Remember the Alamo

e he! O bl

ll blessi

chains, the s

chains

ish B

ove a lad

you shall

ove would

h the occas

ish B

plaints of Tia Rachela. Isabel came gliding in when Antonia was about half way through the meal. Her scarlet petticoat was gorgeous, her bodice white as snow, her hair glossy as a bird's wing, but her lips drooped and tr

d you this morni

e her keep her tongue between her teeth. I promised her to confess to Fray Ignatius, and she said I must also tel

l thing have you

answered slowly: "I gave-a-flower-away. Only a suchil

you give i

close to Antonia, and then hid

ling. Surely you did not

him last night, and when I was singing my pretty serenade,

ouston? Who the

Don

is not here. He we

Houston, I said to myself: 'Don Luis was going to him; very likely they have met each other on the road; very likely

him last night? You

the oleanders,' and I walked on to the balcony and there he was, and he looked so sad, and I dropped my s

d not Don L

speak to him. That is th

ow what Fray Ignatius and the Sisters ha

I am now sixteen, and they would shut me up like a chicken in its shell. Antonia, sweet Antonia, speak to Rachela,

forget a great deal for that, and then, Iza, darling, you must tell Fray Ignat

penance. Perhaps he may say to mi madre: 'That child had better go back to the convent. I say so, b

id not understand that it was in the eyes, those lookouts of the soul. They had lost the frank, inquisitive stare of childho

ait for him, and neither silence nor distance had weakened her faith or her affection. Don Luis had also made her understand how hard it was to leave Isabel,

gallant, rich, and of good morals and noble family. They had been much together in their lives; their childish affection had been

e his wife. Their love must be authorized and sanctioned; true, he wished that; but the charm of winning the prize before it was given was irresistible. Antonia comprehended all with

y strolled slowly between the myrtle hedges in the sweet gloom of overshadowing t

s and the birds and feeling happy, and Don Luis came to me. He might have come down from the skies, I was so

as this

h my whole heart, and Rachela told me I might stay in the garden until the sun grew

e followed y

rha

not have

anted me to be his wife because I loved him. His face was shining with joy, his eyes were like two stars, he called me hi

, I

e quite agreeable and willing. And I-I was in such joy, that I went straight in and told Holy Maria of my happiness. But when a person has not been in love, ho

rong, Iza. When love comes into your soul, it is like a new life. If i

e, Antonia, that you

rother Jack had a friend, and

dmamma let hi

er we sailed upon the river; in the winter we skated upon the

randmamma

k was with us; more oft

ortune? Consuelo Ladrello had never been an hour

an girl, pure and free, would not suffer herself to be watched by any woman, old or y

ords. Believe this. It was in the spring Luis told me that he loved me, and though I have seen him often since, he has never found another moment to speak to me alone

dove. How can you see

lips last night he made me understand it. This afternoon, during the hour of siesta, will y

ur, Iza. One whole hour! Come, now, we must make a vis

, children," she said full of dreadful dreams. "It must have been that American. Yet, Holy Mother, how handsome he is! And I assur

to do with the guest in it? We might as well make some gre

a Castilian; his family is without a cross. He h

ican, he said, last night. Pardon, my mother,

tics of the worst kind. It is their special delight to put to dea

e. Scotchmen do not molest priests, women, and chil

taught you so much

also. Jack has many Scotch-American friends. I know one of them very well"; and with the

ice there. No wonder! And my son is so full of nobilities, so generous, so honorable, he will not keep himself exclusive. He is the true resemblance of my brother Don

ry hero. If there is any thing Jack hates, it is oppre

for there will be a gay winter. Senora Valdez assured me of it; many soldiers are com

ands enthusiastically; "a bull-fe

father could have resisted her pretty ways, her kisses, her endearments,

g you so happy

llfeast this winter. Holy Virgin, think of

in his heart was very unlikely to be realized. Neither did he think it necessary to express opposition or disapproval for what ha

et Circense

Roman popu

os! is the c

children, that no other nation in the world cries it. Only Spain and her children! That is because only men

d been present at in the city of Mexico. The subject delighted her, and she grew eloquent over it; and, conscious only of Isabel's shining eyes and enthusia

ouble, and she had that natural feeling of youth which gladly postpones the evil day. And while her father was silent she believed there were still possibilities of escape from it. So she was not sorry that

her. She would not put the child to the necessity o

silk kerchief, blue as the sky, in her hand, and went to the wide, matte

to go into the ga

Rachela would not presume to interfere. The

n New York, Rachela; for

indeed ma

lk in the garden with me, I sh

She is a Mexicaine. She m

? She is as inno

gels. Oh, indeed! I could say something about last night! Dona Isabel has no

la. The kerchief will be so becoming to you.

st the age of coquetry. "It will look

e blue satin bow like it

a little thing to you. To me, they will be a great adornment. You are not to leave the gar

shut for one hour, Rachela, and you may shut your ears also, and put your feet

on the myrtle hedge that skirts the road. I have to say this-it is not for noth

shady walk between the myrtle hedges. Rachela's eyes were apparently fast closed when the girls pased{sic} her, but she did not fail to notice how charmi

ch frock I would not have forgiven her. I would never have yielded again, no, not even if the Senorita Antonia should offer me her scarlet Indian shawl worked in gold. I was always a fool-Holy Mother forgive me! Well, then; I use

e its thick foliage. The wide space beneath the spreading branches was a little parlor, cool and sweet

expressed the idea of expectation. Antonia had a piece of needlework in her hand. She affected the calmness she did

a moment's hesitation sought the shadow of the fig-tree. As he approached, Antonia looked at him with a new interest. It was no

is steps! And how joyful his face! He is the kind of Romeo that Shakespeare dreamed about! Isabel is really an angel to him.

ntonia granted him, without a word, the favor his eyes asked for. And the lovers hardly heard the excuse she made; they understood

n forced to speak of politics and business, and every such word was just so many stolen from far sweeter words-words that fell like music from his lips, and were repeated with infinit

. When he knelt at the feet of his beloved and kissed her hands, the action was the unavoidable outcome of his temperament. When he said to her, "Angel mio! you are the light of my darkness, the perfume of all flowers that bloom fo

t hour she stepped outside all of her childhood's immaturities. She became a woman.

him in my soul. My soul will never die. So I s

her soul seemed to have pushed her body aside, as a thing not to be taken into account. She sang like a bird for very gladsomeness. It was impossible for her to be still, and as she w

mother when there appeared to be no cause to do so? Don Luis was going away. He was in disgrace with his family-almost disinherited; the country was on the point of war, and its fortunes might give him some opportunities no one now foresaw. But if Isabel's mother had once decla

veda, was a long and tried one. The youth's political partialities, though bringing him at present into disgrace, were such as he himself had largely helped to form. Antonia was sure that her father would sympat

the ride in the open carriage to the Plaza would enable them to bow to their acquaintances, and exhibit their last

the officers who will have the great fortune to see you this afternoon, and break their hearts for the sight! But you must not look at them, mark! I shall tell the Senora if you do. It is enough

t permit it. I am not a child to be struck and scolded, and told when to open and shut my

t on this child a look of compassion! The American last n

racias a Dios, there is no Inqui

ect was magical. Rachela put up her hands palm outwards, as if to shield herself from a blow, and then without another word stooped down and tied the satin sandals on Isabel's restless f

d for the carriage, and the carriage stood at the door wait

mother which will permit us to remain at home

nd Rachela, without a word, glided away to the Senora. Isabel and Antonia stood hand in hand, listening to the vague trouble and the echo of harsh, grating voices, mingled with the blare of clarions, the roll of

Rachela, and then hurry away at the same reckless speed. The note was from the doctor to his wife, and it did not tend to all

. His blue eyes shone with the light behind them. On his face there was the impress of an invincible det

the Senora lay upon the couch, drowsing a little between her frequent attacks of weeping and angry anticipatio

ia. "He has been making trouble ever since I can reme

a Anna is a monster, but at least he fights for his ow

Texas is their country"; and to

to? I have been made sick with these uncertain

a message from the Senora Alveda, and I visited her. She is in great trouble,

! She has a son who

and as I came home I understood why. For she is a very shrewd woman,

hen, wha

very striking and portentous. I fancied they looked coldly on me, and I was troubled by the circumstance. In the Plaza I saw the military band approaching, accompanied by half a dozen officers and a few soldiers. The

y go

ell uttered, they answered them with a yell of defiance. I do not think more than one proclamation was necessary, but Morello went from point to point in the city and t

you at least will not interfere in their

of any kind, that I possess. I would rather be slain with them. I have never carried arms before, but I shall carry them now. I apol

rebel! You will be shot like a dog, and th

will avenge their father, and pr

ame! I shall die o

ed these men to deprive me of my a

gun, or a pistol,

ars the garrison has fully protected us, and I have not needed to use the arms in my house. But thousands of husbands and fathers need them hourly, to procure food for their child

e to him, and said: "We are all sure that you are right, dear father. My mother is weary and sick with anxiety, but she thinks so too. Mothe

ood waiting with a face full of anxious love for a word or a smile from her. And the miserable wife, still more miserable than her husband, noticed that Isabel

n. She lingered with him and Antonia, listening with vague comprehension to their conversation, until Rachela called

under the fig-tree with her lover? Oh, who can tell where the soul goes when sleep gives it some release? Perhaps it is at night our angels need to watch us most carefully. For the so

the chair in which he had been sitting so long, remembering the past and forecasting the future. He walked to the window, opened it, and looked towards the mountains.

t nations handseled with the blood of their founders." This was the tho

od, shall this

watering it