Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1916-02-01
"BieasInr, Tather.o saia Marsarlta.

BraYely.
God bless thee, daughter" replied the
priest calmly, but not this acoursed
| ditch. My hands are soied, nay, worse,
scratchedw with the help of Gerrys
strong grip he climbed to the top Of the
bank on which they stood. He smiled on
them benignantly. "a strange welcome
to the old Father, children What devil
dug this pit for rectitude?"
"Oh, Father" cried Margarita, Course
the ditch II you WILL but do not call my
man devil. Look at him. Is he not
good to see2 l found him at the river.
He is mine"
Gerry smiled at the girl. then at the
priest. The priest smiled back. Thou
didst md him at the river, thou daugh-
Ter or Pharaoh!" cried the priest
twinkle In his eye. "a fine babe. May
he grow to be leader Of his people"
together they walked down to the
house Bonifacio was dispatched to
fetch mule and then Margarita drew
the old priest into vacant room. over
her shoulder she said TO Gerry, "I am
going to confess"
Gerry flushed and nodded. He wished
that he could subject his own conscience
to so simple a rite He walked about
nervously, wondering what the priest
would have to say to him when he came
out. But when Margarita and Father
Matthias finally emerged they were all
ready talking of other things. The house
hold gathered in the ;itchen and there
the old Father retailed the gossip of a
vast countryside
1t was almost year since he had
visited this offshoot Of his parish and
he had much to tell. The Father was a
connoisseur In gossip for women. He
touched lightly on tragedies and moral
Slips in his community but dwelt at
length on funerals, births, marriages,
where rain had fallen and where it had
not, the success or failure of each of the
great church fetes and all kindred sub
jects. This was the link, unused Gerry,
that Joined Fazenda Flores to the world
and the world to FazendL Flores
The next morning Gerry was up early.
He was excited. From this day the ditch,
the parched slope, the valley would know
thirst no more. with the long dry sea-
son even the green bottoms had begun
to wilt. He called Bonifaclo and as they
started off Father Matthias and Margarita
Joined them.
You will not let him do it, Father?"
the girl was saying The ditch Is ac-
cursed. You yourself have cursed IT,"
That was but playful anathema."
said the priest, smiling at the recollection
OF his Introduction to the ditch. stay
thou here, child. Perhaps 1 shall find
that to solemnly bless in your mans
ditch"
The girl went slowly buck to the house
irrigation" he began. "is destined to be
the salvation of all this country. Water
we have in plenty; but it rushes by in
great rivers, leaving the overhanging
land thirsty. I picture all these barren
cliffs leaning over, longing for drink
Where else can you see cactus overhang-
ing torrents and cattle starving to death
on n river bank?"
Gerry was surprised. $50 you bless my
ditch?" he asked with a smile.
Yes" replied the priest He had
dropped the thou that the church ac-
cords her children only. He talked like
one man of the worl- to another. your
ditch, 1 can bless" Gerry had led him
to a point of rock from which he had
first conceived his vision. You have not
been a slave to haste" continued the
priest 1.-THE curse of my people is that
they toll to avoid work, but you have
worked to avoid toll"
ut is rue" said Gerry, though 1 had
never thought 1t out. am striving to
make nature do the toilng. Man, toll
ing alone has always been a pigmy."
Under his direction Bonifacio was dig
ging a great hole just at the back of the
sand-bank. Gerry measured it's capacity
and finally called the old darky out. He
jumped down on to the sand-bank him
self and dug small trench to the water.
The river surged through 1t gently. Gerry
climbed out. With each pulse of the
Come-and-go wave rushed through the
little trench, widening it and occasionally
carrying away block of the sand-bank
into the hole. Gradually, then in rapid
progression. the barrier was leveled. The
hole filled with water that rose till 1t
began to trickle down the long length of
the ditch. They followed the tiny stream.
Soon 1t came in rushing surges, Hours
passed. Bonifacio slept, but Gerry and
the priest had forgotten time. The ditch
filed. The water started to flow back
into the river. Along all It's length the
ditch held. Gerry heaved great sigh.
The priest gave him his hand.
wonderfully graded, he said "You
are a born engineer"
Gerry started opening the sluice gates,
the lowest first The water gurged out
into the main trench and from there was
distributed, At first the thirsty soil swal-
lowed 1t greedily, but gradually the rills
stretched further anG. further down into
the valley Under the blazing sun they
looked like streams of molten silver and
gold.
Margarlta came running up to them
from the house. She looked reproachfully
at Father Matthias. Gerry put his arm
around her and made her face the valley.
The priest stretched out his arms and
blessed the water Then he looked at the
girl and smiled. She smiled back at him.
but trouble was still in her eyes.
CONTINUED TOMORROW.