Brownsville herald. [volume] (Brownsville, Tex.) 1910-current, 1914-10-05

The Wine.
by Geza Gardonyi.)

enjoy the sun. bat also Ia look at people
going To- church. and the latter l. more
than likely, for be- ha~ on 4 new pair 1T
wooden trousers of the brightest sky blue
color of which BE- feels - proud that he
does not lit down and doc~ not intend Ia
sit down except when eating. Ills vest also
l. new and trimmed with hri.nt silver but
tons. while hi ~hoe~. polished by hi own
hands, are n >hinIn. n the ewes of 4
COW. Ills HAIR J. carefully oiled and
brushed. and hls mouIarhc, waxed and
drawn milo w" points a. sharp r. needles.
look~ "a ii II were glued under his nose.
Standing ~ the gate he watches people
passing by-men in blue suits, women in
voiuminous skirts and young girls in their
bc~; fincry on the way Ia church. The
women carrying their big lcaihern bound
hymn hooks under their arms. while the
Young girls are smaller and les pretcn-
tious.
Some of the men greet Barac~ ~ they
pass by. but the women and girls al greet
him. because YOU certainly can not be ex-
pccted To turn Your eyes away from n
"livins widower." n a divorced man i
called in these parts. Do they want 10
enjoy his sad expression or are they per
haps afraid of finding some day his wife
nj his sidef
Divorce is a most extraordinary thing
among peasants, but they are beginning to
initiate the higher classes. a. the women
initiate their habit Of drinking coffee and
the girls that of wearing shoes.
The young girls ilirt with him as il he
were single. for Baracs i only 30. and
since his wife j. no longer with him he i
very careful about his personal appear
ance.
When everybody has passed into the
church he throws his SUR over his
shoulders, picks-up his big bag and says
to his mother, who i in the kitchen:
"You need not hurry with dinner. | am
going over to see Jancsi."
The old woman. hardly believing her own
ears. withdraws her hands from the dough
she l. kneading and >tares at him in sur
prise.
"Iou are going 10 zee Jancsir'
"les." he says, 81 can't get my thoughts
away from that child"
"Thcn bring him back here and make m
with your wife. Tell her il was my fault"
Baracs shakes his head:
81 am not running after her and shall
never make up with her"
He walked out through the garden and
starts down the road. His dog follows him
ut a respectful distance. Ii knows that ii
II is seen. it will be chased back. But
Baracs never looks backward. he walks
ahead and reaches the top Of the hill
where he can see the church Of the next
village, whose red roof reminds him Of
the time hen he was engaged. He had
been married in this church, and the
priests blessings brought him happiness
for a few years until the devil spoiled
everything.
Al the entrance Ia the village there are
some plum trees and Baraes breaks off n
branch and puts it down into the bag Ia
amnse the white rabbit with the pink ewes
that he i going 10 give TO Jancsi. He
skirts the village % rs not "a bc seen. rs
his wife lives AT the other end, and only
now he catches sight Of his dog. He
chaSc~ II back with angry words and
walks ON.
II i already a month since they sepa-
rated. or rather since his wife left him.
Yes, il was really his mothers fault. She
had tied y big neckerchief around Jancsi's
neck and the hoy caught cold. His wife in
sisted that il was because Of the necker-
chief and his mother answered that il was
not Tor the ogg To teach the hen. When
Barac> came home the two women were
quarreling. and taking his mothers side he
raised hi stick against his wife. Ii i no
unusual thing for q peasant 10 beat his
wife. but it had never happened in this
house. Her parents. who were quite well
of and gave their daughter q handsome
dowry. gave her 10 him on the EXPRESS
condition that he must never drink. either
vine or brandy. for whenever he drank he
always beat those around him. Rarac.
knew thi> and faithfully kept his promise.
They lived very happily together. hut on
that day he had IL drink wine in honor of
the dedication of the new church. and hay-
ING tasted none for five YEAR. he found
the wine excellent.
His wife screamed under hi~ blows nut
on her best dress and left him together
with little Janc~i. A few day~ later while
Barac>' mother was at church "A relative
called for the boy, little he'd and other
things and since then he had seen nothing
of her.
And now he l. walking back Of the gar
dens. IL he walked along the road. people
would say that he was coming 10 see his