asure of listening
to the Very Reverend Fray Damaso Verdolagas, former curate of this
town, recently transferred to a larger parish in recognition of
his meritorious services. The illustrious and holy orator occupied
the pulpit of the Holy Ghost and preached a most eloquent and
profound sermon, which edified and left marveling all the faithful
who had waited so anxiously to see spring from his fecund lips
the restoring fountain of eternal life. Sublimity of conception,
boldness of imagination, novelty of phraseology, gracefulness of style,
naturalness of gestures, cleverness of speech, vigor of ideas--these
are the traits of the Spanish Bossuet, who has justly earned such
a high reputation not only among the enlightened Spaniards but even
among the rude Indians and the cunning sons of the Celestial Empire."

But the confiding correspondent almost saw himself obliged to erase
what he had written. Padre Damaso complained of a cold that he had
contracted the night before, for after singing a few merry songs he
had eaten three plates of ice-cream and attended the show for a short
time. As a result of all this, he wished to renounce his part as the
spokesman of God to men, but as no one else was to be found who was so
well versed in the life and miracles of San Diego,--the curate knew
them, it is true, but it was his place to celebrate mass,--the other
priests unanimously declared that the tone of Padre Damaso's voice
could not be improved upon and that it would be a great pity for
him to forego delivering such an eloquent sermon as he had written
and memorized. Accordingly, his former housekeeper prepared for him
lemonade, rubbed his chest and neck with liniment and olive-oil,
massaged him, and wrapped him in warm cloths. He drank some raw
eggs beaten up in wine and for the whole morning neither talked nor
breakfasted, taking only a glass of milk and a cup of chocolate with a
dozen or so of crackers, heroically renouncing his usual fried chicken
and half of a Laguna cheese, because the housekeeper affirmed that
cheese contained salt and grease, which would aggravate his cough.

"All for the sake of meriting heaven and of converting us!" exclaimed
the Tertiary Sisters, much affected, upon being informed of these
sacrifices.

"May Our Lady of Peace punish him!" muttered the Sisters of the Holy
Rosary, unable to forgive him for leaning to the side of their rivals.

At half past eight the procession started from the shado