Polk County news. [volume] (Benton, Tenn.) 191?-1983, 1917-06-21
California

The day was one OF the hottest OF
August DAYS when Dona Teresa came
for La Sonora.
I'm paseO today, sonora? 1t may
rain from the desert before evening
and be much cooler coming home
Shall we g0-si-no? Puenol I shall
take you TO an old ranch house far
from here, and we may be delayed
in returning. If we are, maybe a bad
hour will be passing for us somewhere,
as we say in California"
The sky. the earth, even the dry
grass by the roadway seemed TO exude
heat. The dust clingIng to Quiri's
sides seemed like the blanket OF an
Old Indian. Dona Teresa said:
"Senora, I gathered tunas from my
hedge in the cool of this morning.
They are under the seat. They will
refresh us, and they are much more
hcalthful than too much water. The
Indians always carry them on long
hot journey. Now that we eat tunas'
| am reminded of one Indian, Apol-
lonia, who was made blind by the
cruelty of man. Did you know him
81? A tall fine figure, draped always
like the statues Of saints in the inches
of the church at San Gabriel-in
sheet, always with a tall willow stan
in his hand to feel his way around the
plaza and Gale de los Negros. Fol-
lowed by the many boys who cried
out curses at him, he carried shut In
his hand, always, a stone to detend
himself. Sonora, / cannot vouch Tor
the story, but it was said by some that
his eyes were burned out with not
irons by those who hated him, whether
Indians or paisanOs, no one could re-
member. But in his daily walks, he
stopped always at certain house on
Los Angeles street, and the stones he
carried in q corner of his robe fell
thick, intermingled with curses for
the occupants of the casa. This he
never forgot. Long after they had
been taken to their homes In the
cemetery, he, having outlived every
thing but his bitterness, continued to
lombard the house in his daily rounds.
Ghostly, was it not, sonora? Drink,
now his only consolation, finished him
ut the last, and he was found dead
with a stone clasped tightly in MS
hand in the open space where the
house of his dreams had stood. May
the Buen Dios forgive them and him !!
And Dona Teresa crossed herself as
she took the fallen reins into her
hands again and slapped Quiri into a
trot.
It had grown very sultry as they ap-
| preached the mountain, and strange
white clouds with the inaccessible look
of far-away cities of our dreams rose
from the desert side of the mountains,
| in white towers built on battlements
! of opaque blue.
mira, sonora! The storm is not far
away! But we can reach the old house
of the rancho before the rain comes.
Anda, Quiri! Muy pronto! Do you
not hear the thunder?"
The fast-pillng cloud towers were
hanging over the mountain tops into
the valley. The riders could see whiri-
winds of dust ahead. Flashes OF light
| ing darted from their centers, while
! distant booms Of artillery fell upon
their ears as they neared the house.
Great drops of rain charged with dust
spat upon them as they dashed through
the doorway, leaving the patient mare
to shower bath. SIT will be good for
Quri, she needs 1t, and / shall be
saved the trouble of washing her to-
morrow" said Dona Teresa.
"Let us go into one Of the end
rooms! The rain is coming through
the opening in the roof-mira! once
! there was a skylight, but all has given
way to time"
Dragging an old totterlng bench
from dark corner, they seated them
selves near the door to watch the
storm.
"There is cloudburst somewhere on
the desert" remarked Dona Teresa.
Like everything in this life, 1t VIII
soon pass, and tomorrow be forgotten
even as with this old house; no one
remembers that there was onceaife In
it other than that of lizards and pima
Gates"
La Sonora and Dona Teresa sat and
looked out on the storm, too awed by
its grandeur and beauty to care Tor
speech. A frightened rabbit looked IN
at the door with surprise at the new
occupants of the old house, fleeing
away into the brush again like gray
streak, his white tail appearing at In
teryals among the old remaining vines