Frontier and pioneer life -- New Mexico -- Juvenile fiction; New Mexico -- Social life and customs -- 19th century -- Juvenile fiction
"Oh, Adele! Adele!" he cries, hurriedly addressing his wife; "oh, sing
that song; that sweet hymn, you remember; you used to sing it to her--
often, often. You remember it, Adele! Look at her. Quick! quick! O
God! Perhaps she may--"
He is interrupted by the music. The mother has caught his meaning, and
with the adroitness of a practised player, suddenly changes the tune to
one of a far different character. I recognise the beautiful Spanish
hymn, "La madre a su hija" (The mother to her child). She sings it,
accompanying her voice with the bandolin. She throws all her energy
into the song until the strain seems inspired. She gives the words with
full and passionate effect--
"Tu duermes, cara nina!
Tu duertnes en la paz.
Los angeles del cielo--
Los angeles guardan, guardan,
Nina mia!--Ca--ra--mi--"
The song was interrupted by a cry--a cry of singular import--uttered by
the girl. The first words of the hymn had caused her to start, and then
to listen, if possible, more attentively than ever. As the song
proceeded, the singular expression we had noted seemed to become every
moment more marked and intense. When the voice had reached the burden
of the melody, a strange exclamation escaped her lips; and, springing to
her feet, she stood gazing wildly in the face of the singer. Only for a
moment. The next moment she cried in loud, passionate accents, "Mamma!
mamma!" and fell forward upon the bosom of her mother!
Seguin spoke truly when he said, "Perhaps in God's mercy she may yet
remember." She had remembered--not only her mother, but in a short time
she remembered him. The chords of memory had been touched, its gates
thrown open. She remembered the history of her childhood. She
remembered all!
I will not essay to describe the scene that followed. I will not
attempt to picture the expression of the actors; to speak of their
joyous exclamations, mingled with sobs and tears; but they were tears of
joy.
All of us were happy--happy to exultation; but for Seguin himself, I
knew it was the hour of his life.
C THE END.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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