The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1919-07-05


He leaned forward and played his
fingers searchingly over the face
and brows OF the peon.
'tAre you afraid 70 der he asked
suddenly.
~Great and Holy One, am sore
afraid to die" was the poems reply.
Then say that you have lied
about this man; say that his twice
succoFing OF you was a lie, and you
shall live"
Under the Blind Ones fingers the
poem cringed and wilted-
Think WELL" came the solemn
warning. Death IL not good To
be forever unmoYing. as the elod
and rock. - not good. Say that you
have lied and life Is yours. Speak,"
But, although his voice shook
from the exquisiteness Of his fear,
the peon rose TO the full spiritual
stature Of q man
Twice this day did I betrSy him,
Holy One- But my name il not
Peter. Not thrice In this day will
betray him am sore afraid, but
cannot betray him thrice"
The blind Judge leaned back and
his face beamed and glowed as II
trEnsngured
%Wen spoken" he said, you have
Gfs malCings Of q man now lay
NO SentenoS upon you: From now
on through all your days under the
SIM y0u shah always think like a
nan, act, Ike q man. be =. man.
BettsF%t 70 die q man any time, than
live q beast forever In time. The
A
IL always better than = live dog.
CO free. reGsnsrate aon: 90 free"
But a. the peon. at 3 signal from
the meStfzs, started TO rise, the
blind Judge stopped him
In the beginning, D man, who
but this day has been born. man,
troublesF
o, Holy One, for q mixed 6reed
woman Of the terra caliente.
myself am mountain born. For her
1 put myself IN debt TO the haci-
enda, for the sum Of 200 pesos.
She ned with the money and an
other man I remained the slave
Of the haciendado, who II not q bad
man, but who. FIRST and always, IL q
haciendado.
81 have toiIed, been beaten, and
have suffered for I've long years,
and my debt is now become $50
pesos. and yet possess naught but
these rags and a body weak from
insufficient food"
The Woman Wonderful
Was she wonderful? this WON
an Of the TERRA caliente?" the blind
Judge oueried softly.
81 was mad for her, Holy One. I
do rot think now that she was
wonderful. But she was wonderful
then The fever OF her burned my
heart and brain and made a. task
slave OF me, though she fed in the
night and I knew her never again 4"
The peon waited, on his knees.
with bowed head, while to the
amazement Of all the Blind BriEand
sighed deeply and seemed to for
get time and place. His hand
strayed Involuntary and automat-
ically to the head Of the mestiza-
caressed the shining black hair and
continued to caress IL while he
spoke.
The woman he said, with such
Eentieness that his voice, still clear
and bell-like, was barely a whisper.
Ever the woman wonderful. All
women are wonderful-to man.
They love our fathers: they birth
us; we love them. they birth our
sons TO love their daughters and
TO call their daughters wonderful.
and this has always been and shall
continue always TO be until the end
OF mans time and mans loving ON
earth"
A profound OF silence fell within
the cavern. while the Cruel one
meditated for a space. At the last
with touch dared Of familiarity
the pretty mestiza touched him and
reused him to remembrance Of the
peon still crouching at his feel.
pronounce Judgment" he
spoke You have received manv
blows. Each blow on your BODY Is
ouittance in full Of the entire debt
TO the haciendado. Go free. But
remain in the mountains, and NEXT
time love a mountain woman. since
woman you must have, and since
woman is inevitable and eternal in
the AFFAIRS OF men. Go free. You
are half Maya"
Il am half Maya" the peon muir
INJURED. Ny father is a Nava
~ &c AtAN 81 AENE- ana remain
in the mountain with your Mava
father. The TERRA caliente is no
place for the CordilIeras- born. The
haciendado is not present, and
therefore cannot be judged. And
after all he is but a haciendado.
His fellow haciendadoA, too, 10
free"
The Cruel Just One waited. and.
without waiting. Henry stepped for
ward.
Il am the man" he stated bold
~. sentenced 10 the death unde-
served for the killing Of a man I
did not kill. He was the blood
Uncle Of the girl love. whom shall
marry il there be true justice here
in this cave IN the CordilIeras."
But the Jefe interrupted.
Before = score of witnesses he
threatened 70 his face to kin the
man Within the hour We found