Seeds of Forgiveness
2 - Onward
Chapter 2: Onward
It was soon very clear that Celestino could not remain at the Mission San Gabriel. There were too many reminders of the tragedy. The boy could hardly bear to hear Mass in the church where his father had died. Padre Felipe thought and prayed long and hard, and then one day he rode into Los Angeles to speak to Padre Vicente at the pueblo's church. After conversing the two monks headed across the plaza to speak with Miguel Gonzales, the blacksmith and owner of the livery stable.
The smith was a tall man, very strong, with sandy brown hair that spilled over his broad forehead, a full moustache, and long scraggly sideburns. After a long discussion it was agreed that Celestino would move to the pueblo and begin assisting the blacksmith. The boy would sleep in one of the empty monks' cells at the church, take his breakfast with Padre Vicente, then spend his days learning a trade with Señor Gonzales.
Generally, this arrangement worked well. Celestino's gift with animals made him a great help with handling the many horses which were brought to be shod. He would lead them out to the forge when the smith was ready for them, and return them to their stalls when the shoeing was finished. Some horses became very nervous when their hoofs were handled. Celestino was always able to keep these animals calm. The young Indian fed and watered the rental stock owned by the smith, as well as any mounts that were boarded there. He cleaned out the stalls. Celestino, a quick learner, was also found to be good with tools. By the time he was sixteen he had become a fixture in the pueblo and was helping maintain and repair the business's wagons and buggies. Señor Gonzales had even begun to teach him the rudiments of leatherwork and harness repair.
Late one spring afternoon Don Diego De la Vega rode up, leading in two fine horses. "Buenos tardes, Don Diego!" said the blacksmith in welcome. He walked up to the two horses. "Soldado, my old friend, how are you? Then turning to the gray on the lead, Gonzales observed ,"This is the Señora De la Vega's mount, is it not?"
"Yes, it is," replied Diego. "Thunderhead needs one new shoe, and my father's bay needs two. I realize it is late in the day and I can leave them with you overnight if you cannot complete the job before nightfall."
"I would appreciate that, " replied the smith, "for I have several other hoses ahead of you and — " Here Gonzales suddenly turned his head and looked across the plaza, frowning. Storekeeper Avila was hurrying toward the livery with Celestino's left arm firmly in his grasp.
"Señor," began the irritated merchant, "you must teach him to show respect for the soldiers! Or at least not to antagonize them! A lancer was buying some tabaco and dropped two of his coins. Celestino took it upon himself to call the man a clumsy baboso and a fight almost broke out! The lancer had two other lancers with him and someone — here he glared at the boy — would surely have been badly hurt. If this happens again I will be forced to ban Celestino from my store!" Here he released the young Indian with a shove and stalked back across the plaza to his business.
The boy stood before them, head downcast. "Celestino," began Miguel Gonzales gently, "you know better. We have talked about this often. None of the men in the garrison had anything to do with the death of your father."
"I know," came the mumbled reply.
"It's been, what, two years since he died?" asked Don Diego.
"Sí" nodded the boy.
"Celestino, I know that's not a great deal of time to come to terms with such a great sorrow," offered the young don, remembering how his own mother had died when he was only eleven years old.
"Sí" nodded the boy.
"Very well then, go check the water troughs." Celestino started back into the livery stable and the blacksmith stood looking after him, sighing and shaking his head. "He is a good boy, and he is a hard worker. I'll have to put some meat on his bones if he wishes to work as a smith. He can now lift only the light hammer," chuckled Gonzales, "but at least he easily handles the leather knives. Yet I am most concerned that he still cannot completely control the anger within him. Padre Vicente speaks often with him of forgiveness, but it doesn't seem to help. Soon he will be a man, and I worry about what will happen to him."
"If you don't mind telling me, why did you take him in?" asked Diego.
Miguel Gonzales suddenly seemed to be looking at something very far away. "A man should take care of his own child," he replied. "But if fate makes that impossible, the best thing he can do is to take care of someone else's child." Suddenly the smith shook his head and looked at Don Diego. "I will send word when your horses are ready."
Diego crossed the plaza to seek out the latest information that he could pry out of Sergeant Garcia over a glass of wine at the inn. But he had found Señor Gonzales' observation very strange indeed. The man has no child, at least as far as anyone knew. But he had spoken so wistfully...