Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-10-07
while we attend to the more reasonable du-

| empty. The Russians had been told that a
| mass would be said in their honor, and
they marched down the church and bent
their knees with as much ceremony as had
| they been of the faith of their hosts When
the short mass was over ReZanov be-
| thought himself of Concha's request and
whispering its purport to Father Abella
was led to a double iron hoop stuck with
| tallow dips in various stages of petition.
Rezanov lit a candle and fastened it in an
empty socket. Then with a whimsical
| twist of his mouth he lit and adjusted an
other.
No doubt she has some fervent wish.
like all children" he thought APOLOGIZE
| cally. And whether this will help her
| to realize 1t or not at least 1t will be in
teresting TO watch her eyes-and mouth
when l tell her. Will she melt, or fash, OF
receive my Offering at her shrine as
| matter of course? I'll surprise her tonight
| in the middle of a dance"
He deposited a gold piece among the
| candles on the table and followed Father
Abella through a side door. A corridor
ran behind the long line of rooms designed
| not only for priests, but for the travellers
| always sure of a welcome at these hospita-
bic missions Father Abela shuffled ahead,
| halted on the threshold of a large ROOM
| tremendously invited his guests to enter.
| Two other priests stood before table set
| with wine and delicate confections their
| hands concealed in their wide brown
| sleeves, but their unmatched physlognomies
the one lean and jovial, the other plump
and reSigned-alight with the same smile OF
| welcome. Father Abella mentioned them
| as his coadjutor Father Martin Landaeta,
| and their guest Father Jose Uria OF San
Jose; and then the three, with the scant
rites of genuine hospitality, applied them
selves to the tickling of palates long I'M
used to ambrosial living. Responding in
genuously to the glow of their homemade
wines. they begged ReZanov to accept the
mission, burn II, plumber 1t, above all, to
plan his own day.
Il hope that | am to see every detail OF
your great work. replied the diplomatic
n Of T..sa
Meanwhile, [ beg that you will order ono
of your Indians to bring in the lI!tle pres
ents venture to offer as a token OF my re-
spect. You may have heard tha- the pres
ents of his imperial ajesty We're refused
by the Mikado of Japan. l reserv Il many
of them for possible In out own pos
sessions, particularly a piece Of cloth of
gold. This I had intended for oar church
at New Archangel. but finding she priests
there more in need of punishment tdan re-
ward. concluded to bring il here ana offer
1t as a manifest Of my admiration for what
the great Franciscan Order of the Mos.
Holy Church of Rome has accomplished in
the CALIFORNIA;. Have been too prcsump-
tuous?"
The priests all wore the eager expressions
Of children.
Gould not them frsi":' asked
Father Landaeta of his superior; and
Father Abella sent servant with an order
to unload the horse and bring in the pres
ents.
Not a vestige Of reserve fingered Priests
ana guests sat ABOUT the taDIe, eating ana
drinking and chatting We're they old
friends united, and Rezanov extracted much
of the informa ton he desired. The white
popu!ation-"gente de razon'-of Alta CALI
fornia, the peculiar province of The Fran
ciscans-the Jesuits having been the first
to invade Baja California, and with little
success numbered about two thousand,
the Christianized Indians about twenty
thousand. There We're nineteen missions
and four presidial dstricts-San Diego,
close to the border of Baja California, San
ia Barbara. Monterey and San Francisco.
Each mission had an immense grant of
land, rancho-generally fifteen miles
square-for the raising of live stock, agri-
cultural necessities and the grape. At the
Preside of San Francisco there were
seventy men, including invalids; and the
| number varied little at the other military
centers, Rezanov inferred, although there
was a natural effort to impress the fer
eigner with the casual inferiorty of the
armed force within his ken. Cattle and
horses increased so rapidly that every few
years there was wholesale slaughter, al
though the agricultural yield was enor-
nous. What the missions were unable to
manufacture was sent them from Mexico,
and disposed of the small salaries of the
priests; the 'pous fund OF California in
the City of Mexico being systematically
embeZzled. The first preside and mission
were founded at San Diego In July of 1859;
the la9t at San Francisco in September and
October oe 1716.
Rezanovs polite interest in the virgin
country was cut short by the entrance of
two Indians carrying heavy bundles, which
they opened upon the floor without further
delay.
The cloth OF gold was magnificent, and
the padres handled ii as rapturously as
had their souls and fingers been of the Sex
| symbolized while exalted by the essence Of
ma ternity in whose service IL would be
anoint ted Rezanov looked with an
amused sigh. yet conscious of being more
comp-ehepdng and sympathetic than lad
he journeyed straight from Europe to Cili-
fornia. 1t was not the first time ne had
felt a passing gratitude for his uncomtort-
able but illuminat ting SoJourn SO close to
the springs of nature.
The priests were as we'll pleased with the
pieces of fine English cloth: and as heir
own homespun robes rasped like hair shirts,
they silently but uniformly congratulated
themselves that the color was brown
Father Abella turned to Rezanuv, his sat-
urnne features relaxed
I'VE are deeply grateful to your excel
lency, and our prayers shall follow you al
ways. Never have We received presents SO
timely and magnificent. And be sure We
shall not forget the brave officers that
have brought you safely to our distant
shores, nor the distinguished scholar who
guards your eXcellency's health. He
turned to Langsdorfr and repeated himself
in Latin. The naturalist. whose sharp nose
always lifted as If In protest against
oversight and ready to pounce upon and
penetrate the least of mysteries, bowed
with his hand on his heart, and translated
for the benefit of the officers.
"Humph" said Davidov in Russian.
Much the chamberlain will care for the
prayers of the Catholic Church II he has to
go home with his cargo But he has a fine
opportunity here for the display of his dip
lomatic talents. l fancy they VIII avail
him more than they did at Nagasaki-
where 1 am told he swore more than once
when he should have kowtowed and grim
ned"
Il shouldn't like to see him grin"
piled Khostov, they finally started for
the outbuildings. IF he could go far
as that he would be the most terrible man
living. Were It not for the fire in him that
melts the iron just so often he would be
crafty and cruel instead of subtle and firm.
He is fortunate man! There were many
fairies at his cradlel l have always en-
We'd him, and now he is going to win that
beautiful Dona Concha. She will look at
none of u.s."
1--WE will doubtless meet others as beau
tiful at the ball tonight" said Davidov
phiosophically. You are not in love with
a girl who has barely spoken to you, l
suppose"
''She had almost given me a rose this
morning, when ReZanov, who was flatter-
ing the good Dona Ignacia with a moment
of his attention turned too soon. i might