"'An' thar ain't no doubt of that, Boggs,' observes Enright, as he
reorganizes to go ahead with them Donna Anna mem'ries of his. 'Which
if you only has a half of Peets' game now, you'd be the hardest
thing--mental--to ride that ever invades the Southwest. Nacherally,
an' in a wild an' ontrained way, you're wise. But to rcsoome: As
much as I can, I'll give the padre in his own words. He takes us out
onder a huddle of pine trees, where thar's two graves side by side,
an' with a big cross of wood standin' gyard at the head. Thar's
quite a heap o' rocks, about as big as your shet hand, heaped up on
'em. It's the Mexicans does that. Every Greaser who goes by, says a
pray'r, an' tosses a rock on the grave. When we-all is camped
comfortable, the padre begins.
"'"This is that which was with the Senor Juan and the Donna Anna,"
he says. "They adored each other with their hearts. It was many
months ago when, from the Plaza Perdita, they came together here to
the Donna Anna's house, the Hacienda Tulorosa. Who was the Donna
Anna? Her mother was an Indian, a Navajo, and the child of a head
man. Her father was the Senor Ravel, a captain of war he was, and
the Americanos slew him at Buena Vista. No; they were not married,
the father and the mother of the Donna Anna. But what then? There
are more children than weddings in Mexico. Also the mother of the
Donna Anna was a Navajo. The Captain Ravel long ago brought her to
the Hacienda Tulorosa for her home--her and the Donna Anna. But the
mother lived not long, for the Indian dies in a house. This is years
gone by; and the Donna Anna always lived at the Casa Tulorosa. "'No;
the Senor Juan and the Donna Anna do not marry. They might; but the
Senor Juan became like a little child-muchachito. This was within a
few days after he came here. Then he lived until ten days ago; but
always a little child. "'When the Senor Juan is dead, the Donna Anna
sends for me. The Seuor Juan is ready for the grave when I arrive.'
Is it to bury him that I come?' I ask. 'No; it is to bury me,' says
the Donna Anna. Ah! she was very beautiful! the Donna Anna. You
should have seen her, my children. "'When the Senor Juan is laid
away, the Donna Anna tells me all. 'He came, the Senor Juan,' says
the Donna Anna, 'and I gave him all my love. But in a day he was to
have gone to his home far away with the Americanos. Then I would
never more see him nor hear him, and my soul would starve and die.
There, too, was a Senorita, an Americana; she would have my place.
Father, what could I do? I gave him the loco to drink; not much, but
it was enough. Then his memory sank and sank; and he forgot the
Senorita Americana; and he remembered not to go away to his home;
and he became like a little child with me. The good loco drove every
one from his heart; and all from his mind-all, save me, the Donna
Anna. I was the earth and the life to him. And so, night and day,
since he came until now he dies, my arms and my heart have been
about the Senor Juan.
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.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account