Mower County transcript., 1908-06-03

Gould, reads like one of Mrs. South
worth's novels; yet it is only one Of
the many dramas resulting from the
clash of Latin and Anglo-Saxon in
California.
In the early '40s young New Eng
land teacher, William Anthony by
name, sea-voyaging for his health,
dropped into Monterey out of curiosi-
ty, and remained, entranced by the
climate and bewitched by a pair of
beautiful Spanish eyes. Influential
letters opened the best doors of the
capital to him; and his own fine per-
sOnality soon won him popularity.
Lolita, the spoiled and only child of
Senor fernando Guerrero, heiress to
half county and the toast of the
town, fell in love with the young Puri-
tan, love he returned rs ardently as
any swain of her own people. Those
who know the Monterey of that day
say that the blood of prairie princess
mingled with the blue Andalusian of
the Guerreros in Lolita's veins.
Whether true or not, she had the i'm
periousness of dozen royal maidens;
and overriding all objections, she set
wedding day less than two months
after the pair first met
Meantime the groom's brother, a
lively young officer of Boston
merchantmen, hove into port a week
before the nuptials, with a budget
of news and an appetite for diversion.
With characteristic reserve the elder
brother did not at once confide his
secret, and thereof came the mischief
The young man was caught in the
twinkling of two eyes-Lolita's eyes
and by way of trading on the capital
his brother had made, told her, in the
poor Spanish he could command and
in the scant English she could cOmpre-
hend, the story of his life, home and
friends, story that included certain
delicate maiden, his brothers be-
trothed, who embroidered intermin-
ably upon her trousseau and wept be-
cause her lover came not
"The fiery beauty carried the situa-
ton with high hand More than one
gallant Spanish dandy assisted Senor
Guerrero in escorting William An
thony out of town. And from that
hour the younger man was swept for
ward by an amOrous exchantment so
adroitly exercised, so imperious, that
had his heart not acquiesced he could
a cfo o<
altar in his brothers place and taking
to wife the woman who was to have
been his sister-in-law. The spell she
wove was deep and lasting. He loved
her, endured her hasty temper, for
gave the love she still bore his brother
(though she called it hate), and died
a heart-broken man when, two years
later, the birth of their child cost her
life. The last written word of the
young husband was a plea to his broth
er for forgiveness and request that
Lolita's child, Gideon Ingram Anthony,
might find second father in his uncle.
But William Anthony, melancholy,
resentful, was wandering over the un-
peopled wastes Of Alta California,
vainly seeking relief from a sore
heart. And Gideon's grandfather, not
trying very hard, it is suspected, failed
to trace the baby's uncle. Letters from
New England found him, however;
told him that the faithful woman of his
early love was slowly fading away.
Conscience-stricken. he hastened back,
married her, tried devotedly and with
apparent success to nurse her to
health, but buried her one year after
their only child was born
"Oh, my poor, poor mother!" Esther
moaned. mo wonder you are so sad!"
She drew the locket from beneath her
dress and gazed moment on the pic
tured face. Alfreds ring still hung on
the chain, and she pressed it to her
lips before hiding it again. Like
mother, like child" she whispered
scornfully. Both foolish!" With q
sigh she took up the paper and read
on:
Then came from Suffers Fort the cry
of Gold! gold!'that peopled California
and swept away forever the dreamy.
pastoral days of hidalgo, fandango and
league-long ranchos under Mexican
rule. William Anthony came west
with the first rush, found and claimed
his nephew, mined, traded and grew
enormously wealthy; though he lived
always in the wilds, visiting cities only
as compelled.
"On the bleak side Of q Washoe
mountain he built palace, the won.
der Of the decade; sent for his daugh-
ter, and reared the two children in
an isolated luxury that was the source
Of many Aladdin-like tales. But failure
came, removal, wandering; and the
Anthonys were lost to the world that
had known them: Later the father