Show Mist Mistress r of Monterey On II VIRGINIA STIVERS SlIVERS BARTLETT C Stivers Bartlett Service SYNOPSIS In Spanish Spanish governed California of 1783 a conflict between Church and State Is 15 represented by two friendly enemies frail fraU old Fray Serra Franciscan Francis Francis- can missionary and Don Pedro Fages Faces civil governor Co After telling Serra he Is send sending In to Mexico for or his wife and son whom he has hos not seen for or eight years Don Pedro refuses his aid toward the founding o of the Santa Barbara mission Serras Serra's cherished dream and the two part In bitterness i j CHAPTER I Continued I 2 Heretical words 1 I How dare you speak so Is it not to the glory of God that these pagans have been taught decency cleanliness That they have been taught the word of God And that they have bave learned it itis itis itis is the lot of man to labor and toil honestly to produce a living from the soil in the sweat of their brows Can you refute that thai Fages managed a twisted smile Consider the lilies of the field he quoted they toil not Can you ou refute that I shall not try to You but mock such Inspired words No you will not try to because you know you can not ol You know V that before these poor savages came into the Church they were at least east healthy Look at them now I Diseased And who is responsible for that Can you tell me Yes but you will not nol It is the soldiers your soldiers soldiers soldiers sol sol- diers the Kings King's soldiers They have seduced the poor Indian women women women wom wom- en and given them the loathe loathsome loath- loath e some ome diseases of the Europeans They are dying of it like flies illes No that is what you have brought them Fages rejoined Serra staggered Before God explain those words I What I have bave brought Yes you You and your missionaries missionaries mis mis- with your greed to save souls for tor the further glory and power pow pow- er of an already too powerful church Serra was struggling for control and when he spoke his voice was thick and trembling Rash man I Godless man I I wonder wonder wonder won won- der heaven does not open and the fires of holy wrath descend and destroy destroy de- de stroy you youl He raised his bis hands with spread fingers and advanced toward the Governor On your head be the blame We men of God ask no escort of soldiery soldiery soi- soi sol sol- diery it Is forced upon us by the ilie rapacious State eager for dominion dominion dominion domin domin- ion swollen with the spoils of stolen empires Leave us alone you men of war the cross must go alone Clutching the crucifix of his rosary rosary rosary ros ros- ary he held it before him Alone the cross will conquer I ask for no soldiers I ask for priests Pedro Fages men of God strong in inthe inthe inthe the strength of righteousness not armed with steel Men bearing the word of God with divine love in their hearts not the fires of lust that burn and kill He sank to his knees Blessed Mother of God Holy Ghost Divine Holy Master Jesus here on my knees before you I the least of thy servants Serra Serra Ser Serra Ser Ser- ra do make a vow Send me two strong brethren and with their help alone will I raise to thee a temple the Mission Santa Barbara Barbaral Then will I willingly give up my soul and without one regret tread the dark valley of the shadow of death The boy Pio slipped fearfully Into the room Padre mio he be whispered awesomelY awe- awe p it is the hour for vespers Shall I ring the bell The father raised his bis face stained with tears drawn with agony He nodded and the ilie boy departed silently For a few tew moments the ilie two men regarded each other Then the Governor gathered up hat and riding whip that lay on the table Good night he said abruptly May your your prayers be answered The other looked at him Wm iI imploringly 1 I God soften your heart said he As Pedro Fages and his servant rode away toward the Presidio of ot Monterey they heard the plaintive notes of the vesper bells through the Carmel Valley CHAPTER II IIA A thousand cries rose from the street below and filtered through h the open velvet velvet hung hung windows of a room in the upper floor of the palace of the Viceroy of Mexico one Mayor Mayor- ga Venders were hawking their wares foodstuffs parrots baskets pottery burros and young pigs The Viceroy for tor the fiftieth time that bright morning pulled aside one of ot 1 the velvet curtains and looked down dawn into the street his nose twitching with agitation as be did so You are nervous my friend chuckled a soldierly looking man who stood beneath a great map of California stretched across the wall A third man took a long cigar from between his b bearded lips to tod d answer him 1 You Felipe de Neve are arc a soldier soldier sol sol- dier a fighter and should be afraid of nothing while nothing while our friend here Mayorga Mayorca la la-if la if he will pardon me I It t only Viceroy of Mexico He should I be allowed a few qualms Mayorga walked from the window and joined de Neve beneath the map Si you are a 3 soldier Felipe One of the conquistadores of this heathen land here bere on the wall that is causing causing causing caus caus- ing me so much trouble A heathen land indeed answered answered answered an an- de Neve And troublesome indeed There Is s only one person who can help you A woman Yes Yes a a woman woman and and that Is why I tremble The third man Romeu joined them and looked up at the map There Is one person who will keep Don Pedro happy and contented contentI content content- ed in California the Viceroy con con- That is his wife the beauteous beaute beaute- ous Dona Eulalla EulalIa Cells de do Fages He preened himself and smoothed th the creamy lace ru ruffles Iles at his wrist I for one do not blame him bim for tor that She would keep any man happy happy happy hap hap- py anywhere He walked again to the thee window and peered out into the street Romeu and de dc Neve exchanged exchanged ex ex- ex- ex changed glances You are right your Excellency agreed Romeu I well remember the day the couriers met us down f- f s i i r e ri I x d f 1 1 y r W I n f 1 y r f t. t A J J Il rYes r Yes Exclaimed the Two at Once In that hat desert o of the Colorado Colora lo with dispatches that Don Pedro was vas tobe to tobe tobe be governor He did not give thanks that he would not not have to chase Indios Indies all over New Ney Spain Spam Spain Spain-he he did not think of his rise of position position- from a humble Catalan soldado de cuero to governorship he governorship he he did not think of the gl glory ry of Spain or the Church Oh no He knelt In the sand and said Now I can have my I I Eulalia with me And he made me meI promise I would persuade her to to join him And here I am Yes and you must persuade her herl herf exclaimed Mayorga earnest earnest- ly Fages is the only man for California and I 1 fear if his wife does not join him he will not stay Fear It iU snorted de Neve I 1 know it As for tor persuading her you are arc to open the subject and we will amen your our suggestions How c can n I 11 How can any man persuade a woman against her will willI Look at the desolate stretch of country coun coun- try try the the upper and lower lower low low- er erl Regard the distance from this this the capital of Mexico t to that little spot which is Monterey the capital of the The leagues of sea and desert that separate them The sand the cacti the savages savages- savages savages-It Romeu looked reflective reflectively at the theland theland theland land h d out out- ut iH How he pointed v will she reach there by ship he asked She will have to walk said de deNeve deNeve deNeve Neve calmly Walk Valk e ej ejaculated cul t d the others Just then lh there re revas was vas was n a clam clamor r In Inthe inthe inthe the street b below low They went to the window and saw a carriage arriving arriving arriving ar ar- riving up the fi filthy hy muddy street street The three men saw s saw w the footmen leap to their feet open ope the carriage door and bow A woman dismounted drs- drs mounted tall taU and bon looking bony loo in in spite of her clothing lothing Then another figure appeared draped in gauzy black a coquettish figure they could for foi all Ithe swa of black lace that concealed concealed concealed con con- her face tace hands and all against the suns sun's rays The two hurried across the pave and disappeared disappeared dis dis- dis appeared in the palace The three men sighed It is she said Romeu The beauty of Barcelona said the Viceroy The fiery Catalan said de Neve In a moment a lackey announced announced announced an an- La Senora Dona Eulalia Cells Celis de dd Fages and the Dona Angustias Angustias An An- Moreno I 1 am most happy to see your Excellency looking so well after the ball last night said the lady with witha a twinkle In her black eyes And to see you Capitan Romeu and you General de Neve By this time she was seated In a n high backed chair upholstered In crimson leather and was swinging a small shod satin foot toot and silken ankle nervously back and forth I have had a n mysterious letter from Don Pedro and he told me Don Felipe that you would have news for me Then when his bis Excellency invites me here this morning I am more mystified You are aro looking wonderfully well Don Felipe for forone forone forone one who has bas spent such a long time In that terrible country that country that Cali Call fornia I Romeu looked whimsically at the Viceroy who was twitching at his bis lace ruffles Thank you Dona EulalIa Eulalla It isa isa Is Isa a miracle that I look well for tor you are right it Is a terrible country Sighing lugubriously he looked at atthe atthe atthe the fidgeting Mayorga As for the mysterious news his Excellency will tell you of It it il itEr Er not Er er not at all that General General that thatis is your privilege privilege privilege-as as Don Pedros Pedro's old and valued friend I will give you that privilege He began to pace rapidly back and forth looking looking looking look look- ing furtively from the map of California California California Cali Cali- fornia to Dona Eulalia's Eulalla's cream white face shadowed in its black lace De Neve rose Your Excellency I defer to your higher position Yours is the honor the honor the privilege Mayorga ran a n finger around his tight collar and grew a little red above its gilt and nd purple I er l lerno er no Captain Romeu gave a dry chuckle Dona Eulalia the honor which has befallen Don Pedro is so great and will so affect your future that I think I will ask permission of the General and his Excellency to break it to you myself Yes I exclaimed the two at once Very welL Come Dona and give me your hand band In bewilderment bewilderment bewilder bewilder- ment she entrusted her fingers to toI the gentle urging of the Capitan I who drew her over to the map This he be said is a map of California of both Calif Baja and Alta Here in Baja California California Cali Cali- fornia we see little Loreto the Loreto-the the Jesuit Jesuit Jesuit Jes Jes- uit missionaries founded this this but but your ears and throat tell mo me you know also it produces the finest pearls in the world Verdad She smiled smi This was language she understood Very welL We will leave Baja California and go on to Alta California Cali CalI- fornia just fornia-just just a jump jump thus thus and we find the Mission San Diego de Alcala Al- Al cala cala the the first to be built in Alta Cal California ornia already the soil has been blessed with a martyrs martyr's blood then then ve we find San Juan Capistrano In a beautiful beautiful spot spot and and so on up we find San Gabriel ArcangeL ArcangeL ArcangeL Arc- Arc angeL Ah An that is the busy place place- everyone going Into or out of California California Cali Call fornia stops there there there-it it is quite a little little lit lit- tle tie metropolis Dona Eulalia was becoming Interested interested In in- in spite of herself Your finger passed over something here she exclaimed near San Gabriel Gabriel- what is that Romeu peered closely That Oh that is just one of the two pueblos los los los-de de Neves Neve's pets That Is the Pueblo de Nuestra Senora la Rein Relna I de Los Angeles de Los Angeles they call it A filthy tiny place scarcely place scarcely noticed beside the mission settlement of San Sm GabrieL De Neve interrupted Romeu Romen you falsify That place will be some day the greatest greatest- De Neve do you wish to complete complete complete com com- the ladys lady's geography lesson De Neve subsided Come come Capitan exclaimed exclaimed ex ex- claimed Dona Eulalia What Is the meaning of all this I tremble with anticipation or or apprehension II Ah yes Pardon my digressions But here is San Buenaventura on the blue Pacific San Luis Obispo San Antonio de Padua San Carlos Borromeo Santa Clara and San Francisco de Asis And here is another pueblo San Jose All these lovely places places and and loveliest of all the Capital of California the PresIdio Presidio Pre Pre- sIdio of Monterey It Is not a terrible terrible terrible ter ter- country Dona it is a lovely country one country one of the loveliest of the world where living may be a joy a pleasure such as could never be known In the background de Neve snorted snort snort- ed The Viceroy came up and stood beside the two gazing at the map And over all that country one man has been chosen as governor governor- one man out of all who have served there there one one man whom all the ladOs Indios lad lad- os frailes and soldiers will honor And the wife of that man will be received like a little queen of the theland land will land will be a queen In her own right All AU the missions and pueblos pueblos pueblos los and presidios will do her homage hom hom- age age it it will be her ber The large gloomy room was very still stUl except for tor the heavy beavy breathing breathing breathing breath breath- ing of the Viceroy and the street noises that filtered in through the windows Eulalia put her hand on her breast You mean that Pedro Pedro- that I that I-that that we we- we Romeu nodded Eulalia screamed rushed to her side I wont won't I never will go there That barbarous place No Nol This Mexico City is bad enough after Barcelona but Barcelona but California Monte California Monte Monterey rey No Nol Angustias take me home homel I d dont don't nt believe Pedro is g governor governor- vernor- vernor you are lying to me deceiving me-deceiving deceiving me you you old old tools old fools I Senora you do not realize what you are doing Interjected de Neve I III assure you California Is a marvelous marvelous marvelous mar mar- land land land-a a land that in time willbe will willbe willbe be looked upon with envy by all the nations of earth earth- earth and and nd which will attract attract attract at at- tract millions from all over the world world world-a a land of commerce and accomplishment ac ac- ac- ac It is your fate your destiny to go there Ai Al what do I care for Its commerce com com- merce its merce-its its accomplishment Romeu spoke thoughtfully Certainly Certainly but but it would be nice In future days to know that generations generations genera genera- yet unborn will say wh when n they con the history of that country you so despised Lovely Dona Eulalia Eulalla de Fages The first First Lady of all the For you will be be you know No other lady of quality has set foot In the land Wives of petty officers soldiers soldier's women yes but but none like yourself He concluded concluded concluded con con- with a sweeping bow Now that is more Interesting Capitan Romeu The first First Lady La La- dy That would be very amusing I am sorry I can not do it it That is just what you will be be Senora As for Don Pedro what Pedro what his life will be who can say Of course he is a devoted husband husband it a aman man of honor but honor but who can sa say where his loneliness will lead him during those years apart from rom your |