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""Leno and Maria: A Success Story"" by Vincent P. Cano - 1985

Page 15

CHAPTER FIVE
LENO AND MARIA

The streets of the Capital were crowded with people from all over the country. The activities of their days were as varied as their reasons for being there. They were there to find work, to find safety from the Revolution, or because they had no other place to go. 

In the evenings, little camp sites could be sen for miles on the out skirts of the city where the people rested for the next day. Stories of their bad fortune gave them a common bond but regardless of this bond, Jesusa had become weary as she and her friends huddled around one of the many camp fires. 

"Eight months ago, the soldiers came to my door and took my Zeferino from me." She told her friends as she stared into the bright flames. "I have tried many times to get into government offices to talk to someone but I am always told to come back tomorrow,.come back tomorrow. They say there is no one such as Zeferino Rodriguez from the Valle de Santiago in their records. To track him down will take time and money. Meanwhile, my children are without their mother. I have failed in trying to bring a father back to Maria and Otilio. Do what you must do. I will return to Pegaro in the morning. At least the children will have their mother."

As someone tossed another piece of wood on the fire, Jesusa slowly stood up and walked over to her spot on the ground and layed her tired head on the mat. A stray dog sniffed her arm and then busily moved on with his thin tail wagging rhythmically from side to side. She followed him as he dutifully stopped from mat to mat until he faded into the darkness. Closing her eyes, she quickly fell asleep. 

At this time, 1914, Diaz had fled Mexico for safety, and Venustiano Carranza had clearly gained the upper hand as both the Villistas (followers of Pancho Villa) in the north and Zapatistas ( followers of Emiliano Zapata) in the south found themselves increasingly isolated and without national support. Eventually, Carranza handily won the special elections that were held in March of 1917. The toll of the civil war in 1913 and 1914 was high as the military presence was obvious throughout the country. The population of a village could double or triple in one night as a large unit would move in to camp. Whatever crops planted were trampled and a week's stay could deplete stores of food, supplies, and other basic necessities. When the troops withdrew, villages were often on the verge of starvation. 

This was the condition of the area when after four years, Zeferino returned. No ticker tape parade to welcome him or severance pay for having served Mexico. After a few days of rest and celebration with the Zuniga family. Zeferino packed his family into their wagon and returned to the Valle de Santiago to pick up where they had left their dreams. 

Their home appeared not to have noticed their absence except for a few clumps of weeds growing here and there in the cracks of the house's brick wall. Zeferino slowly

15.

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CHAPTER FIVE LENO AND MARIA The streets of the Capital were crowded with people from all over the country. The activities of their days were as varied as their reasons for being there. They were there to find work, to find safety from the Revolution, or because they had no other place to go. In the evenings, little camp sites could be sen for miles on the out skirts of the city where the people rested for the next day. Stories of their bad fortune gave them a common bond but regardless of this bond, Jesusa had become weary as she and her friends huddled around one of the many camp fires. "Eight months ago, the soldiers came to my door and took my Zeferino from me." She told her friends as she stared into the bright flames. "I have tried many times to get into government offices to talk to someone but I am always told to come back tomorrow,.come back tomorrow. They say there is no one such as Zeferino Rodriguez from the Valle de Santiago in their records. To track him down will take time and money. Meanwhile, my children are without their mother. I have failed in trying to bring a father back to Maria and Otilio. Do what you must do. I will return to Pegaro in the morning. At least the children will have their mother." As someone tossed another piece of wood on the fire, Jesusa slowly stood up and walked over to her spot on the ground and layed her tired head on the mat. A stray dog sniffed her arm and then busily moved on with his thin tail wagging rhythmically from side to side. She followed him as he dutifully stopped from mat to mat until he faded into the darkness. Closing her eyes, she quickly fell asleep. At this time, 1914, Diaz had fled Mexico for safety, and Venustiano Carranza had clearly gained the upper hand as both the Villistas (followers of Pancho Villa) in the north and Zapatistas ( followers of Emiliano Zapata) in the south found themselves increasingly isolated and without national support. Eventually, Carranza handily won the special elections that were held in March of 1917. The toll of the civil war in 1913 and 1914 was high as the military presence was obvious throughout the country. The population of a village could double or triple in one night as a large unit would move in to camp. Whatever crops planted were trampled and a week's stay could deplete stores of food, supplies, and other basic necessities. When the troops withdrew, villages were often on the verge of starvation. This was the condition of the area when after four years, Zeferino returned. No ticker tape parade to welcome him or severance pay for having served Mexico. After a few days of rest and celebration with the Zuniga family. Zeferino packed his family into their wagon and returned to the Valle de Santiago to pick up where they had left their dreams. Their home appeared not to have noticed their absence except for a few clumps of weeds growing here and there in the cracks of the house's brick wall. Zeferino slowly 15.