
ural disposition joyous one, and She liked to take
bright view of things. 49,. -. 1i.*
The person who ruled supreme in the family and who
did all the planning and the heavy scoding, Aunt
Catalina who their mothers aunt. - -. t.s5
Aunt Catalina Of those persons who consider
it their duty to object to things This admirable old
lady that had she been consulted when the
universe created there would have been many
changes the better She objected to children and
often remarked people should have been
from Heaven full grown, for children always under
ones when wanted and to be found when
really needed they required constantly be patched
darned their usefulness out Of all proportion
the size of their appetite When her temper keyed
unusually high pitch, and when she particu
larly exasperaed with the children, she would remark
that people whose veins contained two kinds Of blood
would come to good This assertion greatly
puzzled the twins, who wondered what their blood
like resolved when they cut scratched themselves,
closely examine the result.
One day when Pedro playing with Jules knife,
which he taken from the shelf where it belonged he
accidentally cut his finger the sharp blade Hastily
replacing the knife where he had found it he joined his
sister outside the two examined the small wound
= with intense interest
my blood is just red; there is not another color
with it, finally remarked Pedro in decisive tone
s'From what Aunt Catalina said, thought of it
must yellow blue''
"Perhaps it is only red in hands and arms,
suggested sister. An the rest of it may be of
other color
This explanation did not satisfy the boy, and he
toned the matter to his mother evening when Aunt
Catalina was safely out of the way in her
Mother said he, 'twhy is it that our aunt re
proaehes for having two kinds of bloods Is it any
thing we can help or should be ashamed off,'