The Clio messenger. (Clio, Mich.) 1907-current, 1921-12-01

not be angry If sly that love you +
81 know, Alessandro; / am glad OF
1t: love you"
"Oh, senorita, do you mean that you
will go with me? You cannot mean
that"
"Yes, will go with you"
And then, as they stood locked in
each others arms, the sonora discov.
cred theml
shameful creature 7" she cried
shifting Ramona's protesting lips. She
hustled the girl to her room and locked
her in.
Alessandro, watching sadly all that
night, heard two wood doves calling,
'Love?" "Here." "Love?" "IIere. u
"My Ramona is like the gentle wood
dove" thought he; "if she is my wife
my people will call her Majel, the
Wood Dove"
In vain Felipe tried to persuade his
mother. In vain she coaxed and
threatened Ramona. The jewels which
were to be Ramona's dowry. If she
married worthily, were no temptation.
When the sonora scornfully declared,
"Your mother was an Indian; a low,
common Indian" the girl was truly
glad.
"Why do you object to my marrying
Alessandro?" she demanded; 81 am
OF his people. The jewels you can
give TO the church. shall marry Ales-
sandro."
Felipe sent Alessandro home to TIE
mecula until the storm should blow
over. But the lOng-dreaded Ameri-
cans in their search for more land had
just taken possession Of that peaceful
village. Dragged out Of his own house
by force, Pablo died of grief. Ales-
sandro buried him, and then in utter
misery came back to bid Ramona fare
well.
dearest senOrita! I have no
home" he faltered; "my father is
dead, my people driven out of their
village. I am only beggar now"
But Ramona felt no fear OF priva-
lions. "Take me with you! she
cried. After long pleading she over
ruled his wiser arguments, and that
night they slipped away, with Baba,
RamOna's own horse.
No trace of the lovers was found,
for those Indians who knew Alessan-
dro's whereabouts purposely misled in
quirers; and at San Diego, where they
were married, Ramona had given Ales-
sandro's pet name, "Majella," to be en-
tered on the register.
Their first home was near Alessan-
dro's cousin in San Pasquale, where
the Indians received Ramona gladly,
She was very happy in her new life
"under the sky" She accepted tiny
brush hut as cheerfully as the COM
Portable adobe which Alessandro soon
built and which she beautified beyond
belief. Gleefully she led Bahia when
ne plowed the first burrows in their
fields.
But Alessandro's anxiety rarely left
him. When he heard that the Next
can pueblo paper of San Pasquale was
that all the village lands
belonged to the Americans in Wash
ington. he lost hope. 81 think I shall
go mad" he said. When American
appeared, he sold house and
crop and moved to Saboba, seeking q
place the Americans did not want.
On the way to Saboba they nearly
persisted in a snowstorm, but were
saved by an easy-going Tennesseean
family, the Hyers, with whom they
became friends. Already Ramona's
heart had been wrung at hearing of
Father Salvierderra' death. Now
came q new grief; she feared for Ales-
reason. Could he bear an.
other blow? "Eyes- of-the- Sky" their
baby girl, never recovered from her
exposure, and died on the way to the
agency doctor, who would not come to
her. White men began to encroach
and to be insulting.
1--WE will hide forever" declared AL
Leaving horses and wagon
in San Bernardino with the Hyers for
the winter. they went TO tiny valley,
almost inaccessible, folded high on
Mount San .Jacintos slopes. "IIere
we are safer eXulted Ramona.
"'Pears like she's gone klar out 'er
this yer world inter another" unused
Aunt ri Hyer, as she sat weaving car.
pets and gazing up at the shining
in the southern horizon.
When Alessandro saw the brown
eyes of his second daughter he sighed,
ut is an i'll gift to have the eyes of
they look ever on Woe"
Now began attacks of mental dis.
tress-wild flights from imaginary
white pursuers. Sometimes he tried
to drive focks he fancied were his
own. One fatal day he galloped home
on a strange horse, taken by mistake
during one of his "sicknesses."
"Senor | will explain" But Far
rar, the enraged owner, shot him dead
In the midst Of his explanations.
Child i'm arms. Ramona ran for help
to the nearest village, Cahuilla. Then
came oblivion.
Ten days afterward she opened her