The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1906-10-28

TO accompany her parents to the Mis-
sion at once She rose sullenly, but |
in the manifold essentials of girl IS
life she had always yielded the implicit
obedience exacted by the Californian
parent. In a few moments she was
riding out of the Preside beside her
father. Dona Ignacia jolted behind in
her Garcia, low and clumsy vehicle,
on solid wheels and springless, drawn
by oxen, and driven by stable boy on
a mustang. The journey was made
in complete silence save for the. male
dictions addressed to the oxen by the
hoy, and al anoesasionasE Kl!
but the sun bores hole in the head,''
from Dona 1gnacla, WHOSE increasing
discomfort banished wrath and 4appre-
hension for the hour. sagt
Don Jose did not even look at his
daughter, but his face was ten years
older than in the morning. He. had
begun dimly to appreciate that she
was sutalring, and in manner vastly
different from the passionate resent
ment he. had seen her display when the
contents of box from Mexico disap-
pointed her. or she was denied a visit
to Monterey. That his best-beloved
child should suffer tore his own heart,
but he merely. cursed Rezanov and re-
solved to do his best to persuade the
governor to- yield to his other demands,
| that California might be rid Of him the
sooner.
Father Abella was walking down the
! long outer corridor Of the mission read
! ing his .breviary and praying he might
not be diverted from righteousness by
the comforting touch Of his new habit,
| when he looked up and saw the party
from the Preside laundering over the
last of the sandhills. He shuffled off
to order refreshments, and returned in
time to disburden the carreta Of Dona
lgnacia-no mean feat-volubly de-
I lighted in the visit and the gossip it
| to lead her into the sala, she pushed
him aside and pointed to Concha, who
had sprung to the ground ,unassisted.
| "She has come to confess, 1padre!'
she exclaimed, her mind under the deep
tiled roof Of the corridor readiusting
itself to tragedy. II beg that you
will take her at once. Padre Landaeta
our terrible news to him and receive
advice and consolation
Father Abella, not without glim-
mering of the truth, for better than
anyone he understood the girl he had
confessed many times, besides himself
having succumbed to the Russian, led
the way to the, confessional in some
perturbation of spirit He walked
slowly, hoping that the long, cool
church, it's narrow high windows, ad-
hitting SO scant need of sunlight
that no one of it's worshipers had ever
read the painted legends on the walls,
and even the stations were but deeper
bits of shade, would attune her mind
to holy things, and throw a mantle of
unreality over those Of the world.
" He covered his face with his hand
a. 81 40 t1lI hnr CT cho 4 IN
a few words, disiointed, for she was
both tired and seething. For a few
moments afterward there was silence;
the good priest was increasingly dis.
turbed and by no means certain Of his
course. He was .astonished to, feel a
tug at his sleeve Before he could re-
prove, this aimpenitenta child7for audaei
approach her lips more closely to his
:. Mi padre!' she whispered hoarsely
"you will take my. part!s You will not
condemn me to life; of miseryl I an
: too proud to speak openly to, others
) but, L love this man more than my
soul-more than my immortal soul. Dc
! you hear? I am in danger of morta
sin; Perhaps i lam already. in thai
Z state. You cannot save me if he goes
| ; l. will not pray. Il will not come to thu
i church. 1 will sftbe an !. ourcast.a If :,
!, marry him [ will be "a good Catholic K
! the end Of my~days:: II marry him
!. can think Of other # things besides-o
2 my church, my father, my mother, IN,
= sisters, brothers. # he goes, shall pas
: : my life thinking Of nothing but him
and if it be true that heretics ar
=, doomed to hell, then I will live SO, tina
l may go to hell with him.
) In spite of his horror the priest wa
thrilled by the intense, passion in tn
=, - voice. so close to- his ear Moreover
>, he knew women well, this good padre
@ for even in California they differe
n little from those that played ball wit
=, the world. So he dismissed the horro
and spoke soothingly.
IL "What you have said would be mo-
)e tai sin, my daughter, were it not tia
7e you are laboring under strong and ma
in ural excitement;~ and I shall absolv
I'd you freely when you have done til
1t penance / must impose You have a
h. ways been such a good child that a.
er able to forgive you even in this te
10 you know that this marriage can nev'
" TIT shall! It shall!'
"Control yourself, my daughter. Ye
al cannot bring this man into the tr,
ed church. His character is long sin
vn formed and ~cast-it is iron. Even lo'
ed will not melt it. Were he younger
to II should hate him. All young m
lot are insufferable to me-always ha
he been. I have found my mate, and ha
g! MIN Twill i'll have to hide in the he
We of his ship. All, padre MIC, I know n
ID. what I say. But you will help II
lie Only you can. NY father thinks y
an as wise as saint. And there are ot
I'd. er things-my head, turns round-1 c
he hardly think-but you dare not lose
mr.. friendship of this Russian. And !
- marriage to him would be as much ]
it'll the good Of the. Missions as for Ca
I'M fornia herself. If YOU champion {
ac.s cause, point out that not only would
She be great match for me, but that ma
,a ends would be lost by running my Ii
ION the governor will, find himself in
,oa sition to grant your PRAYERS for /
e o1S cargo, particularly, if YOU first %
o ape suaded my father-so long they ha
% been friends, the governor could not
&c sist if he joined our forces. What
'eic one girl that she should be held
- greater account than the welfare of t
~ ~ country to which you are devoting v,
lao life9 The happier are your conve
the more kindly will they take
nch Christianity-which they do not Il
ana as yet!-the more faithful and c
e, tented will they be, in the prospect
TIE the Injuries and the toys and the tri
cts of the Russian north. What is /
girl against the friendship Of Russia
5S 1Spain9 Who am / that I should we
s,s a peseta in the scale p -
"a HYou are Concha Arguello, the f
Ter of all the maidenS of California