THE LITTLE TOWN OF THE GRAPE VINES 



wine that ripened on the sunny slope of 

 Escondito. All the week Father Shannon 

 has shriven his people, who bring clean 

 conscience to the betterment of appetite, 

 and the Father sets them an example. 

 Father Shannon is rather big about the 

 middle to accommodate the large laugh that 

 lives in him, but a most shrewd searcher 

 of hearts. It is reported that one derives 

 comfort from his confessional, and I for 

 my part believe it. 



The celebration of the Sixteenth, though 

 it comes every year, takes as long to pre- 

 pare for as Holy Communion. The sefior- 

 itas have each a new dress apiece, the 

 sefioras a new rebosa. The young gentle- 

 men have new silver trimmings to their 

 sombreros, unspeakable ties, silk handker- 

 chiefs, and new leathers to their spurs. At 

 this time when the peppers glow in the 

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