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diff --git a/.gitattributes b/.gitattributes new file mode 100644 index 0000000..6833f05 --- /dev/null +++ b/.gitattributes @@ -0,0 +1,3 @@ +* text=auto +*.txt text +*.md text diff --git a/9063-h.zip b/9063-h.zip Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..3e18274 --- /dev/null +++ b/9063-h.zip diff --git a/9063-h/9063-h.htm b/9063-h/9063-h.htm new file mode 100644 index 0000000..1d3b79c --- /dev/null +++ b/9063-h/9063-h.htm @@ -0,0 +1,2673 @@ +<?xml version="1.0" encoding="us-ascii"?> + +<!DOCTYPE html + PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Strict//EN" + "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-strict.dtd" > + +<html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" lang="en"> + <head> + <title> + The Penance of Magdalena, by J. Smeaton Chase + </title> + <style type="text/css" xml:space="preserve"> + + body { margin:5%; background:#faebd0; text-align:justify} + P { text-indent: 1em; margin-top: .25em; margin-bottom: .25em; } + H1,H2,H3,H4,H5,H6 { text-align: center; margin-left: 15%; margin-right: 15%; } + hr { width: 50%; text-align: center;} + .foot { margin-left: 20%; margin-right: 20%; text-align: justify; text-indent: -3em; font-size: 90%; } + blockquote {font-size: 97%; font-style: italic; margin-left: 10%; margin-right: 10%;} + .mynote {background-color: #DDE; color: #000; padding: .5em; margin-left: 10%; margin-right: 10%; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 95%;} + .toc { margin-left: 10%; margin-bottom: .75em;} + .toc2 { margin-left: 20%;} + div.fig { display:block; margin:0 auto; text-align:center; } + div.middle { margin-left: 20%; margin-right: 20%; text-align: justify; } + .figleft {float: left; margin-left: 0%; margin-right: 1%;} + .figright {float: right; margin-right: 0%; margin-left: 1%;} + .pagenum {display:inline; font-size: 70%; font-style:normal; + margin: 0; padding: 0; position: absolute; right: 1%; + text-align: right;} + .side { float: right; font-size: 75%; width: 25%; padding-left: 0.8em; + border-left: dashed thin; margin-left: 0.8em; text-align: left; + text-indent: 0; font-weight: bold; font-style: italic; + font-weight: bold; color: black; background: #eeeeee; border: solid 1px;} + pre { font-style: italic; font-size: 90%; margin-left: 10%;} + +</style> + </head> + <body> + + +<pre> + +The Project Gutenberg EBook of The Penance of Magdalena and Other Tales of +the California Missions, by J. Smeaton Chase + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with +almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + +Title: The Penance of Magdalena and Other Tales of the California Missions + +Author: J. Smeaton Chase + + +Release Date: October, 2005 [EBook #9063] +This file was first posted on September 2, 2003 +Last Updated: May 11, 2013 + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ASCII + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE PENANCE OF MAGDALENA AND OTHERS *** + + + + +Text file produced by David A. Schwan + +HTML file produced by David Widger + + + +</pre> + + <div style="height: 8em;"> + <br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /> + </div> + <h1> + THE PENANCE OF MAGDALENA + </h1> + <h2> + AND OTHER TALES OF THE CALIFORNIA MISSIONS + </h2> + <p> + <br /> + </p> + <h2> + By J. Smeaton Chase + </h2> + <p> + <br /> + </p> + <h5> + With Illustrations (not available in this edition) + </h5> + <p> + <br /><br /> + </p> + <hr /> + <p> + <br /><br /> + </p> + <p> + <b>CONTENTS</b> + </p> + <p> + <br /> + </p> + <p class="toc"> + <a href="#link2H_4_0001"> FOREWARD </a> + </p> + <p class="toc"> + <a href="#link2H_4_0002"> SAN JUAN CAPISTRANO—THE PENANCE OF + MAGDALENA </a> + </p> + <p class="toc"> + <a href="#link2H_4_0003"> SAN DIEGO DE ALCALA—PADRE URBANO'S + UMBRELLA </a> + </p> + <p class="toc"> + <a href="#link2H_4_0004"> SAN GABRIEL ARCANGEL—THE BELLS OF SAN + GABRIEL </a> + </p> + <p class="toc"> + <a href="#link2H_4_0005"> SAN FERNANDO—THE BURIED TREASURE OF SIM + </a> + </p> + <p class="toc"> + <a href="#link2H_4_0006"> SANTA BARBARA—LOVE IN THE PADRE'S GARDEN + </a> + </p> + <p> + <br /><br /> + </p> + <hr /> + <p> + <a name="link2H_4_0001" id="link2H_4_0001"> </a> + </p> + <div style="height: 4em;"> + <br /><br /><br /><br /> + </div> + <h2> + FOREWARD + </h2> + <p> + Among the California Missions the southern group form a natural unit, just + as does, geographically, Southern California itself—the region + covered by the familiar California formula, "South of the Tehachapi." It + is thought that this little set of tales, extracted from the larger work, + The California Padres and Their Missions, in which Mr. Charles F. Saunders + and the writer collaborated, may be welcomed by those many persons whose + interest in Mission affairs is more or less limited to the five here + included, which are, probably, the most notable, historically and + architecturally, of the whole chain of these venerable monuments of + Franciscan zeal. + </p> + <p> + J. S. C. + </p> + <p> + <br /><br /> + </p> + <hr /> + <p> + <a name="link2H_4_0002" id="link2H_4_0002"> </a> + </p> + <div style="height: 4em;"> + <br /><br /><br /><br /> + </div> + <h2> + SAN JUAN CAPISTRANO—THE PENANCE OF MAGDALENA + </h2> + <p> + Slowly, very slowly, the greatest and most beautiful of the Missions of + Alta California had risen among the swelling lomas of the valley of the + San Juan. Brick by brick and stone by stone the simple Indian laborers, + under the tutelage of the Fathers, had reared a structure which, in its + way and place, might not unfitly be compared with those great cathedrals + of Europe in which we see, as in a parable, how inward love and faith work + out in material beauty. Huge timbers of pine and sycamore, hewn on + Palomar, the Mountain of Doves, many miles away, had been hauled by oxen + over trackless hill and valley, to form the joists and rafters that one + sees to-day, after the lapse of more than a century, firm and serviceable, + fastened with wooden spikes and stout rawhide lashings. + </p> + <p> + In all these labors Te-filo had taken a principal part. As a child he had + been christened with the name of Lucas, and had carried it through + boyhood. But when about fourteen years of age, he had been transferred + from the duties of a herder to learn the simple crafts taught in the + workshops; and his industry and intelligence had so commended him to the + overseers and Padre Josef that one day the latter, praising him for some + task especially well performed, had said, half in jest, "Hijo mio, we must + christen you over again. You are excelent'simo, as San Lucas said of San + Te-filo in the superscription to his holy evangel; so I shall call you + Te-filo, excelent'simo Te-filo, instead of Lucas; why not?" And Te-filo + the boy became from that day, though Lucas he remained in the record of + baptisms kept in the tall sheepskin volume in the Father's closet. + </p> + <p> + So useful and diligent was the boy that the Father soon took him to be his + own body servant, and many an hour did Te-filo pass handling with + religious care the sacred vessels and vestments and books in the sacristy + and in the Father's rooms. One day the Father noticed with displeasure + that on the blank flyleaf of his best illuminated missal, lately sent to + him by a friend in his old college at Cordoba, in Spain, there were some + rough drawings in red and blue. Evidently the person who had drawn them + had tried to obliterate his work, but had only partly succeeded. The + Father could not help noticing, however, that, crude as were the formal + floral designs and sacred emblems that had been copied by the culprit from + the emblazoned letterings and chapter headings of the missal, the work + showed undoubted taste and talent; and this gave him an idea. Why should + he not adorn with frescoes, in color, the cornices, and perhaps even the + dome, of the new church? It would be a notable addition, and would give a + finishing touch to the beauty of the building, if it could be done. And + here, evidently, was a hand that might be trained to do it—the hand, + probably, of his favorite, Te-filo, for he alone had access to the + book-shelves in the Father's room. + </p> + <p> + So when next he saw the boy he asked, "Te-filo, who has been drawing in my + new missal?" The boy hung his head, and the Father, taking his silence as + an admission of guilt, added, "That was wrong of you, Te-filo, and I must + give you some penance to remind you not to do such mischief again. Do you + know, boy, what that book is worth? Not less than twenty pesos, Te-filo, + or even more. That is one year's wages of Agust'n the mayordomo, so you + can see such things must be left alone. But come to me this evening after + the Doctrina, and I will set you your penance." + </p> + <p> + When the boy, with downcast look, came to him in his room that evening, + the Father said to him, "What made you do it, Te-filo?" And the boy + answered "I did not mean to do harm, Padre, but the pictures are so + beautiful, and I tried to make some like them. Then I tried to rub them + out, but they would not come off." The Father smiled indulgently. "No, my + son," he said, "the wrong things we do, even innocently, do not come off. + You must remember that in future. But they can be forgiven by the good + God, Te-filo, and even so I forgive you for the book. And your penance + shall be to come each evening at this time and learn to draw properly. + What do you say?" + </p> + <p> + "Oh, Padre!" cried the boy; and he took the Father's hand and put it, + Indian fashion, to his forehead in token of gratitude. + </p> + <p> + Agust'n the mayordomo was, next to the Father, the most important man + about the Mission. He it was who, under the priest's supervision, had + charge not only of the labors and general governance of the Indians, but + also of the business affairs of the establishment, even to the care and + sale of the cattle, hides, and tallow, which, produced in enormous + quantity, were almost the only, but a quite considerable, source of + revenue to all the California Missions. Agust'n was a half-breed, or + mestizo, the son of one of the Spanish soldiers who had come to Alta + California with Serra and Portola. His mother was an Indian woman, to whom + his father had been married by Father Serra himself. That was in 1776, the + year of the establishment of the Mission, and Agust'n, the oldest son of + the marriage, had risen before the age of thirty-five to his important + post, partly by natural ability, and partly by the fact of his mixed + Spanish blood, which of itself gave him prestige and authority with the + Indians. He had quarters adjoining those of the Father, on the main + corridor of the cuadro. + </p> + <p> + His family consisted of his wife, Juana, chief of the lavanderas, or + washwomen, and several children, the oldest of whom, Magdalena, was now + growing into the fresh and early womanhood of these Southern races. + Already she had lovers, who took such opportunities as the strict + discipline of the Mission life allowed (and they were rare) to endeavor to + awake a response in her heart. But she held herself aloof from all. Proud + of the Spanish blood in her veins, though that blood was but that of a + common soldier, she counted herself to be of the gente de razon, far above + the level of the mere Indians, her mother's people. And, indeed, in her + finer features, quick glance, and more spirited bearing, the difference of + strain was manifest: the Latin admixture, though only fractional, + justified itself in evident supremacy over the aborigine. + </p> + <p> + This proud element in Magdalena's nature had the unfortunate effect of + bringing her into conflict with the Father and the Church. Not that she + would, out of mere perverseness, have refused obedience, but the Father, + himself a Spaniard, viewed all who were not of the sangre pura as Indians, + all alike. This the girl felt and resented, and her resentment, though + unexpressed, showed in numberless ways; while the Father, on his part, + viewed her only as an obstinate Indian child, naturally averse to good + influences. + </p> + <p> + It chanced one day that Agust'n, overlooking the making of adobe bricks at + the clay pits a mile from the Mission, needed to send a message to the + Father on some point concerning the work; and, Magdalena having been sent + to carry their midday meal to the brick-makers, he entrusted her with the + errand. Failing to find the Father in his private room, she went to the + next door of the corridor. It was half open, and she glanced in. The + Father was not there, but she saw, bending over a table set against the + window, a young man. His back was turned to her, and he was so intent upon + his occupation that he had not heard her step. She should have turned and + gone, for the rules were strict, and forbade conversation between the + girls and young men of the Mission: but her curiosity was keen to know + what the Indian boy (as she knew he must be) was doing in the Father's + quarters, and what it could be that kept him so absorbed. Moreover, a + spirit of defiance was in her. If the Father found her loitering there he + would reprimand her. Well, she would break the rules: she was no Indian; + and if he caught her there she would tell him so. Yes, she would see what + the young man was doing; she wanted to know, and she would know. Quietly + she stole into the room and edged round to one side go that she could see + partly across the table. The young man was painting, in wonderful colors, + on a sheet of parchment, painting wonderful things—beasts, and + birds, and flowers, and even angels, a wonder of wonders to the simple + girl. + </p> + <p> + At some involuntary sound that she made, the young man—it was + Te-filo—turned and saw her. Her eyes were fixed upon him, wide with + wonder, and her hands half raised in childlike rapture, while her slender + figure, so different from the heavier forms of the Indian girls, gave her, + to his eyes, the look and bearing of one of the very angels he had been + copying. It was a marvel on his side, too; and for a few moments the two + regarded each other, while love (that is born so often of sudden wonder in + innocent hearts) awoke and stirred in both their breasts. They had often + met before, but it had been casually, and the hour had not been ripe. Now + he saw her and loved her; she saw him, an Indian, indeed, but + transfigured, for he was an Indian who worked wonders. And the Spaniard in + her gave way, that moment, to the Indian, and she loved an Indian, as her + father had done. + </p> + <p> + He was the first to recover his self-possession. "The Father is not here," + he said. "He will be back soon, for he set me my task until he should + return, and I have almost done it." "Is that your task?" she asked. "How + beautiful! How wonderful!" And she stepped nearer the table. "Show me, how + do you make them? I never thought that Indians could make such things. I + have heard my father say that holy men in Spain could make angels, but you + are an Indian: how can you do it?" "I cannot tell you," he said slowly: + then "Yes, I will tell you," and a flush came on his dark face, and a + light into his eyes, as he looked at her. "I do not make them, these + angels; they come to me because the Father has taught me to love them. He + says the angels come to those who love them, and any one can love them. + And when I saw you," he went on, his eyes upon her eager face, "I thought + you were the angel I was painting, for you are like an angel, too; and now + I shall always love you, and it will be easy to paint. Listen! the Father + is coming. You must go quickly, but now I have seen you I must see you + again. You are Magdalena, Agust'n's daughter. I shall find you to-morrow + when I take the orders for the work to your father." + </p> + <p> + Magdalena slipped away, and thus was begun the short but happy love of + Te-filo and Magdalena short, like the history of the beautiful Mission + itself; happy, as all love is happy, let its end be what it may. Many a + time they met in secret, for sweet interviews or even a hurried word or + glance; but love grows best in the shade. And meanwhile, the great church + had been growing too, and now it was Te-filo's proud task to paint the + frescoes on the walls and dome, as the Father had hoped. Simple designs + they were to be at first,—floral emblems and the symbols used for + ages by the Church, but later Te-filo was to essay much more ambitious + things, perhaps even the archangels, and San Juan, the soldier-saint, + himself. + </p> + <p> + It was the winter of 1812, and Te-filo and Magdalena had loved each other + for over a year, when Te-filo one day spoke to the Father of Magdalena, + and said that he wished to marry her. For months Magdalena had tried to be + dutiful and to engage the Father's interest, on her side, in their favor, + in preparation for Te-filo's broaching of the subject to him. But she felt + always that he remembered her old hostility, and that he still considered + her a mere disaffected Indian of his flock. They had often talked of this, + but Te-filo, who loved the Father for the special kindness he had always + shown him, believed that he would agree to the marriage. Why should he + not? he said. It would make no difference to him, and he, Te-filo, would + work better than ever, to show his gratitude. + </p> + <p> + When at last he spoke of the matter, the Father peremptorily denied his + request. Agust'n's daughter was an obstinate, perverse child, and would + only lead Te-filo away too. He would give thought to the matter, and would + see what girl there was suitable for him, and then, if he wished to marry, + well and good. He would give them two rooms in the corridor, near his own, + and would allow him pay as his body servant and for his work, and perhaps + other privileges as well. And that was all; for Te-filo knew that he would + not be moved from his decision. Good man as the Father was, he had the + Spaniard's failing in dealing with a subject race a certain hardness + arising from a position of authority not allied with responsibility—except + to God, and that, indeed, the Father felt, but he conceived that his duty + to his Indians, apart from his spiritual ministrations, was entirely + comprised in the teaching, feeding, and just governing of them. + </p> + <p> + When Te-filo told Magdalena, at their next meeting, what the Father had + said, the girl was enraged. "So he thinks I am not good enough for you!" + she cried: "And I have done everything to please him. But he is only a + priest, and has no heart. Ah! those Spaniards, I hate them!" And then, + with a woman's illogical turn—"Well, he shall see that I am Spanish + too. We will go away to the Mission at San Diego, Te-filo. My father's + brother is there, and I have heard my father say that he has influence + with the priest. He will marry us, and you can work there as well as + here." + </p> + <p> + But Te-filo was in doubt. His love for Magdalena and his love and + reverence for the Father contended. He was a simple, guileless soul, and + the thought of ingratitude to his benefactor was a misery to him. Some + other way must be found: the saints would help them; he would pray to San + Lucas, who, the Father had told him, was his patron, for he had been born + on his day and christened by his name: and Magdalena must pray, too. + </p> + <p> + Magdalena, however, took up now an attitude of open rebellion, and + absented herself entirely from the services of the Church. This was + another trouble to Te-filo, and daily over his work he prayed to San + Lucas, and pondered what was best to do. But days and weeks went on, and + his inward disquiet began to take effect in his appearance and behavior. + The Father, busy with the multitudinous affairs of the Mission, had + entirely forgotten the matter of Te-filo's request: but one day he chanced + to notice his favorite's listless air, and it recalled the affair to his + mind. A day or two afterwards he said to Te-filo, as the latter was with + him in the sacristy, "Te-filo, you are dull and not yourself. You were + right, it is time you were married, and I have the very one for you. It is + Ana, the daughter of Manuel, who works in the smith's shop. She is a good + girl. I will speak of it to her father." + </p> + <p> + "Padre," said Te-filo, "I cannot marry Ana, nor any one else but + Magdalena, for I love her. Oh, Padre,"—and he dropped on his knees + before the priest,—"let us be married. You do not know, she has + tried hard to be good, and to please you. And I will work for you all my + life. I have been praying to San Lucas ever since I told you, but he has + not done anything." + </p> + <p> + The priest was moved by the earnestness of the boy—for boy he had + always considered him, and indeed he was little more in age. "Well, hijo + mio," he said, "I do not know about that. The saints always hear us, as I + have told you, and perhaps—who knows?—San Lucas may do + something yet. Or, perhaps," he added with a smile, "it is because we + changed your name, and he does not look on you as his son. Well, that was + my fault. But you say that Magdalena has tried to please me? Good, then we + will see. I will set her a penance, for she has not behaved well; then I + shall see if she wishes to please me. To-morrow will be a day of + observance, and there will be early mass in the church. Tell Magdalena, + Te-filo, that she must come to mass and carry a penitent's candle. Let her + be in the front row of the women. If I see her there I shall know she is + obedient, and perhaps, yes, perhaps,—well, we will see about the + rest." + </p> + <p> + "Oh, Padre," Te-filo exclaimed, "you are my padre, indeed;" and he put the + priest's hand to his forehead. "I know she will come, and I know she + wishes to please you. And Padre," he said, "I have made a picture of the + angels of La Navidad. I did it to please you" (he was about to add, "and + Magdalena," but prudence stopped him in time). "I thought—I thought—" + </p> + <p> + "Well, what did you think, hijo mio?" asked the priest. + </p> + <p> + "I thought, Padre, that if you liked it, and said it was done well, it + would be fine on the high roof, Padre, the angels, four of them, in the + middle of the roof: like this, Padre, see!" An he raised his hands in the + attitude in which he had seen Magdalena when she met him in the Father's + room. "I could do it, Padre, if you like it." + </p> + <p> + "Angels, Te-filo!" said the Father. "Hm! I do not know. It is hard to + paint the holy angels, and diligent as you have been, I hardly think you + are an Angelico. But go and bring what you have done, and I will see. + Indeed, it is just what I would have, but it must be well done, or it will + spoil the rest." + </p> + <p> + The boy ran off, and returned quickly with a large sheepskin on which he + had drawn in colors a really fine design: four angels in attitudes of + worship, with uplifted hands, and eyes that expressed, crudely yet well, + the wonder that the Holy Ones might well feel at the Miracle of the + Manger. + </p> + <p> + "Ah, and did you really draw this?" asked the priest. "It is excellent, + Te-filo; we must make a painter of you in earnest; perhaps we might even + send you to Mexico to be taught by a good artist. There is one of the + Brothers at the College of San Fernando who would train you well. I think + this is what San Lucas has been doing for you, after all. But how did you + do it, Te-filo? What did you draw from?" + </p> + <p> + "Padre," said Te-filo tremblingly, "I will tell you, but do not be angry. + It was Magdalena. I saw her once, at first, and she was like that, yes, + exactly like that, with her hands up, so. She was like one of the angels + in your new missal, and I remembered, and drew it many times over, and do + you really think it will do for the church, Padre?" he finished eagerly, + his face aflush with excitement. + </p> + <p> + "Yes, it is certainly good enough, Te-filo," said the Father. "We will + have gold round the heads and golden stars on the robes, and San Juan's + church shall be the finest in California. Though how it comes that the + girl Magdalena can have been your model passes my understanding. Indeed, I + think it is the good San Lucas, or San Juan himself, who has helped you. + Well, you deserve praise, Te-filo, and perhaps some reward. But go now, + and tell Magdalena to come to first mass to-morrow, as I said. You may + take a candle from the sacristy and give it to her." + </p> + <p> + That evening Te-filo told Magdalena all that had happened. But her Spanish + blood was in hot rebellion, and in spite of her love and Te-filo's + entreaties, she would not give in. To carry a candle, as if she were one + of the Indian girls, caught in disgrace! No, it was too much. Why, the + whole pueblo would see her, and laugh (which, indeed, was true for she had + held herself above the girls of the Mission, and was not loved by them). + In vain Te-filo told her of the Father's words about sending him to Mexico + to become a real painter. No, it would be a victory for the Father if she + gave in, and he should see that she was Spanish as well as he. And + contemptuously she tossed the candle aside into the chia bushes in the + courtyard, where they talked in the shadow of the arches. + </p> + <p> + It was with a heavy heart that Te-filo left her, yet with a faint hope + that she might repent and come to mass in the morning. It was a dull, + oppressive night, such as comes rarely in California, even in the summer + heats. Te-filo slept but little, and twice during the night he got up from + his bench bed and prayed to San Lucas, for this seemed to be the final + chance for his and Magdalena's happiness, and after his interview with the + Father all had seemed so bright that it was hard now to give up hope. + Magdalena, on her part, slept not at all, but she did not pray. Instead, + she lay with wide-open eyes in the darkness of her little windowless room, + looking up at the low ceiling and fighting over in her heart the old + battle of love and pride. One might say that love stood for the Indian and + pride for the Spaniard in her, and that it was an incident in the old feud + that began with Cortes and Malinche. And then she thought of what Te-filo + had told her, how he had told the Father about painting the angels for the + church because he had seen her standing with upraised hands, like an + angel, that day. Poor Te-filo! how he loved her! and how she loved him, + too! It was hard, very hard, that there was so much trouble. How happy + they might be! And he was so clever, and might be a real painter, not + working in the fields or at the workshops, but only painting angels and + beautiful things. And she was the cause, in a way, of his being so clever + she was proud of that, and the thought made her glow, simple Indian girl + as she was, with a woman's sweetest thrill—he was clever because of + her! Yet now she must spoil it all, and all for the Father's hardness. + </p> + <p> + But then, must she?—for she knew that it lay with her, after all. + She could make all so happy why not? Ah, but the humiliation! No, she + could not. But could she not? The humiliation would soon be over, and the + prize was so great. They might be married, and even at once. Yes and no, + yes and no—so the fight went on, as the hours dragged past and the + heavy air pressed upon her restless nerves and forbade sleep. + </p> + <p> + It would soon be dawn, and now she must decide. Then the thought came to + her, should she pray to San Lucas, as Te-filo had been doing? Perhaps + after all he would help them. She got up, and creeping quietly into the + adjoining room, where her father and mother were asleep, she knelt at the + little crucifix that hung on the wall, and tried to pray. But no words + would come, and she was about to rise and go back to her bed when it + seemed as if words were whispered in her ear, echoes carried in the brain + from something she had once heard, no doubt, in the church—". . . + levant—a los humildes . . . raised up the humble. . ." She had + noticed the words, because they were so averse to her ways of thought: the + humble, why, that was like the Indians whom she had always despised. But, + after all, perhaps that was San Lucas's answer; for she saw that it would + settle all her trouble. Well, be it so she would be humble, if San Lucas + told her; and she would obey the Father, and then, at last, all would be + well. + </p> + <p> + She rose, and, remembering the hateful candle, went into the quadrangle + and searched for it. There it lay among the chias, and she picked it up + and carried it to her room. Light was dawning in the east, and she did not + lie down again, but stood in her door, making up her mind to the + humiliation she was to undergo for the sake of Te-filo and their love. She + did not waver now; indeed, in her young, strong passion she gloried in the + sacrifice she would make for love's sake. She dressed herself with care. + They ate no meal that day before mass, which was to be at six in the + morning. If only, she thought, she could tell Te-filo that she had + resolved to do the penance, it would make it so much easier; but there + would be no way of seeing him until they were at the service, and then the + men would be on one side and the women on the other; so he would not know + until he saw her, and perhaps he would not look, for she had said she + would not go. Then a thought came to her with delicious joy: she would + make up to him, and punish herself, for having refused, by waiting till + the people were all in the church, and then going in alone, so that + everybody would see her, and Te-filo would see what she could do for him. + </p> + <p> + Solemnly the great bell sounded out the summons to prayer. It was a + special day, the Feast of the Immaculate Conception, and all were expected + to come to mass, old and young. The morning was heavy and airless, and the + people, rising from sleepless or restless beds, moved languidly and in + hardly broken silence toward the church, and, entering, ranged themselves, + men and women separately, on either side of the building, facing the + altar. Te-filo was in his usual place, near the front, and on the margin + of the open aisle that divided the sexes. All had gathered before the bell + ceased to sound, but Magdalena was not there. With a sinking heart Te-filo + had watched, hoping against hope that she would repent and come. He saw + Agust'n and Juana come in, and Agust'n go to the place near the altar + which he held as mayordomo, while Juana merged in the crowd of + undistinguished Indian women. So Magdalena was obstinate, and the prospect + of happiness that had looked so bright yesterday was all over and spoiled. + But he must not blame her: she was not just an Indian, like him. And with + a sigh he ceased to watch the doorway and turned to face the altar. + </p> + <p> + The Father entered, and bent the knee before the altar in view of the + congregation, who also had knelt on his appearing. The church was in + darkness but for the illumination of candles about the altar and a gray + and sickly daylight that came in at the open door. As the Father turned to + the people there was a stir among the women who had taken places near the + entrance, and a figure appeared, carrying a lighted candle. It was + Magdalena. She walked steadily up the passageway between the men and the + women toward the priest, who stood facing her. A black shawl was thrown + over her head, and her face, pale with sleeplessness and trouble, and + lighted by the candle she carried, seemed to glow against its dark + background as if illuminated from within. Te-filo had turned at the sound + of her entrance, and watched her as if fascinated during her passage up + the aisle. She did not see him, for her eyes were on the ground: but she + knew his place, for he had often told her; and as she came near to where + he was kneeling she turned a little toward him, and murmured, so that only + he should understand, "It is for thee, Te-filo." + </p> + <p> + As she came close to the altar step, the Father's eyes rested on her with + a glance that seemed to say, "It is well, my daughter." Then he began the + service, while Magdalena knelt in the front row of the women. There was an + unusual stillness among the people, for the incident of Magdalena's + penance had not been known, and had taken all but Te-filo and the Father + by surprise; while the sultry half darkness and the stagnant air seemed to + add to the feeling of awe. So the service proceeded. + </p> + <p> + Suddenly, without warning, at the offertory, destruction broke. There came + a shock; a pause of terror; another shock, that made the solid walls rock + to and fro; a terrible cry, "El temblor!" and in panic the people rose + from their knees and rushed toward the door. A third shock came, heavier + than the other two; and cornices and masses of plaster began to fall. + </p> + <p> + At the first cry of the frightened people Te-filo had risen to his feet. + He looked to where Magdalena had been kneeling, and saw her standing, + still holding her penitent's candle alight in her hand. As the people + rushed toward the door both he and Magdalena were almost carried away by + the panic-stricken throng; but he made his way to her, and they two were + for a few moments alone, but for the priest, near the altar. When the + third shock came he threw his arms about her. She seemed to have no fear, + nor had he. The spirits of both had been under strain, and one thing only + had been in their thoughts for hours before, so that they were in great + degree oblivious to the general terror. As Te-filo put his arms about her, + a bright smile came on her white face, and she said, pointing to the + candle, "It was hard, but I prayed to San Lucas, and he told me to do it, + and now we can be married." The shock continued, and became more violent. + Pointing to the candle she said again, "I did it for thee, Te-filo mio." + As she spoke, there came a terrifying sound from above: the great stone + dome above them parted, and looking up they saw for a moment the calm face + of the sky through a jagged rent in the roof; then the ponderous structure + crashed down in ruin upon them and the huddled crowd of Indians that still + struggled for escape. + </p> + <p> + They were found the next day, their bodies crushed together. In her hand + was still the penitent's candle. + </p> + <p> + In one grave the Father, who escaped the death that fell that day upon + twoscore of his flock, buried Te-filo and Magdalena; for, said he, making + over them the Holy Sign, they were married, indeed, though in death. Still + may be seen on the shattered walls and roof of the Mission church some + faded, simple frescoings, the unfinished task and the memorial of Te-filo, + the painter-neophyte of San Juan Capistrano. + </p> + <p> + <br /><br /> + </p> + <hr /> + <p> + <a name="link2H_4_0003" id="link2H_4_0003"> </a> + </p> + <div style="height: 4em;"> + <br /><br /><br /><br /> + </div> + <h2> + SAN DIEGO DE ALCALA—PADRE URBANO'S UMBRELLA + </h2> + <p> + Padre Urbano, priest in charge of the Mission of San Diego, was in a bad + humor. If he had been asked what was the most necessary article in the + cargo of the supply ship Santiago on the first of her half-yearly visits + in the year 1830, he would almost certainly have said, the umbrella. The + candles were important, no doubt; so was the new altar-cloth, for the + present one had become shockingly worn under the unskillful treatment of + the Indian lavanderas; so were the seeds, all the more so because he had + included in the list seeds for an onion-bed, and onions were a delicacy to + which his soul had long been a stranger. And many others of the articles + he had named in his requisition had passed from a state of shortage into + one of absolute vacancy on the storeroom shelves. But foremost in his + thoughts was the umbrella. He had specified it with care,—such an + umbrella as he had used in Spain, before ever he came to this destitute + and heathen land; the size, a vara and a half across; the material, silk; + the color, yellow; and as the warm spring sun smote ever more fervently + upon his tonsured head, his thoughts had daily turned with yearning + towards the good, ample quitasol that was to shield him from the fiery + persecutions of his enemy, the prince of the power of the air. + </p> + <p> + Well, the vessel had come that day, and with it the umbrella; and now, + most cruelly dashing his long-cherished hopes, one of his Indians had + stolen it! Moreover, to-morrow he was to start on his annual visitation of + the outlying stations, and he had especially relied for comfort, on that + long, hot, dusty round, upon the umbrella,—the fiend fly away with + the miscreant who had taken it! thought the Father in his wrath. + </p> + <p> + This is how it happened: The ship had sailed into the bay at early + morning, and the lieutenant at the fort had straightway sent a runner up + to the Mission with the cheering news, adding that the articles for the + Father's personal use had been thoughtfully packed separately from the + heavier goods, and the captain had obligingly kept the special package in + his own cabin, so that it could be delivered to the expectant consignee at + once on arrival. The Father had immediately dispatched two of his most + trusted Indians, Pio and Jose, to receive the goods, which the captain had + promised to have brought ashore in the first boat-load. + </p> + <p> + The sergeant who delivered the goods to the Indians, in order to make the + unwieldy package easy of transportation by the two men over the two + leagues of road that lay between the bay and the Mission, had unwisely + opened it in the presence of the Indians, so as to arrange the contents in + two loads. The men had each taken one of the bundles and started for the + Mission. In due course, Jose had arrived with his load, but alone, and in + explanation had reported that at a mile or two from the bay his companion + had fallen behind—to rest, as he supposed—while he continued + on his way. After a time he had waited for Pio to come up, but the latter + had not rejoined him. Jose had left his own load by the roadside and gone + back to see what had become of him, but no trace was to be found of either + Pio or his burden. There was nothing for him, Jose, to do but to continue + on his way with his own part of the Padre's property, and here he was. Pio + would doubtless come soon with the remainder. + </p> + <p> + But Pio had not come, and the Father's fears, born as he listened to + Jose's story, grew into angry certainty as hours passed and no Pio + appeared. Examination of Jose's bundle had revealed the altar-cloth, the + ink, the sugar, the onionseed, some books, and a few of the articles of + clothing he expected, but the umbrella and part of the clothes were + numbered with the missing; and though the clothes were not only valuable + but much needed, somehow it was the umbrella that made the head and front + of the crime in the Father's mind. Calling the Indians together after + vespers, he announced the theft, denounced the thief, and pronounced his + severest displeasure, with punishments proportionate, against any who + should fail to do all in his or her power toward the apprehension of that + ungrateful sinner, Pio. + </p> + <p> + Let us see what had become of the rascal from the time when he + disappeared. He had really dropped behind to rest, as Jose had supposed; + but while resting, the desire had come to him to look again at that + strange thing in his package. What could it be? He had seen the sergeant + take it out of the box, along, thin object; then he put his hand somewhere + on it, and pushed, and, wonderful! it had changed in an instant into a + huge flower! Such a flower! Yellow like a sunflower, nay, like a thousand + sunflowers, or the sun itself. Then he had done something again, and all + at once it was as it had been at first. Talk about magic! All the things + his father, old Kla-quitch, the medicine-man, used to do were nothing to + this. He simply must have another look at it, and now was his chance, + while Jose, who might tell the Padre, could not see. He slipped the cords + from the bundle and took out the thing of mystery. A long stick, with some + yellow cloth rolled round one end: but how to turn it into the other + wonderful thing? He could not resist trying, and he felt about the stick, + pushing this way and that, as he had seen the soldier do, and it began to + open. He pushed again—it was done; behold the magic sunflower, + beautiful, wonderful! And turning it round and round he feasted his eyes + on it, the most astonishing thing he had ever seen; yes, and done, for he, + Pio, knew how to make the Big Flower open. + </p> + <p> + That is where the tempter caught him. What power that would give him over + the other Indians! What was Kla-quitch, with his painted sticks and bones, + compared with him, if only he were the possessor of this marvel! He should + need no other stock in trade as medicine-man. The people would pay well to + have it opened—that would be good medicine:—and simply keeping + it shut would be bad medicine:—delightfully easy! How did it shut, + by the by? He fumbled at the stick, but it did not close: he pushed and + pulled, it made no difference. He pressed on the cloth; an ominous + creaking warned him that Big Flower objected to being shut by force, and + threatened to break. + </p> + <p> + A nice fix he was in now: the genie he had raised would not down! He grew + hot and cold by turns. Jose was far ahead by now: he ought to overtake + him, but he could not appear before the Padre like this. He did not know + what the purpose of the thing was, but most likely it had something to do + with the Church, and he knew how strict the Padre was about even the + handling of such objects. What should he do? The tempter had the answer + ready,—there was only one thing he could do,—run away with the + magic thing and be a medicine-man, as his father had been, only he would + be a much more powerful and cunning one. Sly tempter! Poor Pio! He had + only meant to nibble, and here he was, fairly hooked. + </p> + <p> + Well, since he was in for it, he had better get away before any one saw + him. He caught up the clothes and the umbrella and hurried off into the + brush. It was not easy for him to make his way along with the obstreperous + load, and he soon discovered that the best way to manage the umbrella was + to carry it over his head. Very comforting he found it, too, though it did + not for a moment occur to him that this was its real purpose. His plan was + to go to his father's tribe, the Elcuanams, in the mountains far away. + There he should be safe from the Padre, and should also have the prestige + of his father's reputation. If there were another medicine-man in the + tribe Pio could easily outrank him and capture the business. So he made a + long detour, and came back by evening to the valley, but a mile or two + above the Mission. It would be easier to travel with Big Flower by keeping + to the river-bed instead of going through the brush, which constantly + threatened to tear it. He had a faint idea that it might close of its own + accord at evening, and glanced up anxiously several times to see if it was + doing so; but evidently it was not that kind of flower. + </p> + <p> + He heard the bells of the Mission ringing the Angelus, and shuddered as he + thought of the wrathful Padre, no doubt now denouncing him publicly as a + thief and renegade, and he hurried on till dark, when he found a sheltered + spot and lay down. The night was chilly, and after a time the thought came + to him that Big Flower would make a fine shelter: so he got up and + arranged it so as to keep off the wind. Another idea: the clothes, why not + put them on and be warm? It seemed a terrible thing to do, but he was + running away from the Padre anyhow, so he might as well be comfortable as + not. He got up again and spread out the clothes in the dim light: two + woolen undershirts, two pairs of unmentionables to match, four large + handkerchiefs of red silk, three pairs of blue woolen stockings, and a + queer, three-cornered article, white, with strings, which he took to be + some kind of pouch, but, by a happy thought, found to make an agreeable + protection for the head. Also there was a pair of thick slippers of dark + felt. He rolled the handkerchiefs up in a ball, and then drew on all the + other garments except the slippers, not troubling to first remove his own + scanty clothes consisting of a cotton jacket and pantaloons. He now felt + pretty comfortable, and lying down again was soon fast asleep. + </p> + <p> + When he awoke it was early morning. It was still cold, and he kept the + clothes on. Indeed, it occurred to him that this was just the thing to do; + it was much easier than carrying the bundle in one hand while Big Flower + occupied the other. He would still have the slippers to carry, for he saw + that they would soon be worn out if he wore them. With a few edible roots + and berries he made a sort of breakfast, not without pensive recollection + of the warm atole now being dished out at the Mission. When he was ready + to go on he thought of the morning prayers at the Mission, and believing + Big Flower to be something connected with the Church, the natural thing to + do was to say his prayers before it, which he did, and then started on his + way. After a few miles he knew he was near the shut-in valley (which we + call El Cajon) and he remembered that there were Indians there who might + know him. It is doubtful, really, whether any of his acquaintances would + have stopped to recognize him had they caught sight of the figure he made, + for it is safe to say that no such spectacle had ever been seen + thereabouts as our friend Pio made, attired in the Father's underclothes, + adorned with a nightcap, and carrying in one hand a vast yellow umbrella + and in the other a pair of slippers. The handkerchiefs, much too fine to + be wasted, he had tied together by the corners and made into a sash, such + as he had seen the Mexican caballeros wear; and in his piebald of red, + white, and blue, he made altogether a decidedly striking appearance. + </p> + <p> + As he was considering turning aside and making another detour, he had an + object lesson of the effect he produced upon his countrymen. An Indian + appeared at a little distance. He was gathering wood, and as he + straightened from stooping his eyes fell upon Pio. With a yell he dropped + his load and fled at topmost speed, emitting such sounds as we try, but + vainly, to utter in a nightmare. This, though a tribute to Pio's + impressive aspect, and a gratifying omen of his success in the role of + medicine man, was also a warning of danger. He dived again into the brush + and devoted strenuous hours to threading his way through thickets of + chaparral until he emerged on the trail that led northeast into the heart + of the mountains. Big Flower was happily intact, and the nightcap also + except for a missing string, but the outer layer of the other garments had + paid toll to many an affectionate scrub-oak and manzanita, and the + stockings that had stood the brunt were practically footless. Pio surveyed + the damage ruefully, and rebuked himself for not having preserved his new + property by wearing his own clothes outside. He would make the change now, + and as it was getting hot he decided to wear only one set of the + undergarments (the damaged ones) under his own clothes, and to carry the + others. When the change was made, he hurried on. He had made one or two + more attempts to make Big Flower close, but had not succeeded, so he now + marched along in a businesslike way under the great parasol, apparently an + Indian gentleman more than usually careful of his complexion, taking a + brisk walk. + </p> + <p> + One thing, however, he had to attend to, the question of food, for he was + getting very hungry. He was now on a steep trail that led up to the valley + now known as the Santa Mar'a, and there, he knew, was another rancher'a, + or village. Here, too, he might be known, but he must take the chance: he + must have food, and would boldly go and ask for it. As he pushed his way + through the trees he came unexpectedly upon three fat squaws who were + sitting beside the creek, pounding acorns and grass seeds into meal. Just + as he saw them, they saw him, umbrella, nightcap, slippers, and all. There + was one shriek, or rather, a trio of shrieks that sounded like one, and + the women rushed like deer (albeit very fat deer) down the creek, and Pio + heard them gabbling at top voice to what he knew must be the assembled and + startled rancher'a. + </p> + <p> + Our friend was a philosophical fellow, as we have seen, and as the natural + thing to do was to gather up the little piles of meal, tie them up in the + extra shirt, and make off with them, he did it. There was no need now for + him to trouble the village, so he quietly withdrew by the way he had come, + and, guided by the excited sounds that still reached his ears, made a + roundabout way back to the trail, striking it beyond the village. At the + next water, he mixed some of the meal into a gruel and ate it. It was not + very palatable, and again he thought of the good food at the Mission, from + which he was now forever debarred. But a look at Big Flower, gleaming like + a great golden mushroom in the sun, consoled him, as he thought of the + wealth and power he would enjoy among his tribe by means of this + unparalleled marvel. + </p> + <p> + Night found him halfway between the Santa Mar'a Valley and the next higher + one, to which the Spaniards who had first seen it had given the name of + Ballena, from the long mountain, like a whale in outline, that shuts it in + on the northwest. He found water, made a fire in the time-honored Indian + way by rubbing two dry sticks together, and cooked the remaining meal. + There was enough for a good supper, and some over, which he made into + little cakes, drying them hard on the hot stones. He put on all the + clothes again to sleep in, and made a wind-break as before with the + umbrella. It was really more comfortable than the hard bed in his hut at + the Mission, and he felt more than contented, even jubilant, over the + change in his fortunes. + </p> + <p> + In the morning he said his prayers again before Big Flower, and started on + his way early. He had pulled on the extra clothing at night over what he + was then wearing, and as the morning was cold, and the trail good, so that + the clothes would not be harmed, he did not take them off, except the + extra stockings, nor change so as to wear his own outside. Thus he again + presented the tricolor aspect that had paralyzed the natives he had met. + It now occurred to him to make a little experiment, a sort of trial + canter, of his new profession, upon the Indians in the next valley. He was + not far now from his own village of the Elcuanams, and might as well be + getting into training. He would avoid surprising any stragglers at the + next village, and would get into touch with the head men, explaining that + he was the long-lost son of Kla-quitch, who had escaped after all these + years from the Mission, and had come back, learned in all the knowledge of + the white men and armed further with this most wonderful appliance of + magic, to take his place as hereditary medicine-man of his tribe. He + should see by that means what sort of impression he would be likely to + make on his own people. Nominally they were Christians; but they were + hardly ever visited by the priest, and he knew that the bulk of them were + still much as in his father's day, and still placed reliance on the + fetishes of the shamans. + </p> + <p> + Accordingly he made his approaches to the Ballena village with caution. It + was about noon when he came near, and he could see, as he reconnoitered, + that a group of men were talking together in the open space about which + the houses were irregularly placed. That was excellent. He crept + cautiously near, having some trouble to keep the umbrella out of sight + till the psychological moment: and then, holding it high overhead with one + hand and the slippers and extra garments in the other, in token of amity, + he uttered the orthodox Indian greeting which answers to our "How d' ye + do?" and advanced upon them. + </p> + <p> + They looked up all together: there was a yell that wakened echoes that had + slept for many a year; and in a twinkling the plaza (so to call it) was + empty but for himself, and the braves were dodging about behind the houses + in mortal terror of the hideous monster, worse than the white men, for he + was an unheard-of, polychromatic kind of being, not only white, but red, + blue, and yellow as well. It was no doubt the monster of whom the priest + had warned them, who would appear one day, if they were not careful of + their Christian duties (and they could not say they had been), and destroy + them all and burn their village. The thing he had in his hand was + doubtless the torch—see how it shone, just like fire! In vain poor + Pio declaimed his speech: it fell on ears too demoralized to hear; and + when one or two of them began to fit arrows to their bowstrings, the best + thing to do was plainly to beat a prompt retreat. This he did, holding Big + Flower ignominiously behind him to catch the arrows that he expected every + moment to hear whizzing about him. + </p> + <p> + He ran for some distance till he was out of sight of the inhospitable + village, and then sat down to rest and think. The adventure began to take + on an unpleasant complexion. If every one he came near acted like this he + could not be a medicine-man, for there would be no one on whom to + practice; and the bow and arrow episode was really alarming. What if his + own people refused to hear him? No one would recognize him there, for he + was a boy when he had been taken to the Mission, and he had never been + chosen to accompany the Padre on his rare visitations to the Elcuanams, as + it had been thought wise not to allow him to return to the old + surroundings. What had he better do? Of course he might discard Big Flower + and all the other fine things, and return to his people an undistinguished + runaway from the Mission (as not a few others had done, to the scandal of + good Father Urbano); but he could not bring himself to that, not yet, at + least. Well, he would go on: probably the well-remembered name of + Kla-quitch would make it all right. + </p> + <p> + His discouragement over the Ballena reception caused him to travel slowly, + and it was nearly sunset when he drew near the Elcuanam village. It had + been a cool day, so he had kept all the clothes on (except the extra + stockings). The village was in an open place, near the upper end of a wide + valley, and he could see it and be seen from it for a good distance. He + could not think of a better plan of operations than the one he had tried + at Ballena, badly as it had worked there: namely, to maneuver so as to + make his first appearance when a number of the chief men were together, + and then get the name of Kla-quitch to their ears as quickly as possible. + That would arrest their attention, and further particulars could follow. + </p> + <p> + When he came in sight of the rancher'a he stopped and sat down to bide his + time. Only a few women and children and an old man or two were about: the + braves were probably out hunting, or, perhaps, bravely sleeping until the + squaws should announce that supper was served. So he waited, hidden behind + a rise of ground. At last the men, to the number of ten or a dozen, had + congregated for the evening lounge and pow-wow. Pio slipped into the + shadow of one of the little houses whence he could issue in full view of + the conclave. He settled the nightcap on his head, grasped the umbrella in + one hand and the slippers and stockings in the other, and at a lull in the + conversation advanced. He had decided to dispense with the "How d' ye do?" + in order to play his best card at once: so as he stepped into the light of + the fire he merely uttered in a loud tone the word "Kla-quitch," to catch + their attention. He succeeded. A dozen startled heads turned toward him, + and as he spoke his talisman again, and moved toward them, there came a + hysterical howl from a dozen most unmusical throats, and his audience, + followed by the women, children, and dogs of the village, all shrieking in + chorus, vanished into the night. It was a striking tribute to the memory + and prowess of Kla-quitch (who, it was naturally supposed, had appeared + and announced his return from the spirit world); but it was far from being + what his son and intending successor had hoped. + </p> + <p> + This was the very dickens (or whatever the Elcuanam equivalent may be), + for poor Pio! Whatever was he to do now? He prowled about among the houses + trying to find some one to whom to explain, but the panic had swept even + the old men and women away. He could hear the people calling to one + another from their spots of refuge, and ever the burden of the shout was + either "Kla-quitch!" or "Yellow!"—that is to say, the Elcuanam word + for that suddenly unpopular color. He began to feel bitterly toward Big + Flower, the cause, it seemed, of so much trouble, and even toward his + departed parent, whose name, so long after his death, was such very bad + medicine as to wreck his son's chances everywhere. + </p> + <p> + He squatted down by the fire, hoping that some of the men would return + after a time, but none came. After sitting again by the fire for two hours + or so, hoping vainly for company and pondering on his doubtful future, he + felt sleepy, and stretched out with his feet to the blaze, not forgetting + to set up his wind-break, really the only thing, he began to think, that + Big Flower was good for. + </p> + <p> + He did not wake till morning, when he looked round anxiously. He could see + the whole population gathered a quarter of a mile away, pointing toward + him and skirmishing for the best positions for viewing his actions. + Evidently he was taboo for good and all, and the vision he had had of + himself, as the feared and prosperous medicine-man of his tribe had been a + very fancy portrait: feared he certainly was, but there it ended. It + looked as if he had to choose between being a medicine-man all by himself, + or abandoning all his paraphernalia and, after a day or two's judicious + absence, rejoining his tribe in the humble capacity of a mere runaway from + the Mission. + </p> + <p> + Meanwhile he found some food—with difficulty, for the proprietors + had removed their valuables during the night and made a middling + breakfast. He had not fully determined what to do, so he stayed where he + was until his next step should become clearer. The morning passed slowly, + with no developments. He kept an eye on the crowd of watchers, and once or + twice he was puzzled to see that they pointed not only at him, but along + the trail to the south, by which he had come. + </p> + <p> + Let us now go back a few hours, and take a look at Padre Urbano. We shall + find him, not at the Mission, but only a few miles away—in fact, at + Ballena. He had started on his visitations the next day after Pio's + defalcation, and in anything but good temper. He had come, with his little + party of half a dozen Indians, by the same general route that Pio had + traveled, and had been only a few hours behind him. He did not stop at the + Cajon and Santa Mar'a villages, as he meant to attend to his pastoral + duties in those places on his return; but rumors reached him of some + apparition having been seen by the natives. He knew these superstitious + people only too well, however, and smiled at their credulity. At Ballena + he stayed for the night, and was entertained with a more circumstantial + account of a parti-colored demon who had been chased out of the village at + arrow's point: but as he had not had time to check up the shortage in his + clothes before leaving home, he did not recognize Pio under the + description. He told the Indians, on general principles, that it was, as + they supposed, a monster who had scented their slackness in religious + affairs, and who would certainly call again if they did not amend, and + next time would not be so easily put off. + </p> + <p> + He left the Ballena rancher'a early and started for Elcuanam. This was the + farthest from headquarters of all his parishes. An outpost station had + been established there nine years before, under the name of Santa Ysabel, + but, with only yearly visits since then, it was in a moribund condition + and had not progressed beyond the architectural stage of a ramada, or + brush shelter. A message had been sent a few days before (without Pio's + knowledge, as it happened), telling the Indians to get the ramada ready + for use, and giving the time of the Padre's intended arrival. + </p> + <p> + The little procession, Padre, six Indians, and two burros carrying the + necessaries for the observance of mass, wound its way slowly up from the + lower to the higher valley, and just before noon arrived at the top of the + last rise before the Elcuanam, or Santa Ysabel, village should be reached. + The Father was in the lead, our early acquaintance Jose close behind. They + halted for a moment to rest before going on to the village. The Father + noticed with gratification that the whole population was stationed on a + hillock just beyond the village, evidently in expectation of his arrival; + but he wondered why the foolish people waited there, instead of hastening + to meet him. They had caught sight of him, for he saw them gesticulate, + and it seemed to him that they pointed toward the houses, as if to draw + his attention to something. So he looked, and his eyes caught the gleam of + a large yellow object, set up as if it were a shrine, in the center of the + village. Very odd, he thought; what had the silly Indians been up to now? + They moved on toward the village, and as they approached, the Elcuanams + cautiously approached also. When the Father arrived pretty near, he + stopped, gazed hard, rubbed his eyes, gazed again, and then said to Jose, + "Jose, your eyes are better than mine: what is that in the village?" + Jose's eyes were already starting from his head, as if to get a better + focus on what he saw. "Padre," he said, almost in a whisper, "I think it + is the yellow thing that Pio stole. The sergeant made it open when we went + for the package, and it was like that." "Holy Saints!" cried the Father; + "it looks like that to me, too, but it cannot be. How could my umbrella + get to Santa Ysabel? And what has become of Pio? If it is the umbrella, he + must have brought it here." "Padre," said Jose, "there he is. I think it + is Pio, but he looks very funny, and he is kneeling in front of the yellow + thing as if he was saying his prayers." "Saying his prayers!" said the + priest with warmth; "indeed, he had better say his prayers if it is he!" + And the party hurried forward. + </p> + <p> + As we know, there was no mistake about its being Pio. As for the prayers,—an + unusual demonstration from the Elcuanams had caused him to glance again to + the trail where they were pointing. There his horrified eyes had seen what + seemed a miracle, but a most unfortunate miracle for him Padre Urbano + himself, a sight as unmistakable as unbelievable. Panic seized him, but on + the instant he had an inspiration, too: he was caught, and something awful + was bound to happen; but why not at least make an attempt to disarm the + Father's indignation by being caught in the attitude of worship, which the + Padre was everlastingly inculcating? It might not mitigate his wrath, but + then it might. He propped the unlucky Big Flower up so that it would + stand, hurriedly stuffed a pair of stockings into each slipper, dropped + them beside the umbrella, and then fell on his knees and began to patter + Ave Marias, faster, and much more fervently, than he had ever said them + before the altar at the Mission. In his haste he forgot to take off the + nightcap, though, indeed, he hardly viewed it in the light of a hat, or + cap. + </p> + <p> + In this position the culprit was found by the Padre and his escort, and + also by the Elcuanams, who, emboldened by the Father's fearless demeanor, + had ventured back to the zone of danger. "Pio!" cried the Father, "get up + and show yourself, if it is you. Sancta Mar'a! what is all this? Why, + those are my clothes you are wearing, you graceless rascal! Take them off + instantly, and tell me what you mean by this outrage. Bring him to me in + the ramada, Jose, and be sure you bring the umbrella. Praise to the + Saints! I have found it, and it seems to be undamaged, after all." + </p> + <p> + On the way to the ramada the Father could not help looking round once or + twice at the prisoner, who followed with hangdog look, escorted by the + scandalized Indians from the Mission and a mob of astounded Elcuanams. His + indignation began to melt as he thought of the miraculous recovery of the + umbrella, and, since he was a genial and lenient soul, each glance he took + at the wretched Pio tickled his risibles more and more, until his + shoulders shook with merriment. Arrived at the court of justice he managed + to get up an aspect of terrific severity as the malefactor was led in by + Jose. The umbrella and the other incriminating evidence were deposited + beside him. The Elcuanams and the other Indians, crowding about the + entrance, crooked their necks with anxiety to see what would happen. Pio + had not yet disrobed, and stood dolefully awaiting the worst, from + nightcap to stockings a clown like and altogether incomprehensible figure. + Again the Father's funny vein got the better of him. He knew that he was + compromising himself forever, but for the life of him he could not help it—his + lip trembled, he tried to control it but failed, he chuckled, giggled, + cackled, and burst into a roar of laughter. + </p> + <p> + It was no use to think of punishment after that. When Father Urbano at + last got the shreds of his dignity together, the whole history was + extorted from the trembling Pio, who, however, was shrewd enough to say + nothing of his pagan dream of turning medicine-man. Gladly enough he shed + the unlucky clothing. Vast quantities of water were brought from the + spring and blessed by the Padre: the umbrella was sprinkled and sprinkled + till no taint could remain; and then Pio, guarded by Jose, spent the + afternoon in scrubbing the desecrated garments with bucket after bucket of + holy water, while the assembled village, down to the smallest papoose, + jeered at that most ignominious of spectacles—a man, washing clothes + like a squaw! + </p> + <p> + To complete Pio's penance, it was his task to carry the umbrella over the + Padre during all the rest of the round of visitations, which, it seemed to + him, as he marched mile after mile with aching arms, would never end. But + end it did, and Father Urbano's umbrella at last arrived at its original + destination, San Diego Mission. Finally, after many and various further + peregrinations, it ended its travels at the sister Mission of Santa Ines, + where to-day the reader may find it reposing, a treasured item in Father + Alexander Buckler's curious collection of relics. It is but fair to say, + however, that I am doubtful whether Good Father Alexander will vouch for + my story of its early adventures. + </p> + <p> + <br /><br /> + </p> + <hr /> + <p> + <a name="link2H_4_0004" id="link2H_4_0004"> </a> + </p> + <div style="height: 4em;"> + <br /><br /><br /><br /> + </div> + <h2> + SAN GABRIEL ARCANGEL—THE BELLS OF SAN GABRIEL + </h2> + <p> + Rather a desolate little spot is the campo santo of San Gabriel; rather + desolate, and very dusty. The ramshackle wooden crosses stagger wildly on + the shapeless mounds; the dilapidated whitewashed railings, cracked and + blistered by the sun, look much as though they might be bleached bones, + tossed carelessly about; and the badly painted, misspelled inscriptions + yield up their brief announcements only to a very patient reader. On the + whole, depressing; but in a sleepy, careless way, like the little + tumbledown houses of the Mexicans, across the road; like, also, the old + Mission itself, yellowing and crumbling in the warm California sun into + early decay. + </p> + <p> + Walking slowly about among the humble mounds, my mind lazily weaving from + the names and dates of Seoelvedas and Argyellos and Yorbas, with their + romantic sound, a half-sad, half-delightful tapestry of fancy, I found + myself at one inclosure of an appearance so different that I stopped to + regard it particularly. It was the grave of a poor person, clearly, and + not in that way noteworthy, for poverty was the air of the whole place. + But it was carefully fenced with a high white railing; there were fresh + flowers upon it; and it was evident that affectionate hands tended it. The + short inscription, translated from its Spanish, recorded— + </p> +<pre xml:space="preserve"> + Ysabel, wife of Ramon Enriquez, + born July 20, 1875: died October 23, 1893 + Much Moved +</pre> + <p> + Eighteen years old, married, and dead! a sad strand of color this, to run + into my tapestry, gay with silver lace, coquettish fans, and high-heeled + Spanish slippers. Eighteen years old, married, and dead; and muy querida, + much beloved! My thoughts stayed behind, as I moved on, and the words, + with their soft inflection, would recur dreamily to me, again and again—muy + querida; alas! muy querida. + </p> + <p> + In the shade of a high remaining piece of the ancient mudbrick wall, three + Mexicans, with cigarettes and sombreros, and gaudy as tulips in their + striped serapes, were gambling, sleepily, at cards: from one of the little + houses came the sleepy tinkling of a mandolin—muy querida. I + wandered over to the edge of the little cemetery, and, sitting down, + leaned against the hot wall, under the sleepy, flickering shade of the + neglected olives and expiring walnuts of the Mission garden. Sleepily I + watched the anxious labors of a hornet, busily building its nest of clay. + A dragonfly hung for a moment before me, then alighted on a leaf and was + suddenly smitten asleep. Everything drowsed, except the everlasting sun, + pouring down ceaselessly his shriveling rays. Again, over and over, my + mind dreamily repeated the words—only eighteen, married, and dead: + muy querida. + </p> + <p> + The bells of the Mission are ringing, clear and strong, under the + practiced hand of old Gregorio. Who can ring like he? And to-day, of all + days, he is doing his best, for it is the fiesta of the blessed San + Gabriel himself, and there are people come from all the towns of the + valley, to say nothing of Los Angeles, to the fiesta. Not but what the + saint has his day every year; but this particular day is a day of days, a + fiesta of fiestas: for the Padre has arranged a procession in San + Gabriel's honor, and what Mexican would not ride thirty miles to see a + procession? So to the hitching-posts all up the long street are tied tired + horses that have come that hot morning from San Fernando, and Calabasas, + and farther still. And here and there is a wagon that has brought a whole + family, all to do honor to San Gabriel, and to see the sight of the day. + And that is, pre'minently, Ysabel Alvarado, the beauty of the valley, who + is to walk at the head of the procession to the church. + </p> + <p> + The heart of the beautiful Ysabel is in commotion, somewhat like the bells + themselves, as she listens to them and to the clamor of the children, who + began to gather an hour ago before the cottage, and are now shrilly + calling, "Y-sa-bel." And she can hardly stand still while her mother is + busily putting the last touches to the wonderful array in which she is to + appear. Never before has any girl of the village had clothes so beautiful, + entirely of white, yes, even to the shoes and their rosettes and laces, + all of white, so dear to the Mexican heart. Moreover, there was the + thought of Ramon; Ramon, who she thought loved her: to-day would surely + prove it, when he saw her so dressed, like—yes, indeed—like a + grand senorita. Ramon had been working in Los Angeles, and there there + were so many—she sighed to think how many—girls for him to + choose from. But to-day he was to be here: old Marta, her mother, had + found out, and told her: and to-day would surely tell. There were others, + of course: Ramon's friend, Felipe, for instance: he was clever, and sang + well, and she knew he liked her. But it was Ramon's face that would come + between her and the little square of looking-glass; and it was Ramon, too, + who came into her mind—the saints forgive her!—even when she + turned for a moment to her little crucifix, to say a prayer for good + fortune, special good fortune, that day. + </p> + <p> + At last all was ready, even to the final brushing that her mother must + give to the glossy hair which, parted by the dark, beautiful face, fell in + a rippling shower almost to her knee. It is no wonder that Marta says, as + she hovers, brush in hand, about her, "Thou art like the great picture of + the blessed Santa Barbara, child, that I used to see in the Mission where + I lived when I was as young as you"; and, to herself, "Ramon had best take + care. Such flowers are not to be plucked every day as my Ysabelita." And + it is no wonder that when Ysabel appears at the door, carrying carefully + upright the waxen, fragrant spire of white lilies for San Gabriel which + the Padre has sent to Los Angeles to procure, the excited expectation of + the village and its visitors releases itself in a prolonged "Ah!" that + nearly makes her laugh outright with happy pride. Least of all is it any + wonder that Ramon Enriquez, gazing with all his soul, says, under his + breath, "She is like an angel of heaven; yes, truly an angel is she, my + Ysabel." + </p> + <p> + The bells of the Mission ring happily, happily, as the little procession + passes into the church: Muy querida, muy querida. + </p> + <p> + Again the bells are swinging and ringing in the hot, sunny air. But it is + not old Gregorio who rings now, one maybe sure, so irregular are the + strokes—loud, soft, quick, slow—as if the green old bells were + actually out of breath with laughing. No, Gregorio has rung for thirty, + yes, nearly forty years, and his ringing is as steady as the pendulum of + the Padre's great clock. Ah, it is Juan, young scapegrace! that rings, and + out of breath, truly, is he; so that for once he is ready to obey when + admonished by the Padre to leave off. "What a noise thou art making, + Juanito! I think San Gabriel will be stopping his ears. Run up the choir + steps, boy, and call to me if thou seest them coming." Willingly enough + the bare-legged urchin raced away, and, perched like an acrobat on the + narrow rail, holding by a trailing branch of the pepper tree, shielded his + merry black eyes as he gazed up the road. His slender stock of patience + was nearly exhausted before the sound of music reached his ears, and + started his feet shuffling. "Padre, oh, Padre," he cried, "they are + coming. I can hear the violin: it is Pedro that plays, I would bet + anything. Ah, he can play! Yes, and Marta is coming first with the holy + water." + </p> + <p> + Down the road comes, again, a procession. One half of the village is in + it, and the other half views it with animated admiration from doorways and + verandas. Marta, her old black dress for once cast aside, arrayed in + yellow and red, leads the van, as she has at every wedding for twenty + years. Following her come three musicians; Pedro, in the center, his gray, + thin hair straggling over the collar of his well-brushed long black coat, + with young Vicente and Arturo, the bridegroom's brothers, one on either + side, accompanying Pedro's weird, thin-blooded strain with thrumming + mandolins. Next come, by two and two, six little girls, pretty as angels, + with little wild sunflowers in their glossy tresses, and carrying, with + conscious pride, large bunches of red roses. And here are the bride and + bridegroom, Ysabel Alvarado, the flower of San Gabriel, and Ramon + Enriquez, to whose proud, dark face hers is often lifted with happy smiles + at the words of admiration and friendly wishes that reach their ears. + </p> + <p> + Now, Juan, ring your loudest, and no one will complain: Muy querida, muy + querida . . . + </p> + <p> + It is the big bell, only, of the Mission, that is ringing now, the one in + the top embrasure of the arched campanario. It rings steady and clear, as + Gregorio always makes it, but slowly, and the sound that trembles heavily + out upon the heat-laden air settles down upon the village like a noonday + shadow. Again there are people gathered for a simple procession, and + horses are tied to the posts along the street. But this time it is not at + old Marta's house that the people are, gathered, but at the new, white + cottage that Ramon Enriquez built, a year ago, for his bride. Juan, merry + and mischievous as a blue jay generally, is sober as he hovers on the + outskirts of the little group of people. Again the six little girls are + waiting, two and two, but they carry white flowers, lilies, roses, and + jessamine. Presently Marta appears, a creeping, somber figure, black from + head to foot. + </p> + <p> + The straggling group moves up the street, old Marta at the head, talking + to herself, and shaking her head. As they near the Mission the great door + opens, and the Padre comes out, followed by four young men, who carry—alas! + my heart tells me what they carry—the brightness and lightness of + the face and form of Ysabel Enriquez: and there lies upon her breast a + tiny baby form. Alas! muy querida! Ramon walks behind, and looks neither + to right nor left, as they take their place at the head of the little + procession. And so they go, up the white, dusty road, to the campo santo. + </p> + <p> + Muy querida, muy querida, says the great bell: slower and slower, muy + querida, muy . . . and so, ceases. + </p> + <p> + The sun was going down, its warm light dying away up the ancient wall. Far + away sounded the faint thrumming of the mandolin in the cottage across the + road: the three Mexicans were still silently gambling. + </p> + <p> + Yes, it is a desolate little spot, the campo santo of San Gabriel. [1} + </p> + <pre> + [1] + The foregoing sketch was written some short time ago, before certain + renovations were made about the cemetery which have changed the + "atmosphere" of the place. I confess to an unreasonable wish that God's + Acre might have been spared by the industrious hand of the whitewasher, + when the zeal for "cleaning up" seized upon the village fathers of San + Gabriel. + </pre> + <p> + <br /><br /> + </p> + <hr /> + <p> + <a name="link2H_4_0005" id="link2H_4_0005"> </a> + </p> + <div style="height: 4em;"> + <br /><br /><br /><br /> + </div> + <h2> + SAN FERNANDO—THE BURIED TREASURE OF SIM + </h2> + <p> + The idea of finding buried treasure has always exercised what seems to me + an unreasonable charm over people's minds: unreasonable, not, of course, + that there would not be charm in finding it, but because of the disparity + between the amount of attention that has been spent on the quest and the + real prospect, usually, of success. Treasure islands, treasure ships, + treasure graves, and many other such possibilities have been many times + exploited, both in fact and in story; so it is not surprising that the + California Missions should also have had their vogue as a supposed Tom + Tiddler's ground. And as a matter of fact, a good many of the buildings + show plain traces of the ravages of pick and shovel, sometimes wielded + boldly by parties of declared prospectors, but more often in secret by + knights of the dark lantern. + </p> + <p> + Why it should be supposed that riches were buried in these places is not + clear; but somehow the idea seems to arise automatically in connection + with old or ruined buildings. A recent writer remarks that "The foolish + notion that the Fathers had unlimited wealth, nay, gold or silver mines, + which they concealed, was common among the Mexicans of that day, and it + exists among their descendants to the present time." So far as can be + known, the seekers have never found anything of value. It seems, indeed, + unlikely that the Fathers at any of the Missions ever could have amassed + any sum of money that would be much worth secreting. Saving anything out + of their meager stipend of four hundred dollars per year would have been + out of the question, even if the sum had been paid in money, in full, and + regularly, none of which desirable conditions seems to have been met; + while as to hoarding from the proceeds of the industries carried on at the + Missions, although the returns must have been large, the expense of caring + for a family of a thousand or so Indians must have been proportionately + heavy. And in addition there are to be reckoned the exactions of the + provincial Government, which seems to have looked upon the Missions + generally as a sort of providential and inexhaustible milch cow. So that + the latest defender of the Padres, the learned Father Zephyrin Engelhardt, + is probably justified in holding that their riches were all of unworldly + metal, and consisted only in "their conscientiousness, industry, economy, + and abstemiousness." Such intangible valuables, it may be remarked, if + they could be recovered by delving, would certainly not have proved, in + the estimation of the delvers, a satisfactory reward. + </p> + <p> + The Mission of San Fernando, some twenty miles northwest of Los Angeles, + has more than once been the scene of these unhopeful quests. The visitor, + who might be curious concerning sundry excavations noticed in the + foundations of the massive adobe walls, would be told by the old Mexican + who acted as custodian of the ruin—it is hardly more than that—that + they were made by "malos hombres, ladrones, que buscaban dinero"; and, + with a shrug, "Tontos! no cogieron no mas que polvo, mucho polvo, mucho + trabajo" (bad men, thieves, who were looking for money. Fools! they got + nothing but dust, plenty of dust and plenty of work). And with a chuckle: + old Tomas would lead the way up the next rickety stairway. + </p> + <p> + Yet, one cannot tell. There may have been instances of treasure being + buried about the Missions, on some emergency arising, since, in the times + we are thinking of, the only means of safekeeping sums of money that were + too large to be carried on the person was the secreting of them in the + walls of buildings or in the ground. Be that as it may, perhaps the reader + will have a better explanation of the facts of the following narrative + than the one with which I conclude it. + </p> + <p> + On the afternoon of a warm day of June, some twenty summers since, I was + making my way from Los Angeles to the coast by way of the San Fernando + Valley and the road that runs through the Simi Hills. It was yet the dawn + of the automobile era, and direction signs did not then, as now, give the + traveler on California roads the certainty of his route that he now + enjoys; and I found myself, at late afternoon, in considerable doubt + whether I had not mistaken my way, with the probability, if that were the + case, of having to camp for the night in the open. My horse would not + suffer, for there was forage in abundance, and water was not hard to find + thus early in the summer; but it was annoying for myself, for I had but a + scrap of food and no blankets. The road, well traveled at first, that I + had been following for two hours past, had for some distance been showing + signs of degenerating into a trail (in that inexplicable way that roads + sometimes have), and now it seemed about to "peter out" finally on a + hillside of yellowing grass. Yet I knew I had been making in the right + direction, even if off my road, so I was loath to turn back. The road, or + trail, probably led somewhere, and I decided to keep on as long as any + track could be seen leading westerly. + </p> + <p> + Two miles or so farther brought me to the end of all tokens of travel. The + track had dwindled to less and less, and now had dropped to the bouldery + bed of a canon stream, from which no woodcraft of mine, nor of my good + trail-wise horse, could perceive that it made an exit. If the trail + continued, it must follow the bed of the stream. At any rate, here was + water, the first requisite for a camp; I decided to go on for a while, but + to stick to the creek, for safety. Dismounting, I led Pancho forward by + the bridle among the slippery boulders. The sun was well out of sight, and + the chirping of crickets among the herbage announced that soon the evening + shades would prevail. Evidently, camping was to be my portion, so I kept + my eyes open for a good spot for the purpose. The canon appeared to widen + out a little way ahead: there I should probably find good grazing for the + horse (though not, I ruefully reflected, for myself). Arriving at the + opening, I found, as I expected, grassy slopes rising from the creek, and + resolved to make here my bivouac. + </p> + <p> + Taking off saddle and bridle I turned Pancho loose to graze, while I + gathered wood for afire. The dusk was soon enlivened by a crackling blaze, + beside which I sat to eat a sandwich and a scrap of chocolate, reserving + an equivalent banquet for the morning. Pancho munched away cheerfully, the + stream tinkled and purred; the first star telegraphed its friendly signal + down through the ether: to be lost in the Simi was not half bad. + </p> + <p> + My supper (since it must be so called) over, and Pancho picketed for the + night, I walked a short way up the canon in the gloaming. Some two hundred + yards from camp, at a point where the stream made a turn, I stopped in + sudden surprise at the sight of a light shining among a clump of small + live-oaks near by to my right. "Well," I said to myself, "so I am on a + trail, after all. Can there be a house here, too?" A few steps, and my + question was answered, for I saw that the light shone through the open + window of a little house of adobe. What should I do? My appearance at this + lonely spot at night would cause so much surprise that I hesitated. But I + was quite conscious that I had made an unduly light supper, and, moreover, + that I was in the way of making no better a breakfast. Probably I could + buy here a little food, and at any rate, I could get information as to my + road: so I approached the house. There was an attempt at a garden, I saw, + and growing against the window was a bush of the red-flowered sage which I + have noted as being a general favorite with Mexicans. As I came up to the + door I heard voices, and caught a glimpse through the window of a woman + sitting at a rough table, eating. At the same moment a dog within the room + started up and barked loudly. It seemed to be my cue to speak as well as + knock, so, acting on a vague assumption that the people were Mexicans, I + called, "Buenas noches!" + </p> + <p> + The talking ceased abruptly, and with it the music of knife and fork on + crockery. I knocked and called again, "Buenas noches!" A chair moved, and + a man's voice said, "Abajo, perro!" whereupon the bark was exchanged for + an equally uncomfortable growling. Then the door was thrown open, and a + man, standing in the doorway, asked in Spanish, "Who is there?" In a few + words I explained my presence, adding that I was short of food and should + be glad to purchase a little. "Enter, senor," he invited, and, as I did + so, "Carlota," he said to one of two well-grown girls who sat by the + woman, "Carlota, give your seat to the caballero." The woman had risen + already, and in a matter-of-fact way was putting a plate and cup, + evidently for me. My first impulse was to explain that I had had my + supper; but I have always found frank acceptance to be the best reply to + the frank hospitality of these courteous people, and with an expression of + thanks I took the offered place and was ready to share their meal. + </p> + <p> + I now had an opportunity to notice my entertainers. The man was a strongly + built, good-looking, middle-aged Mexican; the wife (as I took her to be) + placid-looking, kindly-featured, and of the national middle-aged + stoutness. The two children were slender, attractive girls, verging on the + early womanhood of their race. I think they were twins. This, I supposed, + comprised the household, until, my glance following the wife as she went + to the stove, I saw another person. A man, apparently deformed, sat by the + fire, bent forward, his hands resting on a stick. But doubled over as he + was, his eyes, black and piercing, followed every movement made by any of + us. My host, by whom I sat, said in a low voice, "He is my brother, senor: + he is very ill." I was on the point of making some remark of condolence + when he added, "He cannot speak, senor: he is dumb." Feeling that it would + be best not to refer to the matter, and to turn the conversation, I + inquired as to the road I had missed, and whether I could get through to + the coast without returning. This I learned I could do, my host promising + to put me in the way in the morning. + </p> + <p> + Just as supper, which proved to be a cheerful meal, was over, the invalid + in the corner, rapping with his cane on the floor, gave notice that he + needed attention. Carlota went quickly to him and helped him to rise, and + then led him, slowly and with no little trouble, into an adjoining room. + As he shuffled past where I sat, my eye caught the glitter of some object + of metal that swung by a cord from his neck, in the fashion of a medal. + This I later decided it to be, when I noticed what seemed to be an exactly + similar object on a little shelf or bracket, fixed to the wall, on which + stood a small figure of the Virgin. The woman now rising to clear the + table, I rose also, and, thanking my kind entertainers for their + hospitality, asked what I owed them, saying also that I should be glad to + buy a little food of them before leaving in the morning. They would accept + no money for the meal, however, and I forbore to press them. As I took my + hat to go, my host asked, "Will you not sit a while by the fire? It is yet + early, and it is cold outside." I gladly assented, and, offering him my + pouch, a friendly smoke began. + </p> + <p> + The seats at the table were heavy benches, not easily moved, but in the + corner by the stove, where the sick man had sat, I saw a dark, box-like + object which would serve for a chair. I was about to seat myself on this + when my host (whose name, I learned, was Leandro Rojas) hastily + interfered. "Not on that, senor," he said: "it would be bad fortune, very + bad fortune," at the same time pulling one of the benches forward. On this + we both sat, and chatted, somewhat haltingly on my part, for my Spanish + was no more fluent than his English. I was curious about that bad-omened + seat in the corner, especially as I felt pretty, sure it was on that that + the invalid had been sitting: but, not wishing to violate my friend's + superstitions, I refrained from alluding to the matter. My gaze, however, + often reverted to the puzzling object, which in the dim light appeared to + be a small but solid chest of some dark wood, heavily clamped with iron + bands, and, I thought, having something carved on the lid. I suppose senor + Rojas noticed me looking at the chest with interest, and when, in the + course of conversation, I asked whether his brother had long been ill, he + replied, "Yes, senor, many years; but my wife does not like it talked of: + it is ill fortune to talk of bad luck, she says. And the box is bad + fortune, that is certain. I wish it were not here. But I will tell you + about it when we go out of the house." + </p> + <p> + I spent with them a pleasant hour, finding topics of mutual interest—among + them the perennial one of rattlesnakes, of which I had found the region + unduly prolific, and the need of schooling for the children, who, though + attractive and well-mannered, had never made the acquaintance of even + slate and pencil. On bidding them good-night, I asked whether I might + breakfast with them (on the strict understanding of payment for the meal), + and was glad when they willingly agreed. + </p> + <p> + When I left the house, Leandro said he would walk with me to my camp, and + I took the opportunity of asking about the chest. "I will tell you, + senor," he said, "though it is bad fortune, and I wish I had never seen + it. See what it has done to my brother!" "Was it the box that hurt your + brother?" I asked. "How? did it fall on him?" "Oh, no, senor, nothing like + that," he replied. "It was his horse that hurt him; but all the same it + was the box that did it. My wife says so, and I say so, too. Pedro, I do + not know what he thinks, but then, he is as you see. This is how it + happened, senor. + </p> + <p> + "It was many years ago, yes, nearly twenty years. We were both young then, + and we worked on the Escorpion, for Don Guillermo. My father used to work + for him too: he was a foreman on the ranch: and when Pedro and I were old + enough to ride after the cattle he made us vaqueros. Pedro was strong in + those days, yes, stronger than I am now, and quite tall. There was no one + who could ride like Pedro on the Escorpion. To see him now! ay de mi! + Well, senor, one day some steers were missing, twelve or fifteen or more, + and my father sent us, Pedro and me, to find them and bring them in. We + hunted for them one day, two days, and could not find them. The range was + getting poor on the Escorpion, but it was still good in the hills, and my + father said the cattle must have gone up to the Sim'. So the next morning + we started toward the Sim', and it was not long before we found their + tracks, coming toward the hills. We followed them all that day, and nearly + at night we found them. It was in a little valley that is quite near here: + you will go through it to-morrow, senor. + </p> + <p> + "We had brought food with us, for we knew we might be more than one day + out, and when we had found the cattle we looked for a place to camp. We + headed the steers down the creek, and came out into this canon. And here + we saw the house, the same house, senor: so you see it is quite old, but + it was old then, too. We were surprised, for we did not know there was a + house there at all, and we had been born at San Fernando, and we thought + we knew everybody that lived this way as far as Ventura. It was nearly + dark, and there was no light in the house nor anybody about, though the + house did not look quite as if no one lived there. We should have liked to + use it to sleep in, but we thought some one must live there, and might + come in, so we made a camp on the creek. Just about here, where your camp + is, is where we slept. + </p> + <p> + "In the morning, after we had eaten, Pedro said he was going to look + inside the house. I was saddling the horses and did not go with him. In a + few minutes I heard him call, so I went to the house. Pedro was standing + at the door, and he looked white and frightened. 'There are dead people + here,' he said: 'they are all dead.' He went in and I went in after him. + In the back room there was a bad sight, a very bad sight, senor: a lot of + bones lying all about the room, and there were three skulls among them. In + the middle of the room was that box you saw, with the lid open. There was + a big bone, like a leg bone, lying right across it, I remember. Zape! a + bad sight that was. + </p> + <p> + "It must have been a long time since they had died, months, perhaps years, + two or three, from the look of the place and the bones. The coyotes had + been in, and nothing but the bones and some bits of clothing was left. + They had all been men, at least I think so, because there were no women's + clothes. In the box there were pieces of money, twenty or thirty, or + perhaps more. I did not like to touch it, with the dead men all about + there: but Pedro, he was always one who cared for nothing. He said it was + lucky to find them: the money wasn't dead, he said, and he laughed at me. + He picked up one of the coins: it was a silver peso of Spain, very old. + Was it not strange, senor? All the money was the same, all pesos and all + old. I. have never seen any more like them." + </p> + <p> + "Well, Pedro said we ought to take the money. The dead men could not spend + it, he said, so it was foolish to leave it. But I would not touch it, not + one piece. I wanted to burn the bones, and at last Pedro helped me. We + picked them all up, the skulls and all. Diantre! it was bad work! I wanted + to put them in the box, and burn all together, and bury the money. But + Pedro would not: he wanted the money, and he said he would have the box + too. So instead of burning them, we buried them, that is, the bones. We + found an old spade, and dug a place behind the house, among the sycamores + on the hill—you will see to-morrow—and buried them. + </p> + <p> + "Then we had to go to take the cattle back to the ranch. Pedro would take + the money: he put it in his clothes. It was quite heavy, and you could + hear it, so he put some in his shoes and in other places. I asked him what + he would do with the box, because he would not burn it. He said he wanted + it because it had been good luck to find it: he would get it someday and + keep it. Then we went away with the cattle. Pedro said we should not tell + anybody about what we had found, nor about the dead people; and there was + no one to tell, I mean the officers, unless we went to Los Angeles. So I + did not say anything, and Pedro did not, because he had taken the money." + </p> + <p> + "It was not long before he had used it up. I don't know where he spent it, + for there was no money like it, and people would ask where he got it: but + somehow he spent it, all but two pesos. Then one day he asked me to come + with him to the place again: he wanted to see if the box was there, and if + anybody lived in the house. I did not want to see the box, but I wanted to + know if any one lived there, so I came with him. It was about a year after + we had found the dead men and the money. It was a Sunday, and we got to + the place about noon, for we started early. Everything was like we had + left it, and it did not look as if any one had been to the house. The box + was there, and it was open; and then I noticed that there was some writing + on a piece of paper inside the lid. It must have been there when we saw + the box before, but we had not noticed it. It was very old and yellow, and + torn, too, and we could not read it. They did not seem like Spanish words. + We stayed an hour, maybe, and then I said we should go, so as to get back + before night. Then Pedro said to me, why shouldn't we come and live here + in the house. We each had a few head of cattle of our own by that time, + nearly twenty all together, and the range here was very good. He was tired + of working on the Escorpion, he said. The place didn't belong to anybody, + as far as we could tell, and we could make a good home here and do well + with our cattle. + </p> + <p> + "I forgot to say that I had got married a little time before, and I said + my wife would not come so far away from her people. They lived at + Calabasas. I didn't like the idea of living in that house, though I liked + the land and wanted to have a place of my own, now that I was married. So + we were talking about it when we got on our horses to ride back. We rode + past the sycamore trees, where we had buried the bones of the dead men. + Just when we passed the place, my brother's horse jumped at something, and + threw him off. He fell against a sharp rock that hurt him in the back. He + was quite still, and I thought he was dead. For a long time he did not + move, but I could see he was breathing. I got water and threw it on him + many times, and at last he opened his eyes. But he could not move, senor, + nor speak either: the rock had hurt his backbone, and his legs were like + dead. He was a paral'tico, and he has never been able to move, any more + than you saw him move, nor talk either. + </p> + <p> + "I did not know what to do. It was many miles to the ranch, and there was + no one that lived anywhere nearer. My brother was in much pain, so I could + not put him on his horse: I was afraid of hurting him more. He could not + talk, but he pointed at the house, for me to take him there. There was + nothing else to do, and at last I got him there. Then I said I must go and + get help to take him away, but he shook his head and would not let me go. + I think he thought he might as well die there as anywhere, and he was half + dead anyway. But I had to go to get food, and I thought I could bring a + doctor also. I left him some water, and got on my horse and rode—cielo, + how I rode!—for I thought he might be dead when I got back. It was + dark most of the way, and it was midnight when I got to the ranch. I got + help, and sent for a doctor to come from Los Angeles. My wife—she is + a good woman, my wife, Elena, senor—she said she would come with me + to nurse Pedro if he could not be brought away. We were back at the house + the next day early, two cousins of mine and my wife and myself. Pedro was + lying where I had left him, but he was out of his head. Whenever he saw + the box he would try to get up and go to it, so I put it where he could + not see it. I had never told my wife about the box and the money: I + thought it would only do harm to talk about it. + </p> + <p> + "The doctor came the next day. He said Pedro would never be able to walk; + he might be able to speak after a while; but he never has. The doctor told + us he ought not to be moved for a long while. And so we stayed, senor, and + we have never gone away. Don Guillermo was very good: I think God makes + people good to one when one is in trouble, is it not so, senor? He gave me + ten more cattle; two of them were good milch cows. That made thirty head + we had all together. And he sent us a lot of flour, and coffee and + frijoles; and then he found who owned the land the house was on: it was an + American, who lived in San Francisco and never came here at all; and Don + Guillermo told him about my brother getting hurt, and he promised that we + could have the house and the grazing for nothing for three years, and then + pay a little when we could. After about ten years I bought the place, + about fifty acres, and now it is my own." + </p> + <p> + "So it was bad fortune the box brought us, as I said, senor, but good + fortune, too. Did you see what my brother has round his neck, senor? It is + one of the pesos. He had two of them left when he was hurt: he had always + said he would keep those two for more luck, as he called it. One day, + after he was hurt, I saw him making a hole in one of them, and he hung it + round his neck. He gave me the other. I did not want to take it, so I put + it on the shelf for Our Lady. You can see it in the morning, and you can + see the box, too. My wife would like to burn it, and so would I, but Pedro + will not let us, and he always sits on it. There is carving on it, an 'F' + and a 'Y,' I think, and there is the writing inside, though much of it is + gone now. Perhaps you can tell what the writing says: I should like to + know, if there is enough left to tell by." + </p> + <p> + "Well, it is late, and Elena will be going to bed. I am sorry that we have + no room for you to sleep in, senor, but the house is small, and we are so + many women and sick. Buenas noches, senor." + </p> + <p> + I was much interested in the strange story I had heard, and lay for some + time awake, trying to fit a working theory to the black chest and the + Spanish dollars, but with no success. It was a puzzle that was worth a + good deal of trouble to unlock if it could be done, and I was eager for + daylight, to get a good view of the box. Probably the invalid would not be + up so early as the rest of the family, who had breakfast, I had learned, + at six o'clock. I was prompt upon the hour, and while waiting a few + minutes before the meal was ready, I examined the silver piece and the + chest. The coin was a large one, Spanish, as my host had said, and bore + the inscription of Carlos III, with the date 1787, and the arms of Castile + and Le-n. The box I examined with special attention. It was exceedingly + heavy for its size, which was about thirty inches long by fourteen wide + and ten deep, and was made of the dark, hard wood of some tropical tree + that had withstood decay wonderfully. On the upper side of the lid were + cut the letters "F Y" in plain, deep carving, encircled with an elaborate + scroll, this somewhat defaced and broken in outline. Three heavy strips of + iron were fastened round the shorter circumference, one near each end of + the box and one at the middle. At the ends were strong wrought-iron + handles, and there was a curious lock, also of wrought-iron. I opened the + lid, and there, as Leandro had said, were the remains of a sheet of + parchment, vellum, or heavy hand-made paper, which had been glued to the + wood, but the greater part of which was torn or worn away. It was evident + that the writing was too much defaced to allow of more than a mere guess + at its purport, but by the not very good light I copied what I could + decipher of the inscription. This is what I made out:— + </p> +<pre xml:space="preserve"> + hac ar osit unt num tria mi et qu enti qui + pert anc Mi Sanc in cujus fini + utelam ob lat hoc lito atis com + arca absco a est. + rra. + + Oc 1824 +</pre> + <p> + I had hardly finished my transcription when my hostess entered saying that + breakfast was ready in the kitchen: so no attempt at working out the + puzzle could be made at the time. Pedro's food was taken to him by + Carlota, and he did not appear before I left. During the pleasant meal, I + looked with added respect at the woman whose goodness of heart had led her + willingly to undertake, and to carry day by day for many years, the burden + of a hopeless, and I fear an ungrateful, invalid (though, indeed, from my + experience of the kindliness, and especially the strength of the family + bond among the Mexican people, I might well have been prepared for such + magnanimity). + </p> + <p> + Soon after breakfast I bade them farewell, Leandro accompanying me a short + distance to show me my road. When we came to part, no further word had + been said regarding Pedro or the mysterious chest. I said nothing, for I + had no theory to offer. When we shook hands, after thanking him heartily I + remarked that I hoped we might meet again, adding, as an afterthought, + "and in a luckier house." "Yes, senor," he said, "but it is not the house + that is unlucky: Our Lady attends to that. It was the money, and, you + see," with a smile—"I gave her the half of what was left. Do you + know, senor, sometimes I think the money was stolen from the Church. That + would account for all, is it not so? They say the churches had much money + once. Quien sabe? Adios senor." + </p> + <p> + As I turned Pancho into the trail that would bring me to the Ventura road, + my mind was busy at a clue that Leandro's parting words had started. "F + Y," the letters carved on the chest—somehow they seemed to link up + with something in my memory. Who was that Padre of whom Robinson, in his + "Life in California," spoke with a good deal of disparagement? The surname + initial was surely a "Y," and it seemed to me that San Fernando was the + Mission where the depreciated Father dwelt. Yorba, Ybarronda, Ybaez, + Ybarra—yes, that was it: Ybarra, sure enough, and the first name was + Francisco, it seemed to me; and I felt sure now that it was at San + Fernando that Robinson encountered him. All circumstantial evidence, no + doubt, but highly interesting. To try another link—did the scraps of + writing give any support to my idea? I took out my notebook: unmistakably + there were the letters "rra" remaining where naturally the signature would + be written. All the rest of the name was gone except a fragment of rubric, + but that embellishment again made it plain that the letters were part of a + name. + </p> + <p> + With that I had to be satisfied, both then and now. Matters of more + personal importance soon pushed the problem into the back of my mind. + Once, indeed, chancing on a copy of the torn inscription, I spent an idle + hour in trying to fashion the oddments into a possible connected whole. In + case the reader should be interested in such exercises, I will give my + tentative solution. + </p> + <p> + I take the writing, as far as the signature, to have been in Latin, and + this is my guesswork rendering: the reader may perhaps improve upon it:— + </p> + <p> + In hac arca depositi sunt nummi tria millia et quingenti qui pertinent ad + hanc Missionem de Sancto Fernando, in cujus finibus ad cautelam ob + latrocinia hoc litore a piratis commissa haec arca abscondita est. + </p> + <p> + Francisco Ybarra. + </p> + <p> + Oct. 1824. + </p> + <p> + My chain of guesses, then, is that the old chest that I saw in that house + in the Sim' Hills may have once been the personal property of Fray + Francisco Ybarra, sometime priest in charge of the Mission of San + Fernando. That he, on the approach of some marauders, buried the chest, + with the stated sum of money in silver pesos of Carlos III, in some + hiding-place about the Mission precincts. That for some unguessable reason + the chest was never taken up by the priest or his successors; but that + long years afterwards, probably not less than fifty, some party of + treasure-seekers (of whom there are evidences of there having been many at + that Mission) came upon the buried chest. That it was transported by them + to the lonely house in the mountains, some twenty miles distant. That + there, a quarrel occurred over the booty, and that the survivor or + survivors of the fatal affray, if any there were, did not, for some + reason, carry off in their flight all the treasure. The rest of my theory + is embodied in the foregoing narrative. + </p> + <p> + But after all, as to the whole matter, probably there is little to be said + that is more to the point than the all-embracing phrase of Leandro, and of + Spain and Mexico in general—Quien sabe? Who knows? + </p> + <p> + <br /><br /> + </p> + <hr /> + <p> + <a name="link2H_4_0006" id="link2H_4_0006"> </a> + </p> + <div style="height: 4em;"> + <br /><br /><br /><br /> + </div> + <h2> + SANTA BARBARA—LOVE IN THE PADRE'S GARDEN + </h2> + <p> + It was five years since I had seen my old chum, Dick Trevgern, back in + Boston, while Mrs. Trevgern I had never seen at all. So when, last winter, + I found myself at Santa Barbara, where they lived, one of the first things + I did was to trace them in the telephone book and call up Dick. The result + was an urgent invitation to dinner that evening. I was quite keen to meet + my friend's wife, and all the more so, since Dick, who is one of the + finest fellows in the world, is, or used to be, also one of the + oldest-fashioned, and had seemed to be destined for bachelor joys; so I + wondered what could be the special charms that had subjugated him. + </p> + <p> + I found them as cozy as a married couple of two years' standing has a + right to be, in a rose-embowered cottage on one of the hill streets near + the Mission. Mrs. Trevgern I found to be a very pretty, vivacious, and in + every way attractive girl,—she was only twenty,—and as they + were evidently very fond of each other I rejoiced at Dick's good sense and + good fortune. It was a very jolly little dinner, and altogether as + pleasant an evening as I have ever passed. At some indirect reference to + the topic (it is hard to find a name for it that is agreeable to every + one, but I will use a well-worn phrase) the emancipated woman, I had an + opportunity of seeing that the lady clearly was of the affirmative party, + whereas I knew, from recollection of old times, and anyway because Dick + was Dick, that his view on the question was a decided No. This raised an + interesting little speculation in my mind, and when, about eleven o'clock, + Mrs. Trevgern declared that she was going to leave us two together for a + good confabulation over old days, and retired for the night, I made some + half-joking reference to the matter, and asked Dick how it happened that + he, of all men, had chosen a wife out of the emancipation camp. + </p> + <p> + "Oh, well," he replied, "she is a dear good girl"—I hastened to say + that I was sure of it—"and we have lots of fun out of our different + ideas on little things like that. The odd thing is, though, that it was + Kitty's fad for woman's rights and that sort of thing that is responsible + for her being Mrs. Trevgern—I mean, that was what you might call the + exciting cause. Pull your chair up to the fire and I'll tell you all about + it. It was really quite a joke." + </p> + <p> + "No doubt it will be news to you that I used to know Kitty years ago, + before either you or I came to California. All the time that you fellows + were ragging me about being an old bachelor, I knew my own mind and meant + to marry Kitty some day. I don't think you knew her people, the Draytons. + They lived down at Quincy, close to us, and our families were old friends. + At the time that I got this appointment out here she was only sixteen, but + before I came away from Boston I told her I loved her, and that when I had + got on my feet I was going to ask her to marry me. I didn't want her to + promise then, for it didn't seem square to ask her; but I had a pretty + good idea that she liked me, and I figured that in two or three years I + could be so placed that I might fairly ask her, and, as young as she was, + she would hardly have fallen in love with any one else. After I came to + California I wrote to her now and then, not often, and no spooning, you + know, but just to keep myself in her mind; and she answered with good, + sensible, newsy letters." + </p> + <p> + "She was always a particularly bright girl, with a good idea of what was + going on in the world and a mind of her own about it. In one of her + letters she said she had been going to a set of lectures by some + confounded Englishwoman, on The Woman of To-morrow, or the Day after + To-morrow, or something, and asked me what I thought about what she called + Woman's Awakening. I dare say you remember how we used to argue all that + stuff in our old Debating Club—didn't we just!—and how I + always got sat upon for being a back number and not lining up with the + hatchet brigade? Well, I hadn't changed my mind—haven't yet, for + that matter—but I didn't suppose she cared two hairpins about it, + and I replied with some old joke or other, and let it go. From other + letters, though, I soon saw that Kitty had got really keen on the suffrage + business, and that she knew I was a heretic: but we both had sense enough + not to let the subject get on the argumentative line." + </p> + <p> + "It ran on that way until two years ago, and then her people came to spend + the winter in California. In the early spring they came up to Santa + Barbara, and I saw Kitty again. I hadn't weakened at all in my loving her, + and she was prettier than ever—almost as pretty as she is now, bless + her.—Yes, I knew you'd think so, old man.—By that time I was + doing quite well, and prospects were good enough so that I felt I could + ask her to marry me. One day, on a drive round by Montecito, I asked her. + She wouldn't promise: said she liked me as much as ever, and didn't care + about any one else, but didn't think she ought to marry me, and so on. I + couldn't get her to say why for a long time, but at last it came out. Some + one, that idiotic Englishwoman, I suppose, had put it into the dear girl's + head that it was her duty not to ally herself with 'a reactionary' (I + think that was the word) and in this case that meant poor harmless me. I + argued till I must have been blue in the face, but I couldn't get her to + give in: she says now that she thought she would make me give in. And so + it had to stay, but my consolation was that I knew she really cared for + me. It was just head against heart, and though I knew, as I said, that + Kitty's head was as good as anybody's, I thought her heart was better yet. + I told her, though, that I shouldn't let it rest like that for long." + </p> + <p> + "A day or two later I had an engagement to go up with them to look at the + Mission. One of the Fathers showed us through, a dozen or more people + altogether, regular tourist style, and we had seen about everything there + was, when some one asked if we couldn't go into the sacred garden. You + know what I mean? There's a private garden that most people don't get to + see, and which, as the story goes, no woman is allowed to enter. The + priest said he was sorry, but it was only by special permission that any + visitor saw that garden and that permission was never given for ladies to + see it. Kitty pricked up her ears at that." + </p> + <p> + "'Do you mean to say,' she said to me, as we walked on, 'that there is a + part of the Mission where men may go and women mustn't?' 'I don't mean to + say so,' I told her, but the Padre here does, and I'm afraid that settles + it.' 'Indeed, it doesn't,' she said. 'What does he mean? Is there + something horrid there that is not nice for women to see?' 'No,' I + replied; 'it's nice enough, just a garden. They call it sacred, but I + don't know why.' 'Oh, I see,' remarked Kitty, 'sacred from women, no + doubt. That's just like these monks: they think this is the Middle Ages + still. I suppose you think so too. You may go anywhere, because you are a + man, but a woman is to be shut out of this and that—they're sacred!' + I could see she was pretty much excited, and I tried to calm her down. + 'Now, Kitty,' I said, 'you know very well that as far as I'm concerned + there's nothing on earth that I want so much as for you and me to be + together always and everywhere. Let them keep their old garden: anyway, if + it's too sacred for you it would certainly kill me on the spot.' 'It's all + very well to make fun,' she returned, 'but it's the principle that has to + be fought. It's absurd, it's—it's mediaeval! And you're mediaeval + too,' she wound up. 'Well,' I said, 'I always knew I was a bit + old-fashioned, but I was never called a regular antique before.' That made + her laugh, and we forgot all about the old garden till we got back to the + house." + </p> + <p> + "At least, I thought she had forgotten, but when I said good-bye she came + with me to the door, and said, 'Dick, I'm going to see that garden at the + Mission. It isn't that I care about the garden, but I do care about the + principle. I'm going to get in somehow, and I want to know, will you help + me?' 'My dear Kitty,' I answered, 'I'm your man: at least you know I want + to be. The only thing is, how do you mean to do it?' 'That's for you to + arrange,' she said. 'You men think you can do things better than women, so + here's a chance to show what you can do.' 'Well,' I remarked, 'it looks + like a burglar's job, and I've not done much in that line: but you know + what I said, that I want to go everywhere you go, and if that means jail, + I'm game.' She looked a bit serious when I talked about jail, for she + thought I was in earnest: but she didn't back down, and I said I would see + what plan I could think up." + </p> + <p> + "I easily found out whereabout the garden was, and the only way I could + see to get Kitty in there was by climbing over the wall some evening after + dark. It was an adobe wall, and not very high. I could easily get over it + myself, but for Kitty we ought to have a ladder. There was a bright little + Mexican chap I knew, whom I had met one day up by the Mission. He lived + near there, and one day I had seen him haunting about and got him to pose + in a picture. After that we'd had chats now and then. It occurred to me + that Julio could find a short ladder and bring it to the place: and I had + an idea—old-fashioned, you see, as usual—that he would make a + kind of chaperon, too, to save a little bit of the respectabilities. I + told Kitty my plan, and she thought it was all right, jumped at it, in + fact; so we set the time for two days after the next full moon. We figured + that as it was sundown soon after five o'clock, we could do our + wall-climbing when it got dark, say about half past six, before the moon + came up. It would rise about seven, and we should have plenty of light to + investigate the garden. Kitty did pretty much as she liked at home, as + regards being in or out, so all she would need to tell her people was that + she was going to be with me that evening." + </p> + <p> + "Well, I arranged it with Julio. He was a mischievous little rascal, and + it looked like a good joke to him; and a couple of dollars was good pay + for a joke. When the evening came, I called for Kitty about six o'clock. I + had told her to dress in some kind of color that would not show too much + by moonlight, so she had on a big gray cloak of her mother's that covered + her all up. It had a hood, too, so she didn't need a hat. For fun I had + drawn a large placard, with 'Votes for Women' on it in big letters. I + meant to tack it to a tree or something if I got a chance, but Kitty + didn't know anything about this." + </p> + <p> + "When we got to the place, Julio was there with his ladder. It is very + quiet round there at night, and there was not much danger of any one + coming past. I got up first on the wall to make sure the coast was clear. + There were lights shining from two or three windows, but no one was + moving, so I beckoned Kitty to come, and she climbed up and sat on the + wall while Julio came up. Then I quietly pulled up the ladder and lowered + it on the garden side. I went down first, and then Kitty. She was a bit + excited, I could see, but as game as ever. I had told Julio to wait up on + the wall by the ladder till we came back." + </p> + <p> + "It was about seven o'clock and nearly moonrise when we started on our + tour. I took Kitty's hand. She was rather trembly, but she said she meant + to see everything there was in this precious garden. I did, too, now we + were in. We went along a path by the wall and found a seat. There was no + reason for hurrying, so we sat down to wait till the moon was up. It was + certainly pretty especially with Kitty there; there were tall black + cypresses, and climbing roses, and orange trees just coming into bloom; + and when the moonlight touched the old belfries, and there came the + murmuring sound of chanting from some place within the Mission, Kitty + whispered to me that the garden really was almost sacred, and I quite + agreed with her." + </p> + <p> + "After a few minutes we went on. The garden is laid out in beds of shrubs + and flowers, with winding walks between. We kept in the shade as much as + we could, as there were several windows that look on the garden, and some + one might see us if we made ourselves conspicuous. But there were lots of + trees, and we skirmished about from one to another and had no end of a + good time. Kitty was enjoying it immensely, and it did seem a pretty good + joke to be dodging about in the old garden right under their noses, for we + could see them now and then through the windows. We were standing under a + big cypress that had been trimmed up to ten feet or so above the ground, + when I remembered my placard. I unfolded it and showed it to Kitty, and + then fixed it on the tree with thumb-tacks. Kitty was dancing about with + joy at the placard, and almost clapping her hands, but I made her stop for + fear some one would hear her." + </p> + <p> + "We had nearly been all round the garden, taking it easily, and sitting + down now and then. We were laughing and joking under our breath, and I was + thinking that this would be a good place to propose to her again; rather + romantic, you know, to pop the question under those circumstances. It was + getting time to clear out, but we sat down again for a few minutes before + we went. Kitty threw the cloak off, and in her white dress and by the + moonlight in that old garden, she looked—well, you can imagine—no, + you can't, though, no one could who didn't see her. So I up and told her + all I wanted to say. The darling took it like an angel, but just out of + mischief—I know, for she has said so herself since then she hummed + and hawed and began to talk about different points of view and stuff like + that. Well, at that very moment, a door opened and a man, one of the + priests, came out. We were sitting in the shadow, but the door was right + opposite, and I suppose the bright light coming through the doorway shone + on Kitty's white dress. Perhaps he heard us, too, for I guess we had + forgotten about talking under our breath: I know I had. Anyhow, he spotted + us. We saw him stop for a second and heard him say something to himself, + and then he came right toward us. I saw we were in for it, so I caught + Kitty by the hand and we ran. I heard the Father, or Brother or whatever + they call themselves, coming after us: we could hear his skirts flapping + about and I think he must have been a fat man from the way he puffed." + </p> + <p> + "We were right at the other end of the garden from where the ladder was. + Kitty is a good runner, and we had a good lead and were nearly there when + suddenly Kitty almost stopped and exclaimed, in a horrified voice, 'The + cloak, Dick! we've left it behind, and it has mother's name on it!' Whew! + that's a bad mess, I thought. It must be got, that was certain. 'You run + on,' I told her, 'and get up the ladder. Do you see it?' 'Yes,' she said, + 'but what about you?' 'I'm going back for the cloak,' I answered. 'You get + up the ladder and wait for me. I'll stop him following you. Quick, Kitty, + hurry up!' I watched her get to the ladder and then started back. I didn't + know just where the priest was, as we had lost him somewhere among the + trees, but I ran back, got the cloak, and started again cautiously for the + ladder. When I was halfway there I caught sight of him staring at the + placard. I can't understand to this day why he hadn't raised a racket. I + think that placard must have hypnotized him. Well, he saw me and called to + me to stop. As he was between me and the place where the ladder was, I saw + I couldn't get past him, so I ran back to the other end of the garden + again, and he came running after me. When he came to the door I saw him + stop a moment and then go in, evidently to get help. That was my time. I + sprinted back as fast as I could, for it was getting rather too + interesting. Kitty was there all right, sitting on the wall, but I + couldn't see Julio nor any ladder. 'Dick!' she called down to me, 'I've + let the ladder drop down on the other side. Can you get up without it?' + 'How on earth did you do that?' I asked. 'I was afraid that horrid monk + might come along and see me, and take the ladder away to keep you from + getting up,' Kitty said: 'so I pulled it up after me, and then it slipped + and went down the other side.' 'Never mind,' I replied, 'I can climb up: + but where is Julio?' 'I haven't seen him,' she said: 'but never mind him, + come along up.'" + </p> + <p> + "I threw the cloak up to her, and then jumped at the wall to clamber up. I + caught the top all right, but the rotten adobe bricks came away, and I + tumbled down with half a dozen of them on top of me, and in falling, by + the worst kind of luck, I sprained my foot. I tried to get up, but found I + couldn't stand on the hurt foot. 'What's the matter, Dick?' asked Kitty. + 'Sprained foot,' I said. 'I don't see how I'm going to climb up that wall + now. I can't jump high enough with one foot, and the adobes would most + likely come down again, anyhow. Confound that imp, Julio! he would have + saved all this mess if he had done as I told him. I guess we're trapped, I + am, anyway.'" + </p> + <p> + "Every moment I expected to see the Mission people coming, and there was + the chance of some one coming along the road, too, and finding Kitty + playing Humpty-Dumpty. The poor little thing was nearly crying. 'Oh, + Dick,' she said, 'does it hurt much? Oh, I know it must, and it's all my + fault. What will they do to us, Dick?' 'Well,' I answered, 'they can't + skin us and eat us, you know. I shouldn't mind about myself, only that it + makes a fellow look like a fool. You ought to marry me now, Kitty, for no + one else will,' I added, severely. 'Don't you think so?' 'Oh, I suppose + so, Dick,' she said, half laughing and half crying, 'No one else will + marry me, either, for that matter. I wonder you want to, after my getting + you into this fix.' 'All right, darling,' I said: 'it's a bargain, mind. + They have n't got us yet, anyhow,' I went on. 'Here they come, though,' as + half a dozen petticoated figures issued from the door. I saw them go + toward the other end of the garden, where I had last been seen, and begin + searching about. 'Now, Kitty,' I told her, 'when they come this way you + just let yourself down the other side as far as you can, and then drop. + You are lighter than I, and I think the bricks will hold. Then run home as + quickly as you can, and lie low.' 'Dick,' the little trump replied, + indignantly, 'do you suppose I'm going to run away and let you stand the + blame? Do you think I'm one of those putty kind of girls?' I tried to + argue with her but—well, you know what suffragists are; she wouldn't + budge. 'Dick,' she exclaimed at last, 'what am I thinking of? I can drop + down, as you said, and get the ladder over to you.' I'd thought of that, + of course, but I couldn't stand the idea of her falling and perhaps + getting hurt. 'You mustn't do it, Kitty,' I declared. 'If you get hurt as + well, we shall be in a worse hole than ever.' My mind was working like + lightning, and suddenly I thought of the cloak. 'Kitty' I said, 'throw the + cloak down to me.' It was a good old-fashioned cloak, with yards and yards + of stuff in it. I twisted it into a sort of rope, and then stood up + against the wall on my good foot and threw the end over as far as I could. + 'How far does it reach?' I asked. 'Plenty far enough,' she answered. I + didn't need to say any more. She took hold of it and let herself down, and + I heard her drop to the ground. In another moment she was up on the wall + and puffing the ladder after her. It made an awful row, and I saw some of + the people stop and listen. It was touch and go then, I could see. Kitty + lowered the ladder, and in half a jiffy I was up. As we were pulling the + ladder up, they saw us and began to come on the run, but they were just + about half a minute too late. I sent Kitty down and then scrambled down + myself. Just then, along came that young scamp Julio, as innocent as you + please. 'Take the ladder and run that way,' I ordered, 'and let it drag so + as to make lots of noise.'" + </p> + <p> + "Kitty was shaking all over, what with excitement and fright, and pity for + my foot. We sat down against the wall and listened to the chaps inside + calling us awful names in Spanish, Irish, German, and about everything + else. My foot was pretty painful, and so swollen that I could hardly get + my shoe off. Kitty produced a bandage from somewhere and bound the foot so + as to keep it stiff, and then I got up and with the help of the wall and + Kitty's arm I hobbled off with her in the opposite direction from that in + which Julio had gone, while the sounds in the garden got fainter and + fainter, showing that he was drawing the enemy's fire, as I expected." + </p> + <p> + "Of course the thing got into the papers somehow, but luckily the names + didn't, for Julio didn't get caught. And as you see, Kitty lived up to her + bargain." + </p> + <div style="height: 6em;"> + <br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /> + </div> + + + + + + + +<pre> + + + + + +End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of The Penance of Magdalena and Other +Tales of the California Missions, by J. 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You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + +Title: The Penance of Magdalena and Other Tales of the California Missions + +Author: J. Smeaton Chase + + +Release Date: October, 2005 [EBook #9063] +This file was first posted on September 2, 2003 +Last Updated: May 11, 2013 + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ASCII + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE PENANCE OF MAGDALENA AND OTHERS *** + + + + +Produced by David A. Schwan + + + + + + + + +THE PENANCE OF MAGDALENA + +AND OTHER TALES OF THE CALIFORNIA MISSIONS + +By J. Smeaton Chase + + + +With Illustrations (not available in this edition) + + + + +FOREWARD + +Among the California Missions the southern group form a natural unit, +just as does, geographically, Southern California itself--the region +covered by the familiar California formula, "South of the Tehachapi." +It is thought that this little set of tales, extracted from the larger +work, The California Padres and Their Missions, in which Mr. Charles +F. Saunders and the writer collaborated, may be welcomed by those many +persons whose interest in Mission affairs is more or less limited to the +five here included, which are, probably, the most notable, historically +and architecturally, of the whole chain of these venerable monuments of +Franciscan zeal. + +J. S. C. + + + + +SAN JUAN CAPISTRANO--THE PENANCE OF MAGDALENA + + + +Slowly, very slowly, the greatest and most beautiful of the Missions of +Alta California had risen among the swelling lomas of the valley of the +San Juan. Brick by brick and stone by stone the simple Indian laborers, +under the tutelage of the Fathers, had reared a structure which, in its +way and place, might not unfitly be compared with those great cathedrals +of Europe in which we see, as in a parable, how inward love and faith +work out in material beauty. Huge timbers of pine and sycamore, hewn on +Palomar, the Mountain of Doves, many miles away, had been hauled by oxen +over trackless hill and valley, to form the joists and rafters that +one sees to-day, after the lapse of more than a century, firm and +serviceable, fastened with wooden spikes and stout rawhide lashings. + +In all these labors Te-filo had taken a principal part. As a child he +had been christened with the name of Lucas, and had carried it through +boyhood. But when about fourteen years of age, he had been transferred +from the duties of a herder to learn the simple crafts taught in the +workshops; and his industry and intelligence had so commended him to the +overseers and Padre Josef that one day the latter, praising him for some +task especially well performed, had said, half in jest, "Hijo mio, we +must christen you over again. You are excelent'simo, as San Lucas said +of San Te-filo in the superscription to his holy evangel; so I shall +call you Te-filo, excelent'simo Te-filo, instead of Lucas; why not?" And +Te-filo the boy became from that day, though Lucas he remained in the +record of baptisms kept in the tall sheepskin volume in the Father's +closet. + +So useful and diligent was the boy that the Father soon took him to be +his own body servant, and many an hour did Te-filo pass handling +with religious care the sacred vessels and vestments and books in the +sacristy and in the Father's rooms. One day the Father noticed with +displeasure that on the blank flyleaf of his best illuminated missal, +lately sent to him by a friend in his old college at Cordoba, in Spain, +there were some rough drawings in red and blue. Evidently the person +who had drawn them had tried to obliterate his work, but had only partly +succeeded. The Father could not help noticing, however, that, crude as +were the formal floral designs and sacred emblems that had been copied +by the culprit from the emblazoned letterings and chapter headings of +the missal, the work showed undoubted taste and talent; and this gave +him an idea. Why should he not adorn with frescoes, in color, the +cornices, and perhaps even the dome, of the new church? It would be a +notable addition, and would give a finishing touch to the beauty of +the building, if it could be done. And here, evidently, was a hand that +might be trained to do it--the hand, probably, of his favorite, Te-filo, +for he alone had access to the book-shelves in the Father's room. + +So when next he saw the boy he asked, "Te-filo, who has been drawing +in my new missal?" The boy hung his head, and the Father, taking +his silence as an admission of guilt, added, "That was wrong of you, +Te-filo, and I must give you some penance to remind you not to do such +mischief again. Do you know, boy, what that book is worth? Not less than +twenty pesos, Te-filo, or even more. That is one year's wages of Agust'n +the mayordomo, so you can see such things must be left alone. But come +to me this evening after the Doctrina, and I will set you your penance." + +When the boy, with downcast look, came to him in his room that evening, +the Father said to him, "What made you do it, Te-filo?" And the boy +answered "I did not mean to do harm, Padre, but the pictures are so +beautiful, and I tried to make some like them. Then I tried to rub them +out, but they would not come off." The Father smiled indulgently. "No, +my son," he said, "the wrong things we do, even innocently, do not come +off. You must remember that in future. But they can be forgiven by the +good God, Te-filo, and even so I forgive you for the book. And your +penance shall be to come each evening at this time and learn to draw +properly. What do you say?" + +"Oh, Padre!" cried the boy; and he took the Father's hand and put it, +Indian fashion, to his forehead in token of gratitude. + +Agust'n the mayordomo was, next to the Father, the most important man +about the Mission. He it was who, under the priest's supervision, had +charge not only of the labors and general governance of the Indians, but +also of the business affairs of the establishment, even to the care +and sale of the cattle, hides, and tallow, which, produced in enormous +quantity, were almost the only, but a quite considerable, source of +revenue to all the California Missions. Agust'n was a half-breed, or +mestizo, the son of one of the Spanish soldiers who had come to Alta +California with Serra and Portola. His mother was an Indian woman, to +whom his father had been married by Father Serra himself. That was in +1776, the year of the establishment of the Mission, and Agust'n, the +oldest son of the marriage, had risen before the age of thirty-five to +his important post, partly by natural ability, and partly by the fact of +his mixed Spanish blood, which of itself gave him prestige and authority +with the Indians. He had quarters adjoining those of the Father, on the +main corridor of the cuadro. + +His family consisted of his wife, Juana, chief of the lavanderas, or +washwomen, and several children, the oldest of whom, Magdalena, was +now growing into the fresh and early womanhood of these Southern races. +Already she had lovers, who took such opportunities as the strict +discipline of the Mission life allowed (and they were rare) to endeavor +to awake a response in her heart. But she held herself aloof from all. +Proud of the Spanish blood in her veins, though that blood was but that +of a common soldier, she counted herself to be of the gente de razon, +far above the level of the mere Indians, her mother's people. And, +indeed, in her finer features, quick glance, and more spirited bearing, +the difference of strain was manifest: the Latin admixture, though only +fractional, justified itself in evident supremacy over the aborigine. + +This proud element in Magdalena's nature had the unfortunate effect of +bringing her into conflict with the Father and the Church. Not that she +would, out of mere perverseness, have refused obedience, but the Father, +himself a Spaniard, viewed all who were not of the sangre pura as +Indians, all alike. This the girl felt and resented, and her resentment, +though unexpressed, showed in numberless ways; while the Father, on his +part, viewed her only as an obstinate Indian child, naturally averse to +good influences. + +It chanced one day that Agust'n, overlooking the making of adobe bricks +at the clay pits a mile from the Mission, needed to send a message to +the Father on some point concerning the work; and, Magdalena having been +sent to carry their midday meal to the brick-makers, he entrusted her +with the errand. Failing to find the Father in his private room, she +went to the next door of the corridor. It was half open, and she glanced +in. The Father was not there, but she saw, bending over a table set +against the window, a young man. His back was turned to her, and he was +so intent upon his occupation that he had not heard her step. She +should have turned and gone, for the rules were strict, and forbade +conversation between the girls and young men of the Mission: but her +curiosity was keen to know what the Indian boy (as she knew he must be) +was doing in the Father's quarters, and what it could be that kept him +so absorbed. Moreover, a spirit of defiance was in her. If the Father +found her loitering there he would reprimand her. Well, she would break +the rules: she was no Indian; and if he caught her there she would tell +him so. Yes, she would see what the young man was doing; she wanted +to know, and she would know. Quietly she stole into the room and edged +round to one side go that she could see partly across the table. The +young man was painting, in wonderful colors, on a sheet of parchment, +painting wonderful things--beasts, and birds, and flowers, and even +angels, a wonder of wonders to the simple girl. + +At some involuntary sound that she made, the young man--it was +Te-filo--turned and saw her. Her eyes were fixed upon him, wide with +wonder, and her hands half raised in childlike rapture, while her +slender figure, so different from the heavier forms of the Indian girls, +gave her, to his eyes, the look and bearing of one of the very angels +he had been copying. It was a marvel on his side, too; and for a few +moments the two regarded each other, while love (that is born so often +of sudden wonder in innocent hearts) awoke and stirred in both their +breasts. They had often met before, but it had been casually, and the +hour had not been ripe. Now he saw her and loved her; she saw him, +an Indian, indeed, but transfigured, for he was an Indian who worked +wonders. And the Spaniard in her gave way, that moment, to the Indian, +and she loved an Indian, as her father had done. + +He was the first to recover his self-possession. "The Father is not +here," he said. "He will be back soon, for he set me my task until he +should return, and I have almost done it." "Is that your task?" she +asked. "How beautiful! How wonderful!" And she stepped nearer the table. +"Show me, how do you make them? I never thought that Indians could make +such things. I have heard my father say that holy men in Spain could +make angels, but you are an Indian: how can you do it?" "I cannot tell +you," he said slowly: then "Yes, I will tell you," and a flush came on +his dark face, and a light into his eyes, as he looked at her. "I do not +make them, these angels; they come to me because the Father has taught +me to love them. He says the angels come to those who love them, and any +one can love them. And when I saw you," he went on, his eyes upon her +eager face, "I thought you were the angel I was painting, for you are +like an angel, too; and now I shall always love you, and it will be easy +to paint. Listen! the Father is coming. You must go quickly, but now +I have seen you I must see you again. You are Magdalena, Agust'n's +daughter. I shall find you to-morrow when I take the orders for the work +to your father." + +Magdalena slipped away, and thus was begun the short but happy love of +Te-filo and Magdalena short, like the history of the beautiful Mission +itself; happy, as all love is happy, let its end be what it may. Many a +time they met in secret, for sweet interviews or even a hurried word +or glance; but love grows best in the shade. And meanwhile, the great +church had been growing too, and now it was Te-filo's proud task to +paint the frescoes on the walls and dome, as the Father had hoped. +Simple designs they were to be at first,--floral emblems and the symbols +used for ages by the Church, but later Te-filo was to essay much +more ambitious things, perhaps even the archangels, and San Juan, the +soldier-saint, himself. + +It was the winter of 1812, and Te-filo and Magdalena had loved each +other for over a year, when Te-filo one day spoke to the Father of +Magdalena, and said that he wished to marry her. For months Magdalena +had tried to be dutiful and to engage the Father's interest, on her +side, in their favor, in preparation for Te-filo's broaching of +the subject to him. But she felt always that he remembered her old +hostility, and that he still considered her a mere disaffected Indian +of his flock. They had often talked of this, but Te-filo, who loved the +Father for the special kindness he had always shown him, believed that +he would agree to the marriage. Why should he not? he said. It would +make no difference to him, and he, Te-filo, would work better than ever, +to show his gratitude. + +When at last he spoke of the matter, the Father peremptorily denied his +request. Agust'n's daughter was an obstinate, perverse child, and would +only lead Te-filo away too. He would give thought to the matter, and +would see what girl there was suitable for him, and then, if he wished +to marry, well and good. He would give them two rooms in the corridor, +near his own, and would allow him pay as his body servant and for +his work, and perhaps other privileges as well. And that was all; for +Te-filo knew that he would not be moved from his decision. Good man as +the Father was, he had the Spaniard's failing in dealing with a subject +race a certain hardness arising from a position of authority not allied +with responsibility--except to God, and that, indeed, the Father felt, +but he conceived that his duty to his Indians, apart from his spiritual +ministrations, was entirely comprised in the teaching, feeding, and just +governing of them. + +When Te-filo told Magdalena, at their next meeting, what the Father had +said, the girl was enraged. "So he thinks I am not good enough for you!" +she cried: "And I have done everything to please him. But he is only a +priest, and has no heart. Ah! those Spaniards, I hate them!" And then, +with a woman's illogical turn--"Well, he shall see that I am Spanish +too. We will go away to the Mission at San Diego, Te-filo. My father's +brother is there, and I have heard my father say that he has influence +with the priest. He will marry us, and you can work there as well as +here." + +But Te-filo was in doubt. His love for Magdalena and his love and +reverence for the Father contended. He was a simple, guileless soul, and +the thought of ingratitude to his benefactor was a misery to him. Some +other way must be found: the saints would help them; he would pray to +San Lucas, who, the Father had told him, was his patron, for he had been +born on his day and christened by his name: and Magdalena must pray, +too. + +Magdalena, however, took up now an attitude of open rebellion, and +absented herself entirely from the services of the Church. This was +another trouble to Te-filo, and daily over his work he prayed to San +Lucas, and pondered what was best to do. But days and weeks went on, and +his inward disquiet began to take effect in his appearance and behavior. +The Father, busy with the multitudinous affairs of the Mission, had +entirely forgotten the matter of Te-filo's request: but one day he +chanced to notice his favorite's listless air, and it recalled the +affair to his mind. A day or two afterwards he said to Te-filo, as the +latter was with him in the sacristy, "Te-filo, you are dull and not +yourself. You were right, it is time you were married, and I have the +very one for you. It is Ana, the daughter of Manuel, who works in the +smith's shop. She is a good girl. I will speak of it to her father." + +"Padre," said Te-filo, "I cannot marry Ana, nor any one else but +Magdalena, for I love her. Oh, Padre,"--and he dropped on his knees +before the priest,--"let us be married. You do not know, she has tried +hard to be good, and to please you. And I will work for you all my life. +I have been praying to San Lucas ever since I told you, but he has not +done anything." + +The priest was moved by the earnestness of the boy--for boy he had +always considered him, and indeed he was little more in age. "Well, hijo +mio," he said, "I do not know about that. The saints always hear us, +as I have told you, and perhaps--who knows?--San Lucas may do something +yet. Or, perhaps," he added with a smile, "it is because we changed your +name, and he does not look on you as his son. Well, that was my fault. +But you say that Magdalena has tried to please me? Good, then we will +see. I will set her a penance, for she has not behaved well; then +I shall see if she wishes to please me. To-morrow will be a day of +observance, and there will be early mass in the church. Tell Magdalena, +Te-filo, that she must come to mass and carry a penitent's candle. Let +her be in the front row of the women. If I see her there I shall know +she is obedient, and perhaps, yes, perhaps,--well, we will see about the +rest." + +"Oh, Padre," Te-filo exclaimed, "you are my padre, indeed;" and he put +the priest's hand to his forehead. "I know she will come, and I know she +wishes to please you. And Padre," he said, "I have made a picture of the +angels of La Navidad. I did it to please you" (he was about to add, "and +Magdalena," but prudence stopped him in time). "I thought--I thought--" + +"Well, what did you think, hijo mio?" asked the priest. + +"I thought, Padre, that if you liked it, and said it was done well, it +would be fine on the high roof, Padre, the angels, four of them, in the +middle of the roof: like this, Padre, see!" An he raised his hands in +the attitude in which he had seen Magdalena when she met him in the +Father's room. "I could do it, Padre, if you like it." + +"Angels, Te-filo!" said the Father. "Hm! I do not know. It is hard to +paint the holy angels, and diligent as you have been, I hardly think you +are an Angelico. But go and bring what you have done, and I will see. +Indeed, it is just what I would have, but it must be well done, or it +will spoil the rest." + +The boy ran off, and returned quickly with a large sheepskin on which +he had drawn in colors a really fine design: four angels in attitudes of +worship, with uplifted hands, and eyes that expressed, crudely yet well, +the wonder that the Holy Ones might well feel at the Miracle of the +Manger. + +"Ah, and did you really draw this?" asked the priest. "It is excellent, +Te-filo; we must make a painter of you in earnest; perhaps we might even +send you to Mexico to be taught by a good artist. There is one of the +Brothers at the College of San Fernando who would train you well. I +think this is what San Lucas has been doing for you, after all. But how +did you do it, Te-filo? What did you draw from?" + +"Padre," said Te-filo tremblingly, "I will tell you, but do not be +angry. It was Magdalena. I saw her once, at first, and she was like +that, yes, exactly like that, with her hands up, so. She was like one of +the angels in your new missal, and I remembered, and drew it many times +over, and do you really think it will do for the church, Padre?" he +finished eagerly, his face aflush with excitement. + +"Yes, it is certainly good enough, Te-filo," said the Father. "We will +have gold round the heads and golden stars on the robes, and San Juan's +church shall be the finest in California. Though how it comes that the +girl Magdalena can have been your model passes my understanding. Indeed, +I think it is the good San Lucas, or San Juan himself, who has helped +you. Well, you deserve praise, Te-filo, and perhaps some reward. But go +now, and tell Magdalena to come to first mass to-morrow, as I said. You +may take a candle from the sacristy and give it to her." + +That evening Te-filo told Magdalena all that had happened. But her +Spanish blood was in hot rebellion, and in spite of her love and +Te-filo's entreaties, she would not give in. To carry a candle, as if +she were one of the Indian girls, caught in disgrace! No, it was too +much. Why, the whole pueblo would see her, and laugh (which, indeed, was +true for she had held herself above the girls of the Mission, and was +not loved by them). In vain Te-filo told her of the Father's words +about sending him to Mexico to become a real painter. No, it would be +a victory for the Father if she gave in, and he should see that she was +Spanish as well as he. And contemptuously she tossed the candle aside +into the chia bushes in the courtyard, where they talked in the shadow +of the arches. + +It was with a heavy heart that Te-filo left her, yet with a faint hope +that she might repent and come to mass in the morning. It was a dull, +oppressive night, such as comes rarely in California, even in the summer +heats. Te-filo slept but little, and twice during the night he got up +from his bench bed and prayed to San Lucas, for this seemed to be the +final chance for his and Magdalena's happiness, and after his interview +with the Father all had seemed so bright that it was hard now to give +up hope. Magdalena, on her part, slept not at all, but she did not +pray. Instead, she lay with wide-open eyes in the darkness of her little +windowless room, looking up at the low ceiling and fighting over in her +heart the old battle of love and pride. One might say that love stood +for the Indian and pride for the Spaniard in her, and that it was an +incident in the old feud that began with Cortes and Malinche. And then +she thought of what Te-filo had told her, how he had told the Father +about painting the angels for the church because he had seen her +standing with upraised hands, like an angel, that day. Poor Te-filo! how +he loved her! and how she loved him, too! It was hard, very hard, +that there was so much trouble. How happy they might be! And he was so +clever, and might be a real painter, not working in the fields or at the +workshops, but only painting angels and beautiful things. And she was +the cause, in a way, of his being so clever she was proud of that, and +the thought made her glow, simple Indian girl as she was, with a woman's +sweetest thrill--he was clever because of her! Yet now she must spoil it +all, and all for the Father's hardness. + +But then, must she?--for she knew that it lay with her, after all. She +could make all so happy why not? Ah, but the humiliation! No, she could +not. But could she not? The humiliation would soon be over, and the +prize was so great. They might be married, and even at once. Yes and +no, yes and no--so the fight went on, as the hours dragged past and the +heavy air pressed upon her restless nerves and forbade sleep. + +It would soon be dawn, and now she must decide. Then the thought came +to her, should she pray to San Lucas, as Te-filo had been doing? Perhaps +after all he would help them. She got up, and creeping quietly into the +adjoining room, where her father and mother were asleep, she knelt at +the little crucifix that hung on the wall, and tried to pray. But no +words would come, and she was about to rise and go back to her bed when +it seemed as if words were whispered in her ear, echoes carried in the +brain from something she had once heard, no doubt, in the church--". . . +levant--a los humildes . . . raised up the humble. . ." She had noticed +the words, because they were so averse to her ways of thought: the +humble, why, that was like the Indians whom she had always despised. +But, after all, perhaps that was San Lucas's answer; for she saw that it +would settle all her trouble. Well, be it so she would be humble, if San +Lucas told her; and she would obey the Father, and then, at last, all +would be well. + +She rose, and, remembering the hateful candle, went into the quadrangle +and searched for it. There it lay among the chias, and she picked it up +and carried it to her room. Light was dawning in the east, and she did +not lie down again, but stood in her door, making up her mind to the +humiliation she was to undergo for the sake of Te-filo and their love. +She did not waver now; indeed, in her young, strong passion she gloried +in the sacrifice she would make for love's sake. She dressed herself +with care. They ate no meal that day before mass, which was to be at six +in the morning. If only, she thought, she could tell Te-filo that she +had resolved to do the penance, it would make it so much easier; but +there would be no way of seeing him until they were at the service, +and then the men would be on one side and the women on the other; so he +would not know until he saw her, and perhaps he would not look, for she +had said she would not go. Then a thought came to her with delicious +joy: she would make up to him, and punish herself, for having refused, +by waiting till the people were all in the church, and then going in +alone, so that everybody would see her, and Te-filo would see what she +could do for him. + +Solemnly the great bell sounded out the summons to prayer. It was +a special day, the Feast of the Immaculate Conception, and all were +expected to come to mass, old and young. The morning was heavy and +airless, and the people, rising from sleepless or restless beds, moved +languidly and in hardly broken silence toward the church, and, entering, +ranged themselves, men and women separately, on either side of the +building, facing the altar. Te-filo was in his usual place, near the +front, and on the margin of the open aisle that divided the sexes. All +had gathered before the bell ceased to sound, but Magdalena was not +there. With a sinking heart Te-filo had watched, hoping against hope +that she would repent and come. He saw Agust'n and Juana come in, and +Agust'n go to the place near the altar which he held as mayordomo, while +Juana merged in the crowd of undistinguished Indian women. So Magdalena +was obstinate, and the prospect of happiness that had looked so bright +yesterday was all over and spoiled. But he must not blame her: she was +not just an Indian, like him. And with a sigh he ceased to watch the +doorway and turned to face the altar. + +The Father entered, and bent the knee before the altar in view of the +congregation, who also had knelt on his appearing. The church was in +darkness but for the illumination of candles about the altar and a gray +and sickly daylight that came in at the open door. As the Father turned +to the people there was a stir among the women who had taken places near +the entrance, and a figure appeared, carrying a lighted candle. It was +Magdalena. She walked steadily up the passageway between the men and the +women toward the priest, who stood facing her. A black shawl was thrown +over her head, and her face, pale with sleeplessness and trouble, and +lighted by the candle she carried, seemed to glow against its dark +background as if illuminated from within. Te-filo had turned at the +sound of her entrance, and watched her as if fascinated during her +passage up the aisle. She did not see him, for her eyes were on the +ground: but she knew his place, for he had often told her; and as she +came near to where he was kneeling she turned a little toward him, and +murmured, so that only he should understand, "It is for thee, Te-filo." + +As she came close to the altar step, the Father's eyes rested on her +with a glance that seemed to say, "It is well, my daughter." Then he +began the service, while Magdalena knelt in the front row of the women. +There was an unusual stillness among the people, for the incident of +Magdalena's penance had not been known, and had taken all but Te-filo +and the Father by surprise; while the sultry half darkness and the +stagnant air seemed to add to the feeling of awe. So the service +proceeded. + +Suddenly, without warning, at the offertory, destruction broke. There +came a shock; a pause of terror; another shock, that made the solid +walls rock to and fro; a terrible cry, "El temblor!" and in panic the +people rose from their knees and rushed toward the door. A third shock +came, heavier than the other two; and cornices and masses of plaster +began to fall. + +At the first cry of the frightened people Te-filo had risen to his feet. +He looked to where Magdalena had been kneeling, and saw her standing, +still holding her penitent's candle alight in her hand. As the people +rushed toward the door both he and Magdalena were almost carried away by +the panic-stricken throng; but he made his way to her, and they two were +for a few moments alone, but for the priest, near the altar. When the +third shock came he threw his arms about her. She seemed to have no +fear, nor had he. The spirits of both had been under strain, and one +thing only had been in their thoughts for hours before, so that they +were in great degree oblivious to the general terror. As Te-filo put +his arms about her, a bright smile came on her white face, and she said, +pointing to the candle, "It was hard, but I prayed to San Lucas, and he +told me to do it, and now we can be married." The shock continued, and +became more violent. Pointing to the candle she said again, "I did it +for thee, Te-filo mio." As she spoke, there came a terrifying sound from +above: the great stone dome above them parted, and looking up they saw +for a moment the calm face of the sky through a jagged rent in the roof; +then the ponderous structure crashed down in ruin upon them and the +huddled crowd of Indians that still struggled for escape. + +They were found the next day, their bodies crushed together. In her hand +was still the penitent's candle. + +In one grave the Father, who escaped the death that fell that day upon +twoscore of his flock, buried Te-filo and Magdalena; for, said he, +making over them the Holy Sign, they were married, indeed, though in +death. Still may be seen on the shattered walls and roof of the Mission +church some faded, simple frescoings, the unfinished task and the +memorial of Te-filo, the painter-neophyte of San Juan Capistrano. + + + + +SAN DIEGO DE ALCALA--PADRE URBANO'S UMBRELLA + + + +Padre Urbano, priest in charge of the Mission of San Diego, was in a bad +humor. If he had been asked what was the most necessary article in the +cargo of the supply ship Santiago on the first of her half-yearly visits +in the year 1830, he would almost certainly have said, the umbrella. The +candles were important, no doubt; so was the new altar-cloth, for the +present one had become shockingly worn under the unskillful treatment of +the Indian lavanderas; so were the seeds, all the more so because he had +included in the list seeds for an onion-bed, and onions were a delicacy +to which his soul had long been a stranger. And many others of the +articles he had named in his requisition had passed from a state of +shortage into one of absolute vacancy on the storeroom shelves. But +foremost in his thoughts was the umbrella. He had specified it with +care,--such an umbrella as he had used in Spain, before ever he came to +this destitute and heathen land; the size, a vara and a half across; the +material, silk; the color, yellow; and as the warm spring sun smote ever +more fervently upon his tonsured head, his thoughts had daily turned +with yearning towards the good, ample quitasol that was to shield him +from the fiery persecutions of his enemy, the prince of the power of the +air. + +Well, the vessel had come that day, and with it the umbrella; and now, +most cruelly dashing his long-cherished hopes, one of his Indians had +stolen it! Moreover, to-morrow he was to start on his annual visitation +of the outlying stations, and he had especially relied for comfort, on +that long, hot, dusty round, upon the umbrella,--the fiend fly away with +the miscreant who had taken it! thought the Father in his wrath. + +This is how it happened: The ship had sailed into the bay at early +morning, and the lieutenant at the fort had straightway sent a runner up +to the Mission with the cheering news, adding that the articles for the +Father's personal use had been thoughtfully packed separately from the +heavier goods, and the captain had obligingly kept the special package +in his own cabin, so that it could be delivered to the expectant +consignee at once on arrival. The Father had immediately dispatched two +of his most trusted Indians, Pio and Jose, to receive the goods, which +the captain had promised to have brought ashore in the first boat-load. + +The sergeant who delivered the goods to the Indians, in order to make +the unwieldy package easy of transportation by the two men over the two +leagues of road that lay between the bay and the Mission, had unwisely +opened it in the presence of the Indians, so as to arrange the contents +in two loads. The men had each taken one of the bundles and started for +the Mission. In due course, Jose had arrived with his load, but alone, +and in explanation had reported that at a mile or two from the bay his +companion had fallen behind--to rest, as he supposed--while he continued +on his way. After a time he had waited for Pio to come up, but the +latter had not rejoined him. Jose had left his own load by the roadside +and gone back to see what had become of him, but no trace was to be +found of either Pio or his burden. There was nothing for him, Jose, to +do but to continue on his way with his own part of the Padre's property, +and here he was. Pio would doubtless come soon with the remainder. + +But Pio had not come, and the Father's fears, born as he listened to +Jose's story, grew into angry certainty as hours passed and no Pio +appeared. Examination of Jose's bundle had revealed the altar-cloth, the +ink, the sugar, the onionseed, some books, and a few of the articles +of clothing he expected, but the umbrella and part of the clothes were +numbered with the missing; and though the clothes were not only valuable +but much needed, somehow it was the umbrella that made the head and +front of the crime in the Father's mind. Calling the Indians together +after vespers, he announced the theft, denounced the thief, and +pronounced his severest displeasure, with punishments proportionate, +against any who should fail to do all in his or her power toward the +apprehension of that ungrateful sinner, Pio. + +Let us see what had become of the rascal from the time when he +disappeared. He had really dropped behind to rest, as Jose had supposed; +but while resting, the desire had come to him to look again at that +strange thing in his package. What could it be? He had seen the sergeant +take it out of the box, along, thin object; then he put his hand +somewhere on it, and pushed, and, wonderful! it had changed in an +instant into a huge flower! Such a flower! Yellow like a sunflower, +nay, like a thousand sunflowers, or the sun itself. Then he had done +something again, and all at once it was as it had been at first. +Talk about magic! All the things his father, old Kla-quitch, the +medicine-man, used to do were nothing to this. He simply must have +another look at it, and now was his chance, while Jose, who might tell +the Padre, could not see. He slipped the cords from the bundle and took +out the thing of mystery. A long stick, with some yellow cloth rolled +round one end: but how to turn it into the other wonderful thing? He +could not resist trying, and he felt about the stick, pushing this way +and that, as he had seen the soldier do, and it began to open. He pushed +again--it was done; behold the magic sunflower, beautiful, wonderful! +And turning it round and round he feasted his eyes on it, the most +astonishing thing he had ever seen; yes, and done, for he, Pio, knew how +to make the Big Flower open. + +That is where the tempter caught him. What power that would give him +over the other Indians! What was Kla-quitch, with his painted sticks and +bones, compared with him, if only he were the possessor of this marvel! +He should need no other stock in trade as medicine-man. The people would +pay well to have it opened--that would be good medicine:--and simply +keeping it shut would be bad medicine:--delightfully easy! How did +it shut, by the by? He fumbled at the stick, but it did not close: he +pushed and pulled, it made no difference. He pressed on the cloth; an +ominous creaking warned him that Big Flower objected to being shut by +force, and threatened to break. + +A nice fix he was in now: the genie he had raised would not down! He +grew hot and cold by turns. Jose was far ahead by now: he ought to +overtake him, but he could not appear before the Padre like this. He +did not know what the purpose of the thing was, but most likely it had +something to do with the Church, and he knew how strict the Padre was +about even the handling of such objects. What should he do? The tempter +had the answer ready,--there was only one thing he could do,--run away +with the magic thing and be a medicine-man, as his father had been, only +he would be a much more powerful and cunning one. Sly tempter! Poor Pio! +He had only meant to nibble, and here he was, fairly hooked. + +Well, since he was in for it, he had better get away before any one saw +him. He caught up the clothes and the umbrella and hurried off into +the brush. It was not easy for him to make his way along with the +obstreperous load, and he soon discovered that the best way to manage +the umbrella was to carry it over his head. Very comforting he found it, +too, though it did not for a moment occur to him that this was its real +purpose. His plan was to go to his father's tribe, the Elcuanams, in the +mountains far away. There he should be safe from the Padre, and should +also have the prestige of his father's reputation. If there were another +medicine-man in the tribe Pio could easily outrank him and capture the +business. So he made a long detour, and came back by evening to the +valley, but a mile or two above the Mission. It would be easier to +travel with Big Flower by keeping to the river-bed instead of going +through the brush, which constantly threatened to tear it. He had a +faint idea that it might close of its own accord at evening, and glanced +up anxiously several times to see if it was doing so; but evidently it +was not that kind of flower. + +He heard the bells of the Mission ringing the Angelus, and shuddered as +he thought of the wrathful Padre, no doubt now denouncing him publicly +as a thief and renegade, and he hurried on till dark, when he found a +sheltered spot and lay down. The night was chilly, and after a time the +thought came to him that Big Flower would make a fine shelter: so he +got up and arranged it so as to keep off the wind. Another idea: the +clothes, why not put them on and be warm? It seemed a terrible thing to +do, but he was running away from the Padre anyhow, so he might as well +be comfortable as not. He got up again and spread out the clothes in the +dim light: two woolen undershirts, two pairs of unmentionables to +match, four large handkerchiefs of red silk, three pairs of blue woolen +stockings, and a queer, three-cornered article, white, with strings, +which he took to be some kind of pouch, but, by a happy thought, found +to make an agreeable protection for the head. Also there was a pair of +thick slippers of dark felt. He rolled the handkerchiefs up in a +ball, and then drew on all the other garments except the slippers, not +troubling to first remove his own scanty clothes consisting of a cotton +jacket and pantaloons. He now felt pretty comfortable, and lying down +again was soon fast asleep. + +When he awoke it was early morning. It was still cold, and he kept the +clothes on. Indeed, it occurred to him that this was just the thing to +do; it was much easier than carrying the bundle in one hand while Big +Flower occupied the other. He would still have the slippers to carry, +for he saw that they would soon be worn out if he wore them. With a +few edible roots and berries he made a sort of breakfast, not without +pensive recollection of the warm atole now being dished out at the +Mission. When he was ready to go on he thought of the morning prayers at +the Mission, and believing Big Flower to be something connected with the +Church, the natural thing to do was to say his prayers before it, which +he did, and then started on his way. After a few miles he knew he was +near the shut-in valley (which we call El Cajon) and he remembered that +there were Indians there who might know him. It is doubtful, really, +whether any of his acquaintances would have stopped to recognize him had +they caught sight of the figure he made, for it is safe to say that no +such spectacle had ever been seen thereabouts as our friend Pio made, +attired in the Father's underclothes, adorned with a nightcap, and +carrying in one hand a vast yellow umbrella and in the other a pair of +slippers. The handkerchiefs, much too fine to be wasted, he had tied +together by the corners and made into a sash, such as he had seen the +Mexican caballeros wear; and in his piebald of red, white, and blue, he +made altogether a decidedly striking appearance. + +As he was considering turning aside and making another detour, he had an +object lesson of the effect he produced upon his countrymen. An +Indian appeared at a little distance. He was gathering wood, and as +he straightened from stooping his eyes fell upon Pio. With a yell he +dropped his load and fled at topmost speed, emitting such sounds as +we try, but vainly, to utter in a nightmare. This, though a tribute to +Pio's impressive aspect, and a gratifying omen of his success in the +role of medicine man, was also a warning of danger. He dived again +into the brush and devoted strenuous hours to threading his way through +thickets of chaparral until he emerged on the trail that led northeast +into the heart of the mountains. Big Flower was happily intact, and the +nightcap also except for a missing string, but the outer layer of the +other garments had paid toll to many an affectionate scrub-oak and +manzanita, and the stockings that had stood the brunt were practically +footless. Pio surveyed the damage ruefully, and rebuked himself for not +having preserved his new property by wearing his own clothes outside. He +would make the change now, and as it was getting hot he decided to +wear only one set of the undergarments (the damaged ones) under his own +clothes, and to carry the others. When the change was made, he hurried +on. He had made one or two more attempts to make Big Flower close, but +had not succeeded, so he now marched along in a businesslike way under +the great parasol, apparently an Indian gentleman more than usually +careful of his complexion, taking a brisk walk. + +One thing, however, he had to attend to, the question of food, for he +was getting very hungry. He was now on a steep trail that led up to the +valley now known as the Santa Mar'a, and there, he knew, was another +rancher'a, or village. Here, too, he might be known, but he must take +the chance: he must have food, and would boldly go and ask for it. As +he pushed his way through the trees he came unexpectedly upon three +fat squaws who were sitting beside the creek, pounding acorns and grass +seeds into meal. Just as he saw them, they saw him, umbrella, nightcap, +slippers, and all. There was one shriek, or rather, a trio of shrieks +that sounded like one, and the women rushed like deer (albeit very fat +deer) down the creek, and Pio heard them gabbling at top voice to what +he knew must be the assembled and startled rancher'a. + +Our friend was a philosophical fellow, as we have seen, and as the +natural thing to do was to gather up the little piles of meal, tie them +up in the extra shirt, and make off with them, he did it. There was no +need now for him to trouble the village, so he quietly withdrew by the +way he had come, and, guided by the excited sounds that still reached +his ears, made a roundabout way back to the trail, striking it beyond +the village. At the next water, he mixed some of the meal into a gruel +and ate it. It was not very palatable, and again he thought of the good +food at the Mission, from which he was now forever debarred. But a +look at Big Flower, gleaming like a great golden mushroom in the sun, +consoled him, as he thought of the wealth and power he would enjoy among +his tribe by means of this unparalleled marvel. + +Night found him halfway between the Santa Mar'a Valley and the next +higher one, to which the Spaniards who had first seen it had given the +name of Ballena, from the long mountain, like a whale in outline, +that shuts it in on the northwest. He found water, made a fire in the +time-honored Indian way by rubbing two dry sticks together, and cooked +the remaining meal. There was enough for a good supper, and some over, +which he made into little cakes, drying them hard on the hot stones. +He put on all the clothes again to sleep in, and made a wind-break as +before with the umbrella. It was really more comfortable than the hard +bed in his hut at the Mission, and he felt more than contented, even +jubilant, over the change in his fortunes. + +In the morning he said his prayers again before Big Flower, and started +on his way early. He had pulled on the extra clothing at night over what +he was then wearing, and as the morning was cold, and the trail good, so +that the clothes would not be harmed, he did not take them off, except +the extra stockings, nor change so as to wear his own outside. Thus he +again presented the tricolor aspect that had paralyzed the natives he +had met. It now occurred to him to make a little experiment, a sort +of trial canter, of his new profession, upon the Indians in the next +valley. He was not far now from his own village of the Elcuanams, and +might as well be getting into training. He would avoid surprising any +stragglers at the next village, and would get into touch with the head +men, explaining that he was the long-lost son of Kla-quitch, who had +escaped after all these years from the Mission, and had come back, +learned in all the knowledge of the white men and armed further with +this most wonderful appliance of magic, to take his place as hereditary +medicine-man of his tribe. He should see by that means what sort of +impression he would be likely to make on his own people. Nominally they +were Christians; but they were hardly ever visited by the priest, and he +knew that the bulk of them were still much as in his father's day, and +still placed reliance on the fetishes of the shamans. + +Accordingly he made his approaches to the Ballena village with +caution. It was about noon when he came near, and he could see, as he +reconnoitered, that a group of men were talking together in the +open space about which the houses were irregularly placed. That was +excellent. He crept cautiously near, having some trouble to keep the +umbrella out of sight till the psychological moment: and then, holding +it high overhead with one hand and the slippers and extra garments in +the other, in token of amity, he uttered the orthodox Indian greeting +which answers to our "How d' ye do?" and advanced upon them. + +They looked up all together: there was a yell that wakened echoes that +had slept for many a year; and in a twinkling the plaza (so to call it) +was empty but for himself, and the braves were dodging about behind the +houses in mortal terror of the hideous monster, worse than the white +men, for he was an unheard-of, polychromatic kind of being, not only +white, but red, blue, and yellow as well. It was no doubt the monster of +whom the priest had warned them, who would appear one day, if they were +not careful of their Christian duties (and they could not say they had +been), and destroy them all and burn their village. The thing he had in +his hand was doubtless the torch--see how it shone, just like fire! In +vain poor Pio declaimed his speech: it fell on ears too demoralized +to hear; and when one or two of them began to fit arrows to their +bowstrings, the best thing to do was plainly to beat a prompt retreat. +This he did, holding Big Flower ignominiously behind him to catch the +arrows that he expected every moment to hear whizzing about him. + +He ran for some distance till he was out of sight of the inhospitable +village, and then sat down to rest and think. The adventure began to +take on an unpleasant complexion. If every one he came near acted like +this he could not be a medicine-man, for there would be no one on whom +to practice; and the bow and arrow episode was really alarming. What if +his own people refused to hear him? No one would recognize him there, +for he was a boy when he had been taken to the Mission, and he had +never been chosen to accompany the Padre on his rare visitations to the +Elcuanams, as it had been thought wise not to allow him to return to the +old surroundings. What had he better do? Of course he might discard +Big Flower and all the other fine things, and return to his people an +undistinguished runaway from the Mission (as not a few others had done, +to the scandal of good Father Urbano); but he could not bring himself +to that, not yet, at least. Well, he would go on: probably the +well-remembered name of Kla-quitch would make it all right. + +His discouragement over the Ballena reception caused him to travel +slowly, and it was nearly sunset when he drew near the Elcuanam village. +It had been a cool day, so he had kept all the clothes on (except the +extra stockings). The village was in an open place, near the upper end +of a wide valley, and he could see it and be seen from it for a good +distance. He could not think of a better plan of operations than the +one he had tried at Ballena, badly as it had worked there: namely, to +maneuver so as to make his first appearance when a number of the chief +men were together, and then get the name of Kla-quitch to their ears +as quickly as possible. That would arrest their attention, and further +particulars could follow. + +When he came in sight of the rancher'a he stopped and sat down to bide +his time. Only a few women and children and an old man or two were +about: the braves were probably out hunting, or, perhaps, bravely +sleeping until the squaws should announce that supper was served. So he +waited, hidden behind a rise of ground. At last the men, to the number +of ten or a dozen, had congregated for the evening lounge and pow-wow. +Pio slipped into the shadow of one of the little houses whence he could +issue in full view of the conclave. He settled the nightcap on his head, +grasped the umbrella in one hand and the slippers and stockings in the +other, and at a lull in the conversation advanced. He had decided to +dispense with the "How d' ye do?" in order to play his best card at +once: so as he stepped into the light of the fire he merely uttered in a +loud tone the word "Kla-quitch," to catch their attention. He succeeded. +A dozen startled heads turned toward him, and as he spoke his talisman +again, and moved toward them, there came a hysterical howl from a +dozen most unmusical throats, and his audience, followed by the women, +children, and dogs of the village, all shrieking in chorus, vanished +into the night. It was a striking tribute to the memory and prowess of +Kla-quitch (who, it was naturally supposed, had appeared and announced +his return from the spirit world); but it was far from being what his +son and intending successor had hoped. + +This was the very dickens (or whatever the Elcuanam equivalent may be), +for poor Pio! Whatever was he to do now? He prowled about among the +houses trying to find some one to whom to explain, but the panic had +swept even the old men and women away. He could hear the people calling +to one another from their spots of refuge, and ever the burden of +the shout was either "Kla-quitch!" or "Yellow!"--that is to say, the +Elcuanam word for that suddenly unpopular color. He began to feel +bitterly toward Big Flower, the cause, it seemed, of so much trouble, +and even toward his departed parent, whose name, so long after his +death, was such very bad medicine as to wreck his son's chances +everywhere. + +He squatted down by the fire, hoping that some of the men would return +after a time, but none came. After sitting again by the fire for two +hours or so, hoping vainly for company and pondering on his doubtful +future, he felt sleepy, and stretched out with his feet to the blaze, +not forgetting to set up his wind-break, really the only thing, he began +to think, that Big Flower was good for. + +He did not wake till morning, when he looked round anxiously. He could +see the whole population gathered a quarter of a mile away, pointing +toward him and skirmishing for the best positions for viewing his +actions. Evidently he was taboo for good and all, and the vision he had +had of himself, as the feared and prosperous medicine-man of his tribe +had been a very fancy portrait: feared he certainly was, but there it +ended. It looked as if he had to choose between being a medicine-man +all by himself, or abandoning all his paraphernalia and, after a day or +two's judicious absence, rejoining his tribe in the humble capacity of a +mere runaway from the Mission. + +Meanwhile he found some food--with difficulty, for the proprietors had +removed their valuables during the night and made a middling breakfast. +He had not fully determined what to do, so he stayed where he was until +his next step should become clearer. The morning passed slowly, with no +developments. He kept an eye on the crowd of watchers, and once or twice +he was puzzled to see that they pointed not only at him, but along the +trail to the south, by which he had come. + +Let us now go back a few hours, and take a look at Padre Urbano. We +shall find him, not at the Mission, but only a few miles away--in fact, +at Ballena. He had started on his visitations the next day after Pio's +defalcation, and in anything but good temper. He had come, with his +little party of half a dozen Indians, by the same general route that Pio +had traveled, and had been only a few hours behind him. He did not stop +at the Cajon and Santa Mar'a villages, as he meant to attend to his +pastoral duties in those places on his return; but rumors reached him +of some apparition having been seen by the natives. He knew these +superstitious people only too well, however, and smiled at their +credulity. At Ballena he stayed for the night, and was entertained with +a more circumstantial account of a parti-colored demon who had been +chased out of the village at arrow's point: but as he had not had time +to check up the shortage in his clothes before leaving home, he did not +recognize Pio under the description. He told the Indians, on general +principles, that it was, as they supposed, a monster who had scented +their slackness in religious affairs, and who would certainly call again +if they did not amend, and next time would not be so easily put off. + +He left the Ballena rancher'a early and started for Elcuanam. This was +the farthest from headquarters of all his parishes. An outpost station +had been established there nine years before, under the name of Santa +Ysabel, but, with only yearly visits since then, it was in a moribund +condition and had not progressed beyond the architectural stage of a +ramada, or brush shelter. A message had been sent a few days before +(without Pio's knowledge, as it happened), telling the Indians to get +the ramada ready for use, and giving the time of the Padre's intended +arrival. + +The little procession, Padre, six Indians, and two burros carrying the +necessaries for the observance of mass, wound its way slowly up from the +lower to the higher valley, and just before noon arrived at the top of +the last rise before the Elcuanam, or Santa Ysabel, village should be +reached. The Father was in the lead, our early acquaintance Jose close +behind. They halted for a moment to rest before going on to the village. +The Father noticed with gratification that the whole population was +stationed on a hillock just beyond the village, evidently in expectation +of his arrival; but he wondered why the foolish people waited there, +instead of hastening to meet him. They had caught sight of him, for he +saw them gesticulate, and it seemed to him that they pointed toward the +houses, as if to draw his attention to something. So he looked, and his +eyes caught the gleam of a large yellow object, set up as if it were a +shrine, in the center of the village. Very odd, he thought; what had the +silly Indians been up to now? They moved on toward the village, and +as they approached, the Elcuanams cautiously approached also. When the +Father arrived pretty near, he stopped, gazed hard, rubbed his eyes, +gazed again, and then said to Jose, "Jose, your eyes are better than +mine: what is that in the village?" Jose's eyes were already starting +from his head, as if to get a better focus on what he saw. "Padre," +he said, almost in a whisper, "I think it is the yellow thing that Pio +stole. The sergeant made it open when we went for the package, and it +was like that." "Holy Saints!" cried the Father; "it looks like that to +me, too, but it cannot be. How could my umbrella get to Santa Ysabel? +And what has become of Pio? If it is the umbrella, he must have brought +it here." "Padre," said Jose, "there he is. I think it is Pio, but he +looks very funny, and he is kneeling in front of the yellow thing as if +he was saying his prayers." "Saying his prayers!" said the priest with +warmth; "indeed, he had better say his prayers if it is he!" And the +party hurried forward. + +As we know, there was no mistake about its being Pio. As for the +prayers,--an unusual demonstration from the Elcuanams had caused him to +glance again to the trail where they were pointing. There his horrified +eyes had seen what seemed a miracle, but a most unfortunate miracle for +him Padre Urbano himself, a sight as unmistakable as unbelievable. +Panic seized him, but on the instant he had an inspiration, too: he was +caught, and something awful was bound to happen; but why not at least +make an attempt to disarm the Father's indignation by being caught in +the attitude of worship, which the Padre was everlastingly inculcating? +It might not mitigate his wrath, but then it might. He propped the +unlucky Big Flower up so that it would stand, hurriedly stuffed a pair +of stockings into each slipper, dropped them beside the umbrella, and +then fell on his knees and began to patter Ave Marias, faster, and +much more fervently, than he had ever said them before the altar at +the Mission. In his haste he forgot to take off the nightcap, though, +indeed, he hardly viewed it in the light of a hat, or cap. + +In this position the culprit was found by the Padre and his escort, +and also by the Elcuanams, who, emboldened by the Father's fearless +demeanor, had ventured back to the zone of danger. "Pio!" cried the +Father, "get up and show yourself, if it is you. Sancta Mar'a! what +is all this? Why, those are my clothes you are wearing, you graceless +rascal! Take them off instantly, and tell me what you mean by this +outrage. Bring him to me in the ramada, Jose, and be sure you bring +the umbrella. Praise to the Saints! I have found it, and it seems to be +undamaged, after all." + +On the way to the ramada the Father could not help looking round once or +twice at the prisoner, who followed with hangdog look, escorted by the +scandalized Indians from the Mission and a mob of astounded Elcuanams. +His indignation began to melt as he thought of the miraculous recovery +of the umbrella, and, since he was a genial and lenient soul, each +glance he took at the wretched Pio tickled his risibles more and more, +until his shoulders shook with merriment. Arrived at the court of +justice he managed to get up an aspect of terrific severity as the +malefactor was led in by Jose. The umbrella and the other incriminating +evidence were deposited beside him. The Elcuanams and the other Indians, +crowding about the entrance, crooked their necks with anxiety to +see what would happen. Pio had not yet disrobed, and stood dolefully +awaiting the worst, from nightcap to stockings a clown like and +altogether incomprehensible figure. Again the Father's funny vein got +the better of him. He knew that he was compromising himself forever, but +for the life of him he could not help it--his lip trembled, he tried to +control it but failed, he chuckled, giggled, cackled, and burst into a +roar of laughter. + +It was no use to think of punishment after that. When Father Urbano +at last got the shreds of his dignity together, the whole history was +extorted from the trembling Pio, who, however, was shrewd enough to say +nothing of his pagan dream of turning medicine-man. Gladly enough he +shed the unlucky clothing. Vast quantities of water were brought from +the spring and blessed by the Padre: the umbrella was sprinkled and +sprinkled till no taint could remain; and then Pio, guarded by Jose, +spent the afternoon in scrubbing the desecrated garments with bucket +after bucket of holy water, while the assembled village, down to the +smallest papoose, jeered at that most ignominious of spectacles--a man, +washing clothes like a squaw! + +To complete Pio's penance, it was his task to carry the umbrella over +the Padre during all the rest of the round of visitations, which, it +seemed to him, as he marched mile after mile with aching arms, would +never end. But end it did, and Father Urbano's umbrella at last arrived +at its original destination, San Diego Mission. Finally, after many +and various further peregrinations, it ended its travels at the sister +Mission of Santa Ines, where to-day the reader may find it reposing, +a treasured item in Father Alexander Buckler's curious collection of +relics. It is but fair to say, however, that I am doubtful whether Good +Father Alexander will vouch for my story of its early adventures. + + + + +SAN GABRIEL ARCANGEL--THE BELLS OF SAN GABRIEL + + +Rather a desolate little spot is the campo santo of San Gabriel; rather +desolate, and very dusty. The ramshackle wooden crosses stagger wildly +on the shapeless mounds; the dilapidated whitewashed railings, cracked +and blistered by the sun, look much as though they might be bleached +bones, tossed carelessly about; and the badly painted, misspelled +inscriptions yield up their brief announcements only to a very patient +reader. On the whole, depressing; but in a sleepy, careless way, like +the little tumbledown houses of the Mexicans, across the road; like, +also, the old Mission itself, yellowing and crumbling in the warm +California sun into early decay. + +Walking slowly about among the humble mounds, my mind lazily weaving +from the names and dates of Seoelvedas and Argyellos and Yorbas, with +their romantic sound, a half-sad, half-delightful tapestry of fancy, +I found myself at one inclosure of an appearance so different that I +stopped to regard it particularly. It was the grave of a poor person, +clearly, and not in that way noteworthy, for poverty was the air of +the whole place. But it was carefully fenced with a high white railing; +there were fresh flowers upon it; and it was evident that affectionate +hands tended it. The short inscription, translated from its Spanish, +recorded-- + + Ysabel, wife of Ramon Enriquez, + born July 20, 1875: died October 23, 1893 + Much Moved + +Eighteen years old, married, and dead! a sad strand of color this, +to run into my tapestry, gay with silver lace, coquettish fans, and +high-heeled Spanish slippers. Eighteen years old, married, and dead; and +muy querida, much beloved! My thoughts stayed behind, as I moved on, and +the words, with their soft inflection, would recur dreamily to me, again +and again--muy querida; alas! muy querida. + +In the shade of a high remaining piece of the ancient mudbrick wall, +three Mexicans, with cigarettes and sombreros, and gaudy as tulips in +their striped serapes, were gambling, sleepily, at cards: from one of +the little houses came the sleepy tinkling of a mandolin--muy querida. +I wandered over to the edge of the little cemetery, and, sitting down, +leaned against the hot wall, under the sleepy, flickering shade of the +neglected olives and expiring walnuts of the Mission garden. Sleepily +I watched the anxious labors of a hornet, busily building its nest of +clay. A dragonfly hung for a moment before me, then alighted on a +leaf and was suddenly smitten asleep. Everything drowsed, except the +everlasting sun, pouring down ceaselessly his shriveling rays. Again, +over and over, my mind dreamily repeated the words--only eighteen, +married, and dead: muy querida. + + +The bells of the Mission are ringing, clear and strong, under the +practiced hand of old Gregorio. Who can ring like he? And to-day, of +all days, he is doing his best, for it is the fiesta of the blessed San +Gabriel himself, and there are people come from all the towns of the +valley, to say nothing of Los Angeles, to the fiesta. Not but what the +saint has his day every year; but this particular day is a day of days, +a fiesta of fiestas: for the Padre has arranged a procession in San +Gabriel's honor, and what Mexican would not ride thirty miles to see +a procession? So to the hitching-posts all up the long street are tied +tired horses that have come that hot morning from San Fernando, and +Calabasas, and farther still. And here and there is a wagon that has +brought a whole family, all to do honor to San Gabriel, and to see the +sight of the day. And that is, pre'minently, Ysabel Alvarado, the beauty +of the valley, who is to walk at the head of the procession to the +church. + +The heart of the beautiful Ysabel is in commotion, somewhat like the +bells themselves, as she listens to them and to the clamor of the +children, who began to gather an hour ago before the cottage, and are +now shrilly calling, "Y-sa-bel." And she can hardly stand still while +her mother is busily putting the last touches to the wonderful array +in which she is to appear. Never before has any girl of the village +had clothes so beautiful, entirely of white, yes, even to the shoes and +their rosettes and laces, all of white, so dear to the Mexican heart. +Moreover, there was the thought of Ramon; Ramon, who she thought +loved her: to-day would surely prove it, when he saw her so dressed, +like--yes, indeed--like a grand senorita. Ramon had been working in +Los Angeles, and there there were so many--she sighed to think how +many--girls for him to choose from. But to-day he was to be here: old +Marta, her mother, had found out, and told her: and to-day would +surely tell. There were others, of course: Ramon's friend, Felipe, for +instance: he was clever, and sang well, and she knew he liked her. But +it was Ramon's face that would come between her and the little square of +looking-glass; and it was Ramon, too, who came into her mind--the saints +forgive her!--even when she turned for a moment to her little crucifix, +to say a prayer for good fortune, special good fortune, that day. + +At last all was ready, even to the final brushing that her mother must +give to the glossy hair which, parted by the dark, beautiful face, fell +in a rippling shower almost to her knee. It is no wonder that Marta +says, as she hovers, brush in hand, about her, "Thou art like the great +picture of the blessed Santa Barbara, child, that I used to see in the +Mission where I lived when I was as young as you"; and, to herself, +"Ramon had best take care. Such flowers are not to be plucked every day +as my Ysabelita." And it is no wonder that when Ysabel appears at the +door, carrying carefully upright the waxen, fragrant spire of white +lilies for San Gabriel which the Padre has sent to Los Angeles to +procure, the excited expectation of the village and its visitors +releases itself in a prolonged "Ah!" that nearly makes her laugh +outright with happy pride. Least of all is it any wonder that Ramon +Enriquez, gazing with all his soul, says, under his breath, "She is like +an angel of heaven; yes, truly an angel is she, my Ysabel." + +The bells of the Mission ring happily, happily, as the little procession +passes into the church: Muy querida, muy querida. + + +Again the bells are swinging and ringing in the hot, sunny air. But it +is not old Gregorio who rings now, one maybe sure, so irregular are +the strokes--loud, soft, quick, slow--as if the green old bells were +actually out of breath with laughing. No, Gregorio has rung for thirty, +yes, nearly forty years, and his ringing is as steady as the pendulum of +the Padre's great clock. Ah, it is Juan, young scapegrace! that rings, +and out of breath, truly, is he; so that for once he is ready to obey +when admonished by the Padre to leave off. "What a noise thou art +making, Juanito! I think San Gabriel will be stopping his ears. Run +up the choir steps, boy, and call to me if thou seest them coming." +Willingly enough the bare-legged urchin raced away, and, perched like an +acrobat on the narrow rail, holding by a trailing branch of the pepper +tree, shielded his merry black eyes as he gazed up the road. His slender +stock of patience was nearly exhausted before the sound of music reached +his ears, and started his feet shuffling. "Padre, oh, Padre," he cried, +"they are coming. I can hear the violin: it is Pedro that plays, I would +bet anything. Ah, he can play! Yes, and Marta is coming first with the +holy water." + +Down the road comes, again, a procession. One half of the village is in +it, and the other half views it with animated admiration from doorways +and verandas. Marta, her old black dress for once cast aside, arrayed +in yellow and red, leads the van, as she has at every wedding for twenty +years. Following her come three musicians; Pedro, in the center, his +gray, thin hair straggling over the collar of his well-brushed long +black coat, with young Vicente and Arturo, the bridegroom's brothers, +one on either side, accompanying Pedro's weird, thin-blooded strain with +thrumming mandolins. Next come, by two and two, six little girls, pretty +as angels, with little wild sunflowers in their glossy tresses, and +carrying, with conscious pride, large bunches of red roses. And here are +the bride and bridegroom, Ysabel Alvarado, the flower of San Gabriel, +and Ramon Enriquez, to whose proud, dark face hers is often lifted with +happy smiles at the words of admiration and friendly wishes that reach +their ears. + +Now, Juan, ring your loudest, and no one will complain: Muy querida, muy +querida . . . + + +It is the big bell, only, of the Mission, that is ringing now, the +one in the top embrasure of the arched campanario. It rings steady +and clear, as Gregorio always makes it, but slowly, and the sound that +trembles heavily out upon the heat-laden air settles down upon the +village like a noonday shadow. Again there are people gathered for a +simple procession, and horses are tied to the posts along the street. +But this time it is not at old Marta's house that the people are, +gathered, but at the new, white cottage that Ramon Enriquez built, +a year ago, for his bride. Juan, merry and mischievous as a blue jay +generally, is sober as he hovers on the outskirts of the little group +of people. Again the six little girls are waiting, two and two, but +they carry white flowers, lilies, roses, and jessamine. Presently Marta +appears, a creeping, somber figure, black from head to foot. + +The straggling group moves up the street, old Marta at the head, talking +to herself, and shaking her head. As they near the Mission the great +door opens, and the Padre comes out, followed by four young men, who +carry--alas! my heart tells me what they carry--the brightness and +lightness of the face and form of Ysabel Enriquez: and there lies upon +her breast a tiny baby form. Alas! muy querida! Ramon walks behind, and +looks neither to right nor left, as they take their place at the head of +the little procession. And so they go, up the white, dusty road, to the +campo santo. + +Muy querida, muy querida, says the great bell: slower and slower, muy +querida, muy . . . and so, ceases. + + +The sun was going down, its warm light dying away up the ancient wall. +Far away sounded the faint thrumming of the mandolin in the cottage +across the road: the three Mexicans were still silently gambling. + +Yes, it is a desolate little spot, the campo santo of San Gabriel[1]. + +[1] The foregoing sketch was written some short time ago, before +certain renovations were made about the cemetery which have changed the +"atmosphere" of the place. I confess to an unreasonable wish that God's +Acre might have been spared by the industrious hand of the whitewasher, +when the zeal for "cleaning up" seized upon the village fathers of San +Gabriel. + + + + +SAN FERNANDO--THE BURIED TREASURE OF SIM + + + +The idea of finding buried treasure has always exercised what seems +to me an unreasonable charm over people's minds: unreasonable, not, of +course, that there would not be charm in finding it, but because of the +disparity between the amount of attention that has been spent on the +quest and the real prospect, usually, of success. Treasure islands, +treasure ships, treasure graves, and many other such possibilities +have been many times exploited, both in fact and in story; so it is not +surprising that the California Missions should also have had their vogue +as a supposed Tom Tiddler's ground. And as a matter of fact, a good many +of the buildings show plain traces of the ravages of pick and shovel, +sometimes wielded boldly by parties of declared prospectors, but more +often in secret by knights of the dark lantern. + +Why it should be supposed that riches were buried in these places is not +clear; but somehow the idea seems to arise automatically in connection +with old or ruined buildings. A recent writer remarks that "The foolish +notion that the Fathers had unlimited wealth, nay, gold or silver mines, +which they concealed, was common among the Mexicans of that day, and it +exists among their descendants to the present time." So far as can be +known, the seekers have never found anything of value. It seems, indeed, +unlikely that the Fathers at any of the Missions ever could have amassed +any sum of money that would be much worth secreting. Saving anything out +of their meager stipend of four hundred dollars per year would have been +out of the question, even if the sum had been paid in money, in full, +and regularly, none of which desirable conditions seems to have been +met; while as to hoarding from the proceeds of the industries carried on +at the Missions, although the returns must have been large, the expense +of caring for a family of a thousand or so Indians must have been +proportionately heavy. And in addition there are to be reckoned the +exactions of the provincial Government, which seems to have looked upon +the Missions generally as a sort of providential and inexhaustible +milch cow. So that the latest defender of the Padres, the learned Father +Zephyrin Engelhardt, is probably justified in holding that their +riches were all of unworldly metal, and consisted only in "their +conscientiousness, industry, economy, and abstemiousness." Such +intangible valuables, it may be remarked, if they could be recovered +by delving, would certainly not have proved, in the estimation of the +delvers, a satisfactory reward. + +The Mission of San Fernando, some twenty miles northwest of Los Angeles, +has more than once been the scene of these unhopeful quests. The +visitor, who might be curious concerning sundry excavations noticed in +the foundations of the massive adobe walls, would be told by the old +Mexican who acted as custodian of the ruin--it is hardly more than +that--that they were made by "malos hombres, ladrones, que buscaban +dinero"; and, with a shrug, "Tontos! no cogieron no mas que polvo, mucho +polvo, mucho trabajo" (bad men, thieves, who were looking for money. +Fools! they got nothing but dust, plenty of dust and plenty of work). +And with a chuckle: old Tomas would lead the way up the next rickety +stairway. + +Yet, one cannot tell. There may have been instances of treasure being +buried about the Missions, on some emergency arising, since, in the +times we are thinking of, the only means of safekeeping sums of money +that were too large to be carried on the person was the secreting of +them in the walls of buildings or in the ground. Be that as it may, +perhaps the reader will have a better explanation of the facts of the +following narrative than the one with which I conclude it. + + +On the afternoon of a warm day of June, some twenty summers since, I was +making my way from Los Angeles to the coast by way of the San Fernando +Valley and the road that runs through the Simi Hills. It was yet the +dawn of the automobile era, and direction signs did not then, as now, +give the traveler on California roads the certainty of his route that he +now enjoys; and I found myself, at late afternoon, in considerable doubt +whether I had not mistaken my way, with the probability, if that were +the case, of having to camp for the night in the open. My horse would +not suffer, for there was forage in abundance, and water was not hard to +find thus early in the summer; but it was annoying for myself, for I had +but a scrap of food and no blankets. The road, well traveled at first, +that I had been following for two hours past, had for some distance been +showing signs of degenerating into a trail (in that inexplicable way +that roads sometimes have), and now it seemed about to "peter out" +finally on a hillside of yellowing grass. Yet I knew I had been making +in the right direction, even if off my road, so I was loath to turn +back. The road, or trail, probably led somewhere, and I decided to keep +on as long as any track could be seen leading westerly. + +Two miles or so farther brought me to the end of all tokens of travel. +The track had dwindled to less and less, and now had dropped to the +bouldery bed of a canon stream, from which no woodcraft of mine, nor of +my good trail-wise horse, could perceive that it made an exit. If the +trail continued, it must follow the bed of the stream. At any rate, +here was water, the first requisite for a camp; I decided to go on for a +while, but to stick to the creek, for safety. Dismounting, I led Pancho +forward by the bridle among the slippery boulders. The sun was well out +of sight, and the chirping of crickets among the herbage announced that +soon the evening shades would prevail. Evidently, camping was to be my +portion, so I kept my eyes open for a good spot for the purpose. The +canon appeared to widen out a little way ahead: there I should probably +find good grazing for the horse (though not, I ruefully reflected, for +myself). Arriving at the opening, I found, as I expected, grassy slopes +rising from the creek, and resolved to make here my bivouac. + +Taking off saddle and bridle I turned Pancho loose to graze, while I +gathered wood for afire. The dusk was soon enlivened by a crackling +blaze, beside which I sat to eat a sandwich and a scrap of chocolate, +reserving an equivalent banquet for the morning. Pancho munched away +cheerfully, the stream tinkled and purred; the first star telegraphed +its friendly signal down through the ether: to be lost in the Simi was +not half bad. + +My supper (since it must be so called) over, and Pancho picketed for +the night, I walked a short way up the canon in the gloaming. Some two +hundred yards from camp, at a point where the stream made a turn, I +stopped in sudden surprise at the sight of a light shining among a clump +of small live-oaks near by to my right. "Well," I said to myself, "so I +am on a trail, after all. Can there be a house here, too?" A few steps, +and my question was answered, for I saw that the light shone through the +open window of a little house of adobe. What should I do? My appearance +at this lonely spot at night would cause so much surprise that I +hesitated. But I was quite conscious that I had made an unduly light +supper, and, moreover, that I was in the way of making no better a +breakfast. Probably I could buy here a little food, and at any rate, I +could get information as to my road: so I approached the house. There +was an attempt at a garden, I saw, and growing against the window was +a bush of the red-flowered sage which I have noted as being a general +favorite with Mexicans. As I came up to the door I heard voices, and +caught a glimpse through the window of a woman sitting at a rough table, +eating. At the same moment a dog within the room started up and barked +loudly. It seemed to be my cue to speak as well as knock, so, acting +on a vague assumption that the people were Mexicans, I called, "Buenas +noches!" + +The talking ceased abruptly, and with it the music of knife and fork on +crockery. I knocked and called again, "Buenas noches!" A chair moved, +and a man's voice said, "Abajo, perro!" whereupon the bark was exchanged +for an equally uncomfortable growling. Then the door was thrown open, +and a man, standing in the doorway, asked in Spanish, "Who is there?" In +a few words I explained my presence, adding that I was short of food and +should be glad to purchase a little. "Enter, senor," he invited, and, as +I did so, "Carlota," he said to one of two well-grown girls who sat by +the woman, "Carlota, give your seat to the caballero." The woman had +risen already, and in a matter-of-fact way was putting a plate and cup, +evidently for me. My first impulse was to explain that I had had my +supper; but I have always found frank acceptance to be the best reply to +the frank hospitality of these courteous people, and with an expression +of thanks I took the offered place and was ready to share their meal. + +I now had an opportunity to notice my entertainers. The man was a +strongly built, good-looking, middle-aged Mexican; the wife (as I +took her to be) placid-looking, kindly-featured, and of the national +middle-aged stoutness. The two children were slender, attractive girls, +verging on the early womanhood of their race. I think they were twins. +This, I supposed, comprised the household, until, my glance following +the wife as she went to the stove, I saw another person. A man, +apparently deformed, sat by the fire, bent forward, his hands resting +on a stick. But doubled over as he was, his eyes, black and piercing, +followed every movement made by any of us. My host, by whom I sat, said +in a low voice, "He is my brother, senor: he is very ill." I was on +the point of making some remark of condolence when he added, "He cannot +speak, senor: he is dumb." Feeling that it would be best not to refer +to the matter, and to turn the conversation, I inquired as to the road +I had missed, and whether I could get through to the coast without +returning. This I learned I could do, my host promising to put me in the +way in the morning. + +Just as supper, which proved to be a cheerful meal, was over, the +invalid in the corner, rapping with his cane on the floor, gave notice +that he needed attention. Carlota went quickly to him and helped him +to rise, and then led him, slowly and with no little trouble, into +an adjoining room. As he shuffled past where I sat, my eye caught the +glitter of some object of metal that swung by a cord from his neck, in +the fashion of a medal. This I later decided it to be, when I noticed +what seemed to be an exactly similar object on a little shelf or +bracket, fixed to the wall, on which stood a small figure of the Virgin. +The woman now rising to clear the table, I rose also, and, thanking my +kind entertainers for their hospitality, asked what I owed them, saying +also that I should be glad to buy a little food of them before leaving +in the morning. They would accept no money for the meal, however, and I +forbore to press them. As I took my hat to go, my host asked, "Will you +not sit a while by the fire? It is yet early, and it is cold outside." I +gladly assented, and, offering him my pouch, a friendly smoke began. + +The seats at the table were heavy benches, not easily moved, but in the +corner by the stove, where the sick man had sat, I saw a dark, box-like +object which would serve for a chair. I was about to seat myself on +this when my host (whose name, I learned, was Leandro Rojas) hastily +interfered. "Not on that, senor," he said: "it would be bad fortune, +very bad fortune," at the same time pulling one of the benches forward. +On this we both sat, and chatted, somewhat haltingly on my part, for my +Spanish was no more fluent than his English. I was curious about that +bad-omened seat in the corner, especially as I felt pretty, sure it was +on that that the invalid had been sitting: but, not wishing to violate +my friend's superstitions, I refrained from alluding to the matter. My +gaze, however, often reverted to the puzzling object, which in the dim +light appeared to be a small but solid chest of some dark wood, heavily +clamped with iron bands, and, I thought, having something carved on +the lid. I suppose senor Rojas noticed me looking at the chest with +interest, and when, in the course of conversation, I asked whether his +brother had long been ill, he replied, "Yes, senor, many years; but my +wife does not like it talked of: it is ill fortune to talk of bad luck, +she says. And the box is bad fortune, that is certain. I wish it were +not here. But I will tell you about it when we go out of the house." + +I spent with them a pleasant hour, finding topics of mutual +interest--among them the perennial one of rattlesnakes, of which I had +found the region unduly prolific, and the need of schooling for the +children, who, though attractive and well-mannered, had never made the +acquaintance of even slate and pencil. On bidding them good-night, I +asked whether I might breakfast with them (on the strict understanding +of payment for the meal), and was glad when they willingly agreed. + +When I left the house, Leandro said he would walk with me to my camp, +and I took the opportunity of asking about the chest. "I will tell you, +senor," he said, "though it is bad fortune, and I wish I had never seen +it. See what it has done to my brother!" "Was it the box that hurt your +brother?" I asked. "How? did it fall on him?" "Oh, no, senor, nothing +like that," he replied. "It was his horse that hurt him; but all the +same it was the box that did it. My wife says so, and I say so, too. +Pedro, I do not know what he thinks, but then, he is as you see. This is +how it happened, senor. + +"It was many years ago, yes, nearly twenty years. We were both young +then, and we worked on the Escorpion, for Don Guillermo. My father used +to work for him too: he was a foreman on the ranch: and when Pedro and I +were old enough to ride after the cattle he made us vaqueros. Pedro was +strong in those days, yes, stronger than I am now, and quite tall. There +was no one who could ride like Pedro on the Escorpion. To see him now! +ay de mi! Well, senor, one day some steers were missing, twelve or +fifteen or more, and my father sent us, Pedro and me, to find them and +bring them in. We hunted for them one day, two days, and could not find +them. The range was getting poor on the Escorpion, but it was still good +in the hills, and my father said the cattle must have gone up to the +Sim'. So the next morning we started toward the Sim', and it was not +long before we found their tracks, coming toward the hills. We followed +them all that day, and nearly at night we found them. It was in a little +valley that is quite near here: you will go through it to-morrow, senor. + +"We had brought food with us, for we knew we might be more than one day +out, and when we had found the cattle we looked for a place to camp. We +headed the steers down the creek, and came out into this canon. And here +we saw the house, the same house, senor: so you see it is quite old, but +it was old then, too. We were surprised, for we did not know there was a +house there at all, and we had been born at San Fernando, and we thought +we knew everybody that lived this way as far as Ventura. It was nearly +dark, and there was no light in the house nor anybody about, though the +house did not look quite as if no one lived there. We should have liked +to use it to sleep in, but we thought some one must live there, and +might come in, so we made a camp on the creek. Just about here, where +your camp is, is where we slept. + +"In the morning, after we had eaten, Pedro said he was going to look +inside the house. I was saddling the horses and did not go with him. +In a few minutes I heard him call, so I went to the house. Pedro was +standing at the door, and he looked white and frightened. 'There are +dead people here,' he said: 'they are all dead.' He went in and I went +in after him. In the back room there was a bad sight, a very bad sight, +senor: a lot of bones lying all about the room, and there were three +skulls among them. In the middle of the room was that box you saw, with +the lid open. There was a big bone, like a leg bone, lying right across +it, I remember. Zape! a bad sight that was. + +"It must have been a long time since they had died, months, perhaps +years, two or three, from the look of the place and the bones. The +coyotes had been in, and nothing but the bones and some bits of clothing +was left. They had all been men, at least I think so, because there were +no women's clothes. In the box there were pieces of money, twenty or +thirty, or perhaps more. I did not like to touch it, with the dead men +all about there: but Pedro, he was always one who cared for nothing. He +said it was lucky to find them: the money wasn't dead, he said, and he +laughed at me. He picked up one of the coins: it was a silver peso of +Spain, very old. Was it not strange, senor? All the money was the same, +all pesos and all old. I. have never seen any more like them." + +"Well, Pedro said we ought to take the money. The dead men could not +spend it, he said, so it was foolish to leave it. But I would not touch +it, not one piece. I wanted to burn the bones, and at last Pedro helped +me. We picked them all up, the skulls and all. Diantre! it was bad work! +I wanted to put them in the box, and burn all together, and bury the +money. But Pedro would not: he wanted the money, and he said he would +have the box too. So instead of burning them, we buried them, that is, +the bones. We found an old spade, and dug a place behind the house, +among the sycamores on the hill--you will see to-morrow--and buried +them. + +"Then we had to go to take the cattle back to the ranch. Pedro would +take the money: he put it in his clothes. It was quite heavy, and you +could hear it, so he put some in his shoes and in other places. I asked +him what he would do with the box, because he would not burn it. He said +he wanted it because it had been good luck to find it: he would get it +someday and keep it. Then we went away with the cattle. Pedro said we +should not tell anybody about what we had found, nor about the dead +people; and there was no one to tell, I mean the officers, unless we +went to Los Angeles. So I did not say anything, and Pedro did not, +because he had taken the money." + +"It was not long before he had used it up. I don't know where he spent +it, for there was no money like it, and people would ask where he got +it: but somehow he spent it, all but two pesos. Then one day he asked +me to come with him to the place again: he wanted to see if the box was +there, and if anybody lived in the house. I did not want to see the box, +but I wanted to know if any one lived there, so I came with him. It was +about a year after we had found the dead men and the money. It was +a Sunday, and we got to the place about noon, for we started early. +Everything was like we had left it, and it did not look as if any one +had been to the house. The box was there, and it was open; and then I +noticed that there was some writing on a piece of paper inside the +lid. It must have been there when we saw the box before, but we had not +noticed it. It was very old and yellow, and torn, too, and we could not +read it. They did not seem like Spanish words. We stayed an hour, maybe, +and then I said we should go, so as to get back before night. Then Pedro +said to me, why shouldn't we come and live here in the house. We each +had a few head of cattle of our own by that time, nearly twenty all +together, and the range here was very good. He was tired of working on +the Escorpion, he said. The place didn't belong to anybody, as far as +we could tell, and we could make a good home here and do well with our +cattle. + +"I forgot to say that I had got married a little time before, and I +said my wife would not come so far away from her people. They lived +at Calabasas. I didn't like the idea of living in that house, though +I liked the land and wanted to have a place of my own, now that I was +married. So we were talking about it when we got on our horses to ride +back. We rode past the sycamore trees, where we had buried the bones of +the dead men. Just when we passed the place, my brother's horse jumped +at something, and threw him off. He fell against a sharp rock that hurt +him in the back. He was quite still, and I thought he was dead. For a +long time he did not move, but I could see he was breathing. I got water +and threw it on him many times, and at last he opened his eyes. But he +could not move, senor, nor speak either: the rock had hurt his backbone, +and his legs were like dead. He was a paral'tico, and he has never been +able to move, any more than you saw him move, nor talk either. + +"I did not know what to do. It was many miles to the ranch, and there +was no one that lived anywhere nearer. My brother was in much pain, so +I could not put him on his horse: I was afraid of hurting him more. He +could not talk, but he pointed at the house, for me to take him there. +There was nothing else to do, and at last I got him there. Then I said +I must go and get help to take him away, but he shook his head and +would not let me go. I think he thought he might as well die there as +anywhere, and he was half dead anyway. But I had to go to get food, and +I thought I could bring a doctor also. I left him some water, and got +on my horse and rode--cielo, how I rode!--for I thought he might be dead +when I got back. It was dark most of the way, and it was midnight when +I got to the ranch. I got help, and sent for a doctor to come from Los +Angeles. My wife--she is a good woman, my wife, Elena, senor--she said +she would come with me to nurse Pedro if he could not be brought away. +We were back at the house the next day early, two cousins of mine and my +wife and myself. Pedro was lying where I had left him, but he was out of +his head. Whenever he saw the box he would try to get up and go to it, +so I put it where he could not see it. I had never told my wife about +the box and the money: I thought it would only do harm to talk about it. + +"The doctor came the next day. He said Pedro would never be able to +walk; he might be able to speak after a while; but he never has. The +doctor told us he ought not to be moved for a long while. And so we +stayed, senor, and we have never gone away. Don Guillermo was very good: +I think God makes people good to one when one is in trouble, is it not +so, senor? He gave me ten more cattle; two of them were good milch +cows. That made thirty head we had all together. And he sent us a lot of +flour, and coffee and frijoles; and then he found who owned the land the +house was on: it was an American, who lived in San Francisco and never +came here at all; and Don Guillermo told him about my brother getting +hurt, and he promised that we could have the house and the grazing for +nothing for three years, and then pay a little when we could. After +about ten years I bought the place, about fifty acres, and now it is my +own." + +"So it was bad fortune the box brought us, as I said, senor, but good +fortune, too. Did you see what my brother has round his neck, senor? It +is one of the pesos. He had two of them left when he was hurt: he had +always said he would keep those two for more luck, as he called it. One +day, after he was hurt, I saw him making a hole in one of them, and he +hung it round his neck. He gave me the other. I did not want to take it, +so I put it on the shelf for Our Lady. You can see it in the morning, +and you can see the box, too. My wife would like to burn it, and so +would I, but Pedro will not let us, and he always sits on it. There +is carving on it, an 'F' and a 'Y,' I think, and there is the writing +inside, though much of it is gone now. Perhaps you can tell what the +writing says: I should like to know, if there is enough left to tell +by." + +"Well, it is late, and Elena will be going to bed. I am sorry that we +have no room for you to sleep in, senor, but the house is small, and we +are so many women and sick. Buenas noches, senor." + +I was much interested in the strange story I had heard, and lay for some +time awake, trying to fit a working theory to the black chest and the +Spanish dollars, but with no success. It was a puzzle that was worth a +good deal of trouble to unlock if it could be done, and I was eager for +daylight, to get a good view of the box. Probably the invalid would +not be up so early as the rest of the family, who had breakfast, I had +learned, at six o'clock. I was prompt upon the hour, and while waiting +a few minutes before the meal was ready, I examined the silver piece and +the chest. The coin was a large one, Spanish, as my host had said, and +bore the inscription of Carlos III, with the date 1787, and the arms +of Castile and Le-n. The box I examined with special attention. It was +exceedingly heavy for its size, which was about thirty inches long by +fourteen wide and ten deep, and was made of the dark, hard wood of some +tropical tree that had withstood decay wonderfully. On the upper side +of the lid were cut the letters "F Y" in plain, deep carving, encircled +with an elaborate scroll, this somewhat defaced and broken in +outline. Three heavy strips of iron were fastened round the shorter +circumference, one near each end of the box and one at the middle. At +the ends were strong wrought-iron handles, and there was a curious lock, +also of wrought-iron. I opened the lid, and there, as Leandro had said, +were the remains of a sheet of parchment, vellum, or heavy hand-made +paper, which had been glued to the wood, but the greater part of which +was torn or worn away. It was evident that the writing was too much +defaced to allow of more than a mere guess at its purport, but by the +not very good light I copied what I could decipher of the inscription. +This is what I made out:-- + + hac ar osit unt num tria mi et qu enti qui + pert anc Mi Sanc in cujus fini + utelam ob lat hoc lito atis com + arca absco a est. + rra. + + Oc 1824 + +I had hardly finished my transcription when my hostess entered saying +that breakfast was ready in the kitchen: so no attempt at working out +the puzzle could be made at the time. Pedro's food was taken to him by +Carlota, and he did not appear before I left. During the pleasant meal, +I looked with added respect at the woman whose goodness of heart had led +her willingly to undertake, and to carry day by day for many years, the +burden of a hopeless, and I fear an ungrateful, invalid (though, indeed, +from my experience of the kindliness, and especially the strength of the +family bond among the Mexican people, I might well have been prepared +for such magnanimity). + +Soon after breakfast I bade them farewell, Leandro accompanying me a +short distance to show me my road. When we came to part, no further word +had been said regarding Pedro or the mysterious chest. I said nothing, +for I had no theory to offer. When we shook hands, after thanking him +heartily I remarked that I hoped we might meet again, adding, as an +afterthought, "and in a luckier house." "Yes, senor," he said, "but it +is not the house that is unlucky: Our Lady attends to that. It was the +money, and, you see," with a smile--"I gave her the half of what was +left. Do you know, senor, sometimes I think the money was stolen from +the Church. That would account for all, is it not so? They say the +churches had much money once. Quien sabe? Adios senor." + +As I turned Pancho into the trail that would bring me to the Ventura +road, my mind was busy at a clue that Leandro's parting words had +started. "F Y," the letters carved on the chest--somehow they seemed +to link up with something in my memory. Who was that Padre of whom +Robinson, in his "Life in California," spoke with a good deal of +disparagement? The surname initial was surely a "Y," and it seemed to +me that San Fernando was the Mission where the depreciated Father dwelt. +Yorba, Ybarronda, Ybaez, Ybarra--yes, that was it: Ybarra, sure enough, +and the first name was Francisco, it seemed to me; and I felt sure +now that it was at San Fernando that Robinson encountered him. All +circumstantial evidence, no doubt, but highly interesting. To try +another link--did the scraps of writing give any support to my idea? +I took out my notebook: unmistakably there were the letters "rra" +remaining where naturally the signature would be written. All the rest +of the name was gone except a fragment of rubric, but that embellishment +again made it plain that the letters were part of a name. + +With that I had to be satisfied, both then and now. Matters of more +personal importance soon pushed the problem into the back of my mind. +Once, indeed, chancing on a copy of the torn inscription, I spent an +idle hour in trying to fashion the oddments into a possible connected +whole. In case the reader should be interested in such exercises, I will +give my tentative solution. + +I take the writing, as far as the signature, to have been in Latin, +and this is my guesswork rendering: the reader may perhaps improve upon +it:-- + +In hac arca depositi sunt nummi tria millia et quingenti qui pertinent +ad hanc Missionem de Sancto Fernando, in cujus finibus ad cautelam ob +latrocinia hoc litore a piratis commissa haec arca abscondita est. + +Francisco Ybarra. + +Oct. 1824. + +My chain of guesses, then, is that the old chest that I saw in that +house in the Sim' Hills may have once been the personal property of +Fray Francisco Ybarra, sometime priest in charge of the Mission of San +Fernando. That he, on the approach of some marauders, buried the chest, +with the stated sum of money in silver pesos of Carlos III, in some +hiding-place about the Mission precincts. That for some unguessable +reason the chest was never taken up by the priest or his successors; but +that long years afterwards, probably not less than fifty, some party of +treasure-seekers (of whom there are evidences of there having been many +at that Mission) came upon the buried chest. That it was transported by +them to the lonely house in the mountains, some twenty miles distant. +That there, a quarrel occurred over the booty, and that the survivor +or survivors of the fatal affray, if any there were, did not, for some +reason, carry off in their flight all the treasure. The rest of my +theory is embodied in the foregoing narrative. + +But after all, as to the whole matter, probably there is little to be +said that is more to the point than the all-embracing phrase of Leandro, +and of Spain and Mexico in general--Quien sabe? Who knows? + + + + +SANTA BARBARA--LOVE IN THE PADRE'S GARDEN + + +It was five years since I had seen my old chum, Dick Trevgern, back +in Boston, while Mrs. Trevgern I had never seen at all. So when, last +winter, I found myself at Santa Barbara, where they lived, one of the +first things I did was to trace them in the telephone book and call up +Dick. The result was an urgent invitation to dinner that evening. I was +quite keen to meet my friend's wife, and all the more so, since Dick, +who is one of the finest fellows in the world, is, or used to be, also +one of the oldest-fashioned, and had seemed to be destined for bachelor +joys; so I wondered what could be the special charms that had subjugated +him. + +I found them as cozy as a married couple of two years' standing has a +right to be, in a rose-embowered cottage on one of the hill streets near +the Mission. Mrs. Trevgern I found to be a very pretty, vivacious, and +in every way attractive girl,--she was only twenty,--and as they were +evidently very fond of each other I rejoiced at Dick's good sense and +good fortune. It was a very jolly little dinner, and altogether as +pleasant an evening as I have ever passed. At some indirect reference to +the topic (it is hard to find a name for it that is agreeable to every +one, but I will use a well-worn phrase) the emancipated woman, I had +an opportunity of seeing that the lady clearly was of the affirmative +party, whereas I knew, from recollection of old times, and anyway +because Dick was Dick, that his view on the question was a decided No. +This raised an interesting little speculation in my mind, and when, +about eleven o'clock, Mrs. Trevgern declared that she was going to leave +us two together for a good confabulation over old days, and retired for +the night, I made some half-joking reference to the matter, and asked +Dick how it happened that he, of all men, had chosen a wife out of the +emancipation camp. + +"Oh, well," he replied, "she is a dear good girl"--I hastened to say +that I was sure of it--"and we have lots of fun out of our different +ideas on little things like that. The odd thing is, though, that it +was Kitty's fad for woman's rights and that sort of thing that is +responsible for her being Mrs. Trevgern--I mean, that was what you might +call the exciting cause. Pull your chair up to the fire and I'll tell +you all about it. It was really quite a joke." + +"No doubt it will be news to you that I used to know Kitty years ago, +before either you or I came to California. All the time that you fellows +were ragging me about being an old bachelor, I knew my own mind and +meant to marry Kitty some day. I don't think you knew her people, the +Draytons. They lived down at Quincy, close to us, and our families were +old friends. At the time that I got this appointment out here she was +only sixteen, but before I came away from Boston I told her I loved her, +and that when I had got on my feet I was going to ask her to marry me. +I didn't want her to promise then, for it didn't seem square to ask her; +but I had a pretty good idea that she liked me, and I figured that in +two or three years I could be so placed that I might fairly ask her, +and, as young as she was, she would hardly have fallen in love with any +one else. After I came to California I wrote to her now and then, not +often, and no spooning, you know, but just to keep myself in her mind; +and she answered with good, sensible, newsy letters." + +"She was always a particularly bright girl, with a good idea of what +was going on in the world and a mind of her own about it. In one of +her letters she said she had been going to a set of lectures by some +confounded Englishwoman, on The Woman of To-morrow, or the Day after +To-morrow, or something, and asked me what I thought about what she +called Woman's Awakening. I dare say you remember how we used to argue +all that stuff in our old Debating Club--didn't we just!--and how I +always got sat upon for being a back number and not lining up with the +hatchet brigade? Well, I hadn't changed my mind--haven't yet, for that +matter--but I didn't suppose she cared two hairpins about it, and I +replied with some old joke or other, and let it go. From other letters, +though, I soon saw that Kitty had got really keen on the suffrage +business, and that she knew I was a heretic: but we both had sense +enough not to let the subject get on the argumentative line." + +"It ran on that way until two years ago, and then her people came to +spend the winter in California. In the early spring they came up to +Santa Barbara, and I saw Kitty again. I hadn't weakened at all in my +loving her, and she was prettier than ever--almost as pretty as she is +now, bless her.--Yes, I knew you'd think so, old man.--By that time I +was doing quite well, and prospects were good enough so that I felt I +could ask her to marry me. One day, on a drive round by Montecito, I +asked her. She wouldn't promise: said she liked me as much as ever, and +didn't care about any one else, but didn't think she ought to marry me, +and so on. I couldn't get her to say why for a long time, but at last +it came out. Some one, that idiotic Englishwoman, I suppose, had put it +into the dear girl's head that it was her duty not to ally herself with +'a reactionary' (I think that was the word) and in this case that meant +poor harmless me. I argued till I must have been blue in the face, but +I couldn't get her to give in: she says now that she thought she would +make me give in. And so it had to stay, but my consolation was that I +knew she really cared for me. It was just head against heart, and though +I knew, as I said, that Kitty's head was as good as anybody's, I thought +her heart was better yet. I told her, though, that I shouldn't let it +rest like that for long." + +"A day or two later I had an engagement to go up with them to look +at the Mission. One of the Fathers showed us through, a dozen or +more people altogether, regular tourist style, and we had seen about +everything there was, when some one asked if we couldn't go into the +sacred garden. You know what I mean? There's a private garden that +most people don't get to see, and which, as the story goes, no woman +is allowed to enter. The priest said he was sorry, but it was only by +special permission that any visitor saw that garden and that permission +was never given for ladies to see it. Kitty pricked up her ears at +that." + +"'Do you mean to say,' she said to me, as we walked on, 'that there is +a part of the Mission where men may go and women mustn't?' 'I don't mean +to say so,' I told her, but the Padre here does, and I'm afraid that +settles it.' 'Indeed, it doesn't,' she said. 'What does he mean? Is +there something horrid there that is not nice for women to see?' 'No,' +I replied; 'it's nice enough, just a garden. They call it sacred, but +I don't know why.' 'Oh, I see,' remarked Kitty, 'sacred from women, no +doubt. That's just like these monks: they think this is the Middle Ages +still. I suppose you think so too. You may go anywhere, because you are +a man, but a woman is to be shut out of this and that--they're sacred!' +I could see she was pretty much excited, and I tried to calm her down. +'Now, Kitty,' I said, 'you know very well that as far as I'm concerned +there's nothing on earth that I want so much as for you and me to be +together always and everywhere. Let them keep their old garden: anyway, +if it's too sacred for you it would certainly kill me on the spot.' +'It's all very well to make fun,' she returned, 'but it's the principle +that has to be fought. It's absurd, it's--it's mediaeval! And you're +mediaeval too,' she wound up. 'Well,' I said, 'I always knew I was a bit +old-fashioned, but I was never called a regular antique before.' That +made her laugh, and we forgot all about the old garden till we got back +to the house." + +"At least, I thought she had forgotten, but when I said good-bye she +came with me to the door, and said, 'Dick, I'm going to see that garden +at the Mission. It isn't that I care about the garden, but I do care +about the principle. I'm going to get in somehow, and I want to know, +will you help me?' 'My dear Kitty,' I answered, 'I'm your man: at least +you know I want to be. The only thing is, how do you mean to do it?' +'That's for you to arrange,' she said. 'You men think you can do things +better than women, so here's a chance to show what you can do.' 'Well,' +I remarked, 'it looks like a burglar's job, and I've not done much in +that line: but you know what I said, that I want to go everywhere you +go, and if that means jail, I'm game.' She looked a bit serious when I +talked about jail, for she thought I was in earnest: but she didn't back +down, and I said I would see what plan I could think up." + +"I easily found out whereabout the garden was, and the only way I could +see to get Kitty in there was by climbing over the wall some evening +after dark. It was an adobe wall, and not very high. I could easily get +over it myself, but for Kitty we ought to have a ladder. There was a +bright little Mexican chap I knew, whom I had met one day up by the +Mission. He lived near there, and one day I had seen him haunting about +and got him to pose in a picture. After that we'd had chats now and +then. It occurred to me that Julio could find a short ladder and +bring it to the place: and I had an idea--old-fashioned, you see, as +usual--that he would make a kind of chaperon, too, to save a little bit +of the respectabilities. I told Kitty my plan, and she thought it was +all right, jumped at it, in fact; so we set the time for two days after +the next full moon. We figured that as it was sundown soon after five +o'clock, we could do our wall-climbing when it got dark, say about half +past six, before the moon came up. It would rise about seven, and we +should have plenty of light to investigate the garden. Kitty did pretty +much as she liked at home, as regards being in or out, so all she +would need to tell her people was that she was going to be with me that +evening." + +"Well, I arranged it with Julio. He was a mischievous little rascal, and +it looked like a good joke to him; and a couple of dollars was good pay +for a joke. When the evening came, I called for Kitty about six o'clock. +I had told her to dress in some kind of color that would not show too +much by moonlight, so she had on a big gray cloak of her mother's that +covered her all up. It had a hood, too, so she didn't need a hat. For +fun I had drawn a large placard, with 'Votes for Women' on it in big +letters. I meant to tack it to a tree or something if I got a chance, +but Kitty didn't know anything about this." + +"When we got to the place, Julio was there with his ladder. It is very +quiet round there at night, and there was not much danger of any one +coming past. I got up first on the wall to make sure the coast was +clear. There were lights shining from two or three windows, but no one +was moving, so I beckoned Kitty to come, and she climbed up and sat on +the wall while Julio came up. Then I quietly pulled up the ladder and +lowered it on the garden side. I went down first, and then Kitty. She +was a bit excited, I could see, but as game as ever. I had told Julio to +wait up on the wall by the ladder till we came back." + +"It was about seven o'clock and nearly moonrise when we started on our +tour. I took Kitty's hand. She was rather trembly, but she said she +meant to see everything there was in this precious garden. I did, too, +now we were in. We went along a path by the wall and found a seat. There +was no reason for hurrying, so we sat down to wait till the moon was +up. It was certainly pretty especially with Kitty there; there were tall +black cypresses, and climbing roses, and orange trees just coming into +bloom; and when the moonlight touched the old belfries, and there came +the murmuring sound of chanting from some place within the Mission, +Kitty whispered to me that the garden really was almost sacred, and I +quite agreed with her." + +"After a few minutes we went on. The garden is laid out in beds of +shrubs and flowers, with winding walks between. We kept in the shade as +much as we could, as there were several windows that look on the garden, +and some one might see us if we made ourselves conspicuous. But there +were lots of trees, and we skirmished about from one to another and had +no end of a good time. Kitty was enjoying it immensely, and it did seem +a pretty good joke to be dodging about in the old garden right under +their noses, for we could see them now and then through the windows. We +were standing under a big cypress that had been trimmed up to ten feet +or so above the ground, when I remembered my placard. I unfolded it +and showed it to Kitty, and then fixed it on the tree with thumb-tacks. +Kitty was dancing about with joy at the placard, and almost clapping her +hands, but I made her stop for fear some one would hear her." + +"We had nearly been all round the garden, taking it easily, and sitting +down now and then. We were laughing and joking under our breath, and I +was thinking that this would be a good place to propose to her +again; rather romantic, you know, to pop the question under those +circumstances. It was getting time to clear out, but we sat down again +for a few minutes before we went. Kitty threw the cloak off, and in her +white dress and by the moonlight in that old garden, she looked--well, +you can imagine--no, you can't, though, no one could who didn't see her. +So I up and told her all I wanted to say. The darling took it like an +angel, but just out of mischief--I know, for she has said so herself +since then she hummed and hawed and began to talk about different points +of view and stuff like that. Well, at that very moment, a door opened +and a man, one of the priests, came out. We were sitting in the shadow, +but the door was right opposite, and I suppose the bright light coming +through the doorway shone on Kitty's white dress. Perhaps he heard us, +too, for I guess we had forgotten about talking under our breath: I know +I had. Anyhow, he spotted us. We saw him stop for a second and heard +him say something to himself, and then he came right toward us. I saw +we were in for it, so I caught Kitty by the hand and we ran. I heard the +Father, or Brother or whatever they call themselves, coming after us: we +could hear his skirts flapping about and I think he must have been a fat +man from the way he puffed." + +"We were right at the other end of the garden from where the ladder was. +Kitty is a good runner, and we had a good lead and were nearly there +when suddenly Kitty almost stopped and exclaimed, in a horrified voice, +'The cloak, Dick! we've left it behind, and it has mother's name on it!' +Whew! that's a bad mess, I thought. It must be got, that was certain. +'You run on,' I told her, 'and get up the ladder. Do you see it?' +'Yes,' she said, 'but what about you?' 'I'm going back for the cloak,' +I answered. 'You get up the ladder and wait for me. I'll stop him +following you. Quick, Kitty, hurry up!' I watched her get to the ladder +and then started back. I didn't know just where the priest was, as we +had lost him somewhere among the trees, but I ran back, got the cloak, +and started again cautiously for the ladder. When I was halfway there I +caught sight of him staring at the placard. I can't understand to +this day why he hadn't raised a racket. I think that placard must have +hypnotized him. Well, he saw me and called to me to stop. As he was +between me and the place where the ladder was, I saw I couldn't get past +him, so I ran back to the other end of the garden again, and he came +running after me. When he came to the door I saw him stop a moment and +then go in, evidently to get help. That was my time. I sprinted back as +fast as I could, for it was getting rather too interesting. Kitty was +there all right, sitting on the wall, but I couldn't see Julio nor any +ladder. 'Dick!' she called down to me, 'I've let the ladder drop down +on the other side. Can you get up without it?' 'How on earth did you do +that?' I asked. 'I was afraid that horrid monk might come along and see +me, and take the ladder away to keep you from getting up,' Kitty said: +'so I pulled it up after me, and then it slipped and went down the other +side.' 'Never mind,' I replied, 'I can climb up: but where is Julio?' 'I +haven't seen him,' she said: 'but never mind him, come along up.'" + +"I threw the cloak up to her, and then jumped at the wall to clamber up. +I caught the top all right, but the rotten adobe bricks came away, and I +tumbled down with half a dozen of them on top of me, and in falling, by +the worst kind of luck, I sprained my foot. I tried to get up, but found +I couldn't stand on the hurt foot. 'What's the matter, Dick?' asked +Kitty. 'Sprained foot,' I said. 'I don't see how I'm going to climb up +that wall now. I can't jump high enough with one foot, and the adobes +would most likely come down again, anyhow. Confound that imp, Julio! +he would have saved all this mess if he had done as I told him. I guess +we're trapped, I am, anyway.'" + +"Every moment I expected to see the Mission people coming, and there +was the chance of some one coming along the road, too, and finding Kitty +playing Humpty-Dumpty. The poor little thing was nearly crying. 'Oh, +Dick,' she said, 'does it hurt much? Oh, I know it must, and it's all my +fault. What will they do to us, Dick?' 'Well,' I answered, 'they can't +skin us and eat us, you know. I shouldn't mind about myself, only that +it makes a fellow look like a fool. You ought to marry me now, Kitty, +for no one else will,' I added, severely. 'Don't you think so?' 'Oh, I +suppose so, Dick,' she said, half laughing and half crying, 'No one else +will marry me, either, for that matter. I wonder you want to, after +my getting you into this fix.' 'All right, darling,' I said: 'it's a +bargain, mind. They have n't got us yet, anyhow,' I went on. 'Here they +come, though,' as half a dozen petticoated figures issued from the door. +I saw them go toward the other end of the garden, where I had last been +seen, and begin searching about. 'Now, Kitty,' I told her, 'when they +come this way you just let yourself down the other side as far as you +can, and then drop. You are lighter than I, and I think the bricks will +hold. Then run home as quickly as you can, and lie low.' 'Dick,' the +little trump replied, indignantly, 'do you suppose I'm going to run away +and let you stand the blame? Do you think I'm one of those putty kind of +girls?' I tried to argue with her but--well, you know what suffragists +are; she wouldn't budge. 'Dick,' she exclaimed at last, 'what am I +thinking of? I can drop down, as you said, and get the ladder over to +you.' I'd thought of that, of course, but I couldn't stand the idea +of her falling and perhaps getting hurt. 'You mustn't do it, Kitty,' +I declared. 'If you get hurt as well, we shall be in a worse hole than +ever.' My mind was working like lightning, and suddenly I thought of +the cloak. 'Kitty' I said, 'throw the cloak down to me.' It was a good +old-fashioned cloak, with yards and yards of stuff in it. I twisted it +into a sort of rope, and then stood up against the wall on my good foot +and threw the end over as far as I could. 'How far does it reach?' I +asked. 'Plenty far enough,' she answered. I didn't need to say any more. +She took hold of it and let herself down, and I heard her drop to the +ground. In another moment she was up on the wall and puffing the ladder +after her. It made an awful row, and I saw some of the people stop and +listen. It was touch and go then, I could see. Kitty lowered the ladder, +and in half a jiffy I was up. As we were pulling the ladder up, they saw +us and began to come on the run, but they were just about half a minute +too late. I sent Kitty down and then scrambled down myself. Just then, +along came that young scamp Julio, as innocent as you please. 'Take the +ladder and run that way,' I ordered, 'and let it drag so as to make lots +of noise.'" + +"Kitty was shaking all over, what with excitement and fright, and pity +for my foot. We sat down against the wall and listened to the chaps +inside calling us awful names in Spanish, Irish, German, and about +everything else. My foot was pretty painful, and so swollen that I could +hardly get my shoe off. Kitty produced a bandage from somewhere and +bound the foot so as to keep it stiff, and then I got up and with the +help of the wall and Kitty's arm I hobbled off with her in the opposite +direction from that in which Julio had gone, while the sounds in the +garden got fainter and fainter, showing that he was drawing the enemy's +fire, as I expected." + +"Of course the thing got into the papers somehow, but luckily the names +didn't, for Julio didn't get caught. And as you see, Kitty lived up to +her bargain." + + + + + + + + + + +End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of The Penance of Magdalena and Other +Tales of the California Missions, by J. Smeaton Chase + +*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE PENANCE OF MAGDALENA AND OTHERS *** + +***** This file should be named 9063.txt or 9063.zip ***** +This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: + http://www.gutenberg.org/9/0/6/9063/ + +Produced by David A. Schwan + +Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions +will be renamed. + +Creating the works from public domain print editions means that no +one owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation +(and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United States without +permission and without paying copyright royalties. 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