The Penance of Magdalena and Other Tales of the California MissionsChase, J. Smeaton (Joseph Smeaton)
Religion
The Penance of Magdalena and Other Tales of the California Missions
Chase, J. Smeaton (Joseph Smeaton)
Missions -- California -- Fiction
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."
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account