Wausau pilot. [volume] (Wausau, Wis.) 1896-1940, 1918-04-16
CHAPTER |.
The Valley of Deliuht.


In all probability your first view Of
the valley of the YUmuri will be from
the Hermitage of MontSerrate, for it is
there that the cocheroS drive you.
There you overlook the fairest sight in
all ChristendOm-'th lOveliest valley
in the world" as Humboldt called it
for the Yumuri nestles right at your
feet, Il vale of pure delight, glimpse
of Paradise that bewlders the eye and
fills the soul with ecstasy.
Standing beside the shrine of Our
Lady of MOntserrate, you will see be-
You'd the cleft through which the river
energies another hill, La Cumbre. from
which the view is wonderful, and your
driver may tell you about the splendid
homes that used to grace it's slopes
In the golden days when Cuba had an
aristOcracy. Your cochero may point
out a certain grove of orange trees,
now little more than rank tangle,
and tell you about the quinta of Don
ESteban VarOna. and its hidden treas
ure; about little Esteban and Rosa, the
twins; and about Sebastian, the giant
slave, who died in fury, taking with
him the secret of the well.
The Spanish Main is rich in tales of
trPasure-trove, for when the Antilles
were most affluent they were least Sc
cure, and men were put to strange
shifts to protect their fortunes. Ger
tain boards, like Jewels of tragic his
tory, iii time assumed a sort of evil
personality, not infrequently exercising
dire influence over the lives of those
who CHANGED to fall under their spells
1t was as if the money were accurSed
for certainly the seekers often came
to evil OF such a character was the
VarOna treasure. Don ESteban himself
was neither better nor worse than
other men of his time, and although
part of the money he hid was wrung
from the toll of slaves and the traffic
in their bodies, much of it was clean
enough. and In time the earth purified
ii all. Since his acts made so deep an
impress, and since the treasure he left
played so big a part in the destinies of
those who came after him, it is well
lldA SOIlt dCCUuuJ vi liitSG DldLltlS
should be given.
The story, please remember, is an
old one; it has been often told, and in
the telling and retelling it is but natural
that certain glamour certain
tropical extravaganza. should attach to
it, therefore you should make allow
ance for some eXaggeratiOn, some ac-
cretionS due to the lapse of time. In
the main. however, it is well authenti-
Gated and runs parallel to fact.
Donna Rosa VarOna lived barely long
enough to learn that she had given
birth to twins. Don Esteban, whom
people knew as a grim man. took the
blow of his sudden bereavement as be-
came one of his strong fiber. Leaving
the priest upon his knees and the doc
tor busted with the babies, he strobe
through the house and out into the
sunset, followed by the walls of the
slave women.
Don EStebun was at heart a selfish
man, and now, therefore, he felt a sui
len, fierce resentment mingled with
his grief. What trick was this? he
asked himself. What had he done to
merit such misfortune? Had he not
made rich gifts to the church? Had he
not knelt and prayed for his wlfe's
safe delivery and then hung his gifts
upon the sacred image, as Loyola had
hung up his weapons before that other
counterpart Of Our Lady? Don Este
ban scowled at the memory, for those
gems were of the finest.
He looked up from his unhappy
musings 10 find a gigantic bare
footed negro standing before him.
The slave was middle-aged; his kinky
hair WAS growing gray; but he was of
superb proportions, and the muscles
which showed through the rents in his
cotton garments were as smooth and
supple as those of stripping. His
black face was puckered with grief,
AS he began:
Master, is it true that Donna Rosa
-" The fellow choked
YES" ESteban nodded, YEARLY, "she
is dead, Sebastian"
Tears came TO SehaStian's eyes and
overfiowed his cheeks: he stood mo-
tiOnleSS, striving TO voice his sympathy.
At length he satd:
"She was 100 good for this world.
God was jealous and took here to Para
disc"
The widowed man cried out angrily &:
Paradise What is this but Para
dise?" He stared with resenrful eyes
at the beauty round about him. See !
The Yumu !" Don &steban flung a
long arm outward. DO you think there
is sight like that in heaven? Para
disc indeed I gave her everything.
She gained nothing by dying"
With a grave thoughtfulneSs which
proved him superior to the ordinary
slave, Sebastian replied:
True, She had all that any wom-
ans heart could desire, but in return
for your goodness she gave you chill
dreu. You have lost her. hut you have
gained an heir, and a beautiful girl
baby who will grow to be another
Donna Rosa. grievsd as you grieve.
once upon time for my woman died
in childbirth, too. You remember? But
my daughter lives. and she has brought
sunshine into my old age. That is the
purpose of children" He paused and
shifted his weight uncertainty. digging
his stiff black toes into the dirt After
time he said. slowly: "Excellency
Now, about the-well-s"
"Yes. What about it,"
did the Donna Rosa contide her
share of the secret to apyonef Those