The midland journal., 1916-02-25


rusty spades from the debris in the old
mill, fitted new handles to them and
took the old darky, BOnifacio by name,
of with him to the depression. They
began the long task of digging out the
silt of years. Day after day, week
after week, they clung to the mono
ton0us work. The darky worked like
an automaton. Work in itself to him
was nothing beyond the path to food
and rest at night Labor made no de-
mands on courage-it had no end, no
goal. But Gerry's labor was digni1ed
by conscious effort. His eyes were not
In the ditch but on the vision he had
seen of what Fazenda Flores might
be. He had fixed his errant soul on q
goal The essence of slavery is older
than any bonds wrought by man. The
white man and the black in the ditch
were its parable. The dignity and the
shame of labor were side by side, para
doxically yoked to the same task,
Margarita and her aunt looked on
and smiled and joy began to settle on
the girl During Gerry's first restless
week she had steeled herself each
night to the thought that she would
wake to find him gone. But now he
was taking root. 1t amused him to
dig. Well, let him dig There was no
end to digging.
Gerry occasionally varied the work
of digging with making some knick-
knack for the house. The twisted
limbs of trees became benches TO sup
plant the rickety chairs, clumsily
patched and totally inadequate to his
weight. In the same way he made the
massive frame of bed and Bonifacio
remembered an art and filled in the
frame with plated thongs. Work in
spires emulation. The women got out
their store of cloth. They made clothes
| for Gerry and fitted out the new bed.
Pillows and mattress were stuffed with
dry bur-marigolds that family scented
the whole room. With each achieve
ment the somber house seemed to take
step toward gayety. Ruin and dilap-
idation put forth green shoots. The
gayety was reflected in the household.
They were united in achievement.
Quiet smiles were their reward to
each other and sometimes burst of
wonder as when Gerry found some old
bottles and with the aid of bit OF
string cut them into serviceable mugs.
Margarita was happy. Her cup was
full. All the dreams of her girlhood
were fulfilled in Gerry. a silent and
cf,so >, orA louar hrYf r1an-o11ah an
as she had dreamed Of but never seen.
To herself she sang the old songs he
should have sung to her and then
laughed as he nodded mild approval.
One evening he sat on bench on
the veranda, fitting handle into a
dipper made Of cocoanut-shell. Mar
garita sat on the steps at his feet,
She leaned back further and further
until she sank against his knees He
stopped over her. She threw up her
arms around his neck, locked her
hands and drew him down. He kissed
her lips and sighed.
"Ah, do not sigh" she walled.
Laugh! Laugh but once!"
Gerry did not grudge the months OF
toll in the ditch. AS he worked he
thought and planned. This ditch was
the very real foundation for the attain
ment of his vision. Deep and strong
and carefully graded it must be be
fore he cleared the sand barrier to the
rivers surge. The ditch was slow OF
growth but there was something about
it which held his faith. 1t was rugged
and elemental 1t was the ugly source
of coming resurrection.
When it was all but done he tool
Margarita and showed her his handt
work He pointed out the little sluice
ways, each with its primitive gate, o
heavy log hinged on thole-pin with
a prop to hold it up and stone to
weight it when down. On the Fazends
side were innumerable little trenches
that stretched down into the valley.
But not until he led her to the cleft
in the river gorge and showed her that
half an hours work on the sand bar
rier would let the river into the great
ditch did she understand. And then
she caught his arm and burst into VIC
lent protest and pleading. mo. no."
she cried, you shall not do it. You
shall not let in the river. The river ID
terrible You must not play with it
1t does not understand. You think il
will do as you wish but it will not. Oh
if you must, please, please play with
1t below the rapids. There it is kinder
It let's one bathe 1t lets one wast
clothes"
Gerry got over his astonishment and
laughed. Then he soothed her. AL
ready the simpler phrases of hel
tongue came easily from his lips. HI
told her that she was foolish and I
little coward. She must watch and
see how tame the river would be.
The next morning Gerry was W
early. He was excited. From this day
the ditch, the parched slope. the val
ley would know thirst no more. witt |