Freedom's Light
- 1887-
The elderly man held the railing tightly, his knuckles whitening as he looked up at the large structure. His grip was still strong, his body still thin and trim despite the toll age had taken on the tall bones.
The wind rushed off the water, pulling at the light fabric of the man's shirt and mussing his neatly combed silver hair.
"So this is what the finished product looks like..." his voice was still strong. It did not crack or sound weak.
The man gazed up in wonder at the large statue. The rays of light striking the statue, gave it an ethereal presence and the man sighed.
"I often wondered what that idea would produce once it had been realized." The man smiled, his blue eyes still conveyed the excitement of his youth and the wisdom of his maturity.
The man walked slowly around the base of the monstrosity, his cane clicking on the new tile and cement.
"Tell me again the story, grandpa," A much younger man twined his arm through the other man's and led him around to where the rest of his family waited.
An elderly woman extended a thin hand out to him and he gripped it tightly, pressing a kiss to the palm like he had done so many times in his youth.
The younger man assisted his grandfather into the car and took his place in the drivers seat.
When he turned around, his grandfather was holding his grandmother tightly in his arms as they gazed up at the statue that would announce freedom to so many landing on these eastern shores.
As light descended and darkness settled over the horizon, the torch burned brightly, casting it's light into the heavens and beyond and leading the way for the oppressed people of the world to congregate in freedom and friendship.
"Grandpa, tell me again how you knew what this statue would look like so long ago...."
The old man chuckled and allowed his mind to wander back to the time when there was very little freedom in his little pueblo. A time where the government oppressed the people and the only hope they had for their freedom was not a statue but one man who fought for them. One man who gave up his life and his own freedom, for a time, to rid his world of the tyranny assailing it.
"Yes, I never tire of hearing the stories," The old woman leaned into her husband's strong embrace.
"Very well, then," he began, "I will tell you the story of how we met this great sculptors father and how an idea turned from drawings on parchment into this wonder of the world we see here before us....."
"It all began when we heard the bells of a caravan approaching the pueblo......"
- 1821 -
Victoria looked up from where she swept the tavern porch and smiled. A large caravan was approaching and she stopped what she was doing to get a better look at the travelers. Some of the travelers walked while others rode in the wagons. There were 6 wagons total and the people that walked beside them were dressed in brightly colored clothing, some loose, some tight, and were walking animals of all kinds.
Diego stepped out of the tavern and frowned, thinking that his old flame had returned, when he noticed the caravan was much larger than that of her old troupe.
Diego set a hand on Victoria's shoulder and asked, "Who is this?"
"I don't know, Diego," Victoria smiled, "they just arrived."
Victoria stepped off the porch, Diego a step behind, when they noticed the driver of the head wagon step down and walk toward them.
"Buenos Dias," Victoria smiled and introduced herself.
"Bonjour," the man said in a heavily accented voice.
"Ah, a Frenchmen," Diego smiled and greeted the man in his native tongue much to the man's surprise.
"I have studied a bit of French," Diego smiled and shook hands with the man.
"Then please pardon my pronunciation of your language," The man smiled, his tongue tripping over some of the words and making him difficult, for those who listened to Spanish daily, to understand.
"I am Senor Bartholdi and this is my carnival troupe," he spread his arms wide indicating the men and women standing behind and around him. "We wish, with your permission, of course, to entertain your fair town with daring feats of magic and death defying stunts."
Victoria was almost bubbling over with excitement," You can use my tavern, Senor Bartholdi. Many such events are held here."
"Ah, thank you, my lovely," the man bowed," but all we require is an open space where we can set up our tent. We carry everything necessary for our show, with us."
"Buenos Dias," Mendoza smiled as he approached the travelers, "let me welcome you to el pueblo de Los Angeles and to collect the travelers tax in our alcalde's absence."
"Traveler's tax?" Bartholdi questioned," what is this?"
Diego explained the tax and the man reached into his pocket and dropped a few coins into Mendoza's outstretched palm.
"Is that enough?" Bartholdi asked as Mendoza counted the coins.
"Oh, Si Senor, that is more than enough."
"Then give him back the extra , Mendoza," Victoria stood, hands on hips, "They are honest people trying to make a living and need every centavo they can get."
"Why don't you set up your tent on the far side of the tavern," Diego suggested and Victoria smiled." That way you can hang banners in between the two buildings leading to your tent."
Bartholdi smiled ," Why that is a great idea. You are a very observant man, sir."
"Diego please," Diego smiled," if there is anything I can do to help, don't hesitate to ask."
"Thank you," Bartholdi smiled," Now, we must begin preparations for tonight's show. I promise you will be dazzled by our performance."
"I have no doubt." Victoria smiled, and bounced back into the tavern as the travelers led their wagons over to where they would set up their tent.
"They seem to be quite good at what they do," Diego observed as the large poles were methodically set into the ground and tied off tightly by members of the caravan.
"Si, it's amazing. I can't wait for their performance." Victoria was bubbling with energy and Diego smiled.
"Let me go see if I can render some assistance," Diego nodded in respect to Victoria and walked over to where one of the young men appeared to be having trouble with the construction of the stage.
"If you use two pieces of wood, instead of one, it will be stronger and hold much better," Diego observed and explained what he meant by showing the young man with his hands.
"Hmmm," Bartholdi appeared behind the two men, rubbing his chin. "I believe he is right, Frances. Try that and see how it works."
Diego smiled when Bartholdi took his arm and pulled him aside.
"You know a little of the sciences?"
"Yes, I dabble a bit. I love to read and have studied many early works of the great architects." Diego explained.
"Ah, a man after my own heart." Bartholdi smiled and led Diego to his wagon where he pulled back the tarp to reveal copies of many architectural drawings. Drawings of statues, buildings, weapons, wagons, lined the walls of the wagon.
"Da Vinci," Diego observed.
Bartholdi smiled, "You are familiar with his works?"
Diego smiled, remembering back to when he had created Zorro's winged flyer based from Da Vinci's early drawings. "Only in the written words. I studied Da Vinci at the university. He was quite a remarkable man."
"Indeed. He has fascinated me since I was a boy." Bartholdi became engrossed in the parchment laying around the room," I just don't seem to have the talent for building things the way he had."
"It looks as if you certainly have the talent for drawing and you have wonderful ideas." He picked up a rough sketch of what looked like a large statue. It had lines through it and he could tell that the statue was holding something. But the parchment appeared to be so old that he was afraid it would crumble so he did not examine it more closely. It was very dark, drawn with coal.
"Ah, the woman," Bartholdi smiled," a dream from when I was a child of a guardian standing over me, watching me, protecting me." he chuckled," Much like my mother did when I was little."
"It looks intriguing." Diego stared at the sketch.
"Ah just a child's early sketches. I really haven't found anything to do with it. It would be such a large statue that there is nothing that we could make it out of today that would hold it's enormous weight and bulk."
Diego nodded, examining the sketch further . His mind working to figure out a way to build the enormous statue." Oh I'm sure....."
Bartholdi pulled out another larger sketch and smiled," Now this is something that was not completed by Da Vinci because of the other tasks he was commissioned to complete."
"Ah," Diego nodded in recognition, "his famous horse. As I recall, Da Vinci was commissioned by Ludovico Sforza, Duke of Milan, Italy, to create a large equine statue. But war destroyed the statue before it could be bronzed and set in stone."
"Yes." Bartholdi's eyes became blank as if he was staring into the time Diego had just described, "I would love to recreate this horse and stand it in my home country for all to see."
"Auguste?" A young woman ran up to the wagon and pulled aside the covering, "come look at the stage and see if it is ok. Frances changed the design on the legs."
"Yes to see if they would hold better than they do now."
As the tent was lifted and spread over the large poles, crowds began to gather. The tent was made out of a very colorful material that was sure to gather attention from any passers by.
Banners were hung between the buildings as Diego had suggested and the town was bustling with the anticipation of this great show.
Signs were set outside the entrance to the tent reading 'Come one, come all. Come young, come old. To the greatest show on earth: Bartholdi's world of wonders.'
Tables where people of all ages could play games, lined the inside of the tent. A large barrel filled with water was one such game. A plank was set across the water and whoever sat on it could be tossed in if a small little ball could hit the lever hard enough to push it back and drop the unsuspecting participant in.
Young and old alike tempted their fate by sitting on the plank and one by one they were all systematically dunked into the water with lucky shots from those trying to sink them.
"I want to try," Victoria bubbled and turned a stern eye on Diego, who stood next to his father.
"Oh no," Diego shook his head," I have no intention of having to go home before the show starts."
"Why, Diego," Victoria grinned widely," Does that mean you are afraid I might hit that little lever and knock you into the barrel?"
"It means just that, Victoria." Diego grinned and Alejandro laughed.
"Oh son, this is deplorable," Alejandro ribbed," get up there and show Victoria that you are not afraid of her throwing arm." Alejandro chuckled and Diego frowned.
"Oh all right," Diego stepped toward the barrel and Victoria paid the attendant for her three chances to dunk the ever so proper de la Vega.
"You may want to take off as much as possible, sir, in case she does get lucky and knocks you in," the attendant smiled and Victoria frowned.
"Oh, have no fear, Senor, Diego is not getting off that seat a dry man," Victoria grinned and took a practice throw . She missed by a mile.
Diego sighed. Maybe there was nothing he had to worry about after all.
After missing three times, Victoria frowned. She paid the attendant again and took another three throws.
She was getting closer and Diego was not about to let her get a lucky shot in and get him all wet before the show.
"Ok, I believe you've had enough chances, Victoria," Diego raised a hand. Victoria frowned and gripped her last ball tighter.
"Oh, all right, after this one you are free to get down," She sighed and eyed the target carefully.
Diego's heart sank as he saw the ball come at him in slow motion. The next thing he knew he was floating in very cold water much to the utter delight of Victoria and the crowd gathered around to watch.
"Very good , Victoria!" Alejandro grinned, trying to keep a straight face for his son's benefit but loosing the battle quickly.
Diego stood inside the barrel and exchanged looks with Felipe; who was doubled over in laughter at his friends wet predicament; his father; who he could tell was trying to hold back the laughter; and Victoria who was grinning from ear to ear at her lucky shot.
"Well, it looks like I will be missing tonight's show since I am now all wet," Diego climbed out of the barrel and began to ring his clothes out as best he could.
"Oh, Diego, You can make it back here in time to see some of the show. It's not due to start for another 30 minutes." Alejandro was still grinning.
Victoria smiled widely at Diego and stepped closer to him her hand on his shoulder. "Thank you for allowing me to use you as a human target," She wrapped a hand around his neck and he froze. Standing on her tiptoes, she kissed his cheek and he was so stunned that it took several seconds for him to regain his senses.
"Now go change," Victoria stepped away quickly, having seen the look of surprise mixed with...an emotion she had never seen play across Diego's face before. "You are dripping all over me."
She bounced off to another game and Felipe walked Diego to the edge of the tent. As they stood there talking in the waning moonlight, neither of them noticed Victoria turn around and shoot a look of complete shock at them. Diego was sopping wet and his wet clothing betrayed everything about his well muscled body.
Victoria could not help but be drawn to stare at the man she had not known had such a physique under all that frilly, fluffy clothing.
She shook her head when they disappeared from the tent and turned to another game and watched as the children played.
Children of all ages tossed rings toward empty wine bottles in an effort to get them around the rims and win the prizes of hand carved animals. The animals were large, small, and medium and the size one received was determined by the amount of rings the child was able to get around the rim of the bottle.
It was a difficult game and those who managed to win one of the coveted carved animals became even more popular with the younger children.
A few minutes before the scheduled start of the show, Diego and Felipe stepped back into the tent. Victoria was still trying to win one of those carved animals and Diego smiled, nodding to Felipe.
He stepped behind the young woman and tossed a few peso's to the attendant, who proceeded to hand him a few rings.
Victoria turned to him and smiled. She didn't look him in the eyes, embarrassed at how she had looked at him earlier in the day.
"My turn, Senorita. At least you will not be dunked in a pool full of water," He grinned and Victoria chuckled, unable to get the look on his face as he hit the water, out her mind. He tossed a few rings and missed then changed his strategy. Of the six rings he bought, he had managed, by the time he was done, to get four of them in.
That entitled him to a large and a small carved animal.
He smiled at Victoria and indicated her when the attendant came over to award him his prizes.
"After allowing me to dunk you and get you all wet you are going to..."
She was interrupted by the announcement for everyone to take their seats. The show would be starting soon and no one would want to miss a thing.
"Decide, and no arguments," Diego warned and strode off, leaving her there to decide which animals she wanted. She took one of the large ones and a small one and gave the small one to a young girl who had been standing there trying with all her might to get one little ring on the rim of the bottle.
The light that lit the young girls eyes was enough for Victoria and the child hugged her tightly before raising her arms to show her parents what Victoria had given her.
Diego turned in time to see Victoria give the small carved animal to the young girl and his whole being warmed. The woman was selfless and he knew that one day he would make her his wife and end any hardships that she would ever have to endure.
As dusk fell over the pueblo, Diego, his father, Felipe and Victoria sat near the front of the tent waiting patiently for the show to begin. Children were kept quiet in anticipation, and as the drums began, the hearts of those watching began to pound in rhythm.
A large curtain of material was hung in front of the crowd so that no one could see what was going on behind the stage or in front of it.
As the curtain was pulled aside the crowd was surprised and delighted as they noticed drums strategically placed around the stage. Diego's eyes searched for those that would be playing those drums but he was not able to see anything behind the second layer of curtain behind the stage.
Soon the sound of sticks began to play out a strange tribal tune and 5 Indians marched around the curtain and set themselves up at each individual drum.
They began calling out in their native tongue while pounding on the drums. It sounded like a battle cry and the drums began to beat faster and faster until one last cry later, the Indians slammed their sticks onto the rim of the drums themselves.
They played several different songs for the crowd. One, Diego could tell from listening to their words, was a battle cry, another was a wedding rhythm and another was one of celebration.
The gathered people listened to the beats with fascination. This was the first time many had come into contact with so many native Indians in full ceremonial dress before. As the beat ended, the people cheered.
Almost immediately a tarp was laid out on the floor and a board hanging vertically with paper material attached, was carried the middle of the stage. Mr. Bartholdi himself took the stage then and began to complete some magic tricks. Some slight of hand that no one could even begin to understand.
Soon, there were paints aligned at the base of the large, vertical object and Mr. Bartholdi took sponges out of the buckets and began to draw a strange looking object in the center of the board.
The Indian drums continued to beat in a rapid rhythm until the people were captivated by the colors being painted, in no order, it seemed, on the canvas.
Diego's eyes narrowed as he tried to discover what the man was painting. He was even more confused when the man began to write in bright red along the top of the canvas. The words were illegible however because they were written upside down. Diego could figure that part out and struggled, in between the artist's movements, to decipher what was written.
As the sound of the drums came to an abrupt halt, Bartholdi turned around and smiled.
Gripping one edge of the canvas he turned it around to reveal.....the head and torch of the woman that Diego had seen but a rough sketch of in Bartholdi's wagon!
Diego's eyes widened and Bartholdi smiled as Diego recognized his sketch from earlier in the day.
The people who could read wondered what the few words along the bottom, now right-side-up, meant. 'Liberty Enlightening the World........'
"One day a statue higher than any that had been built before it will rise above and greet all who enter this land," Bartholdi announced.
This was all he said before he stepped off the stage to allow the canine act to begin. Soon the strongmen and woman appeared on the stage and began to perform feats so dangerous none would even attempt. Their muscles bunched and constricted as they held their form, and each other, in their pyramids of flesh and muscle.
A booming voice echoed around the large tent, throwing the performers off balance. It was complementary to their talent that they did not fall from the distraction.
"WHAT is going on here!?!" DeSoto stormed into the tent and straight up to Bartholdi, "Who are you and who has given you permission to perform here?"
"Why I am....."
DeSoto's eyes narrowed and he missed the rest of Bartholdi's introduction as Mendoza stepped up to defend the performer.
"I don't care if he HAS paid the traveler's tax, Mendoza. This man," He pointed directly at the man and glared at him through slitted eyes, "is obviously a foreigner sent here to gather information on our military activities."
"Oh alcalde, please!" Victoria sighed," they arrived..."
"Silence!" DeSoto's angry voice silenced her and he turned to Mendoza," put these people in jail for conspiracy and ...."
"Alcalde you can not just...."
"Silence de la Vega! You're opinion was not asked for," DeSoto rested his hand on the hilt of his blade," Mendoza!"
"Si mi alcalde," Mendoza mumbled and reached for Bartholdi's arm, "I'm sorry , Senor, but I must...."
"It's ok, Sergeant," Bartholdi followed a lancer out of the tent, "It looks like this pueblo is in need of some liberty as well."
"We can't just let him get away with this!" Victoria turned to Alejandro, her eyes a fire with anger.
"We'll find a way to get them out," Diego offered and turned to Felipe as Victoria and Alejandro continued talking.
Not more than an hour later, a black form crept across the rooftops, unseen by all. He quickly used chloroform on the guards and freed the prisoners, leading them out a side door so the alcalde would not know of their release.
"But who are you?" Bartholdi asked, his eyes wide and his wife afraid by the man dressed all in black.
"A humble student of Da Vinci's," Zorro bowed," My identity must remain a secret to protect my family and those I love from potential harm. I fight the alcalde's injustice as best I can but, sometimes my best is not enough."
"I thank you for your help, " Bartholdi smiled as Zorro led the way out of the jail , his fist quickly knocking unsuspecting lancers into the sand unconscious.
"I'm only sorry we did not get the chance to see your entire show."
"Ah, one day there will be much better shows than the one my troupe and I put on tonight," Bartholdi pulled himself up onto his wagon and reached his head into the back to pull out a drawing.
"Please give this to Diego when you see him next," Bartholdi's eyes twinkled, "a gift from one student of Da Vinci's to another."
"I will," Zorro looked around and noticed that the lancers were regaining consciousness, "You'd better go now. I don't want the lancers to know which way you've gone."
"Won't the tracks..."
Zorro chuckled, "Not one member of the colonial lancers can track anything more than the growling of his stomach."
Zorro put the parchment in his shirt as the lancers sounded the alarm that the prisoners had escaped.
"Ah, so nice to see you again, alcalde," Zorro smiled and drew his blade quickly to parry the clumsy lunge of a lancer.
Quickly he disarmed each of the men until the alcalde was the only man standing.
"You have no right to interfere with the affairs of this government."
"When this government imprisons people with unjust cause, " Zorro parried the alcalde's attack and riposted quickly catching the alcalde off-guard and nearly tripping him," then that becomes my business and I become compelled to interfere."
Victoria watched the scene play out before her and smiled widely. She knew he would come to the innocent performers rescue.
Zorro kept the swordplay going for as long as he could without fear he would be shot in the back by a courageous lancer. He wanted to make sure the caravan was given enough time to get far enough away that the lancers would have to send a man in every direction just to find which way they went.
Zorro quickly disarmed the alcalde with a rolling disengage and landed a right hook that impacted loudly with the alcalde's cheek.
Zorro whistled for Tornado but not before running over to the lovely Senorita and pressing a kiss to her cheek.
"Never forget my promise, Querida," Zorro smiled and mounted the stallion without the use of the stirrups," It will be fulfilled one day."
"I know it will," She shouted as he galloped away into the darkness.
In the darkness of the cave, after Felipe had gone to bed, after Tornado was sufficiently brushed and fed for the evening, Diego sat at his desk admiring the parchment that Bartholdi had given him.
He held it up to the light, admiring the simple beauty in the drawing.
Smiling, he hung it on the wall behind his desk and stared at the woman's head glaring back at him.
"One day this dream will be realized. One day we will see this great structure built in a land of turmoil and sadness. I hope I live to see it......"
"His son Auguste would go on to build this structure we see before us now." The old man smiled.
"And that, my children, is the story of how I came to see what this magnificent woman would look like seventy years later." Diego closed his eyes to the memory. The story was fresh in his mind and he could see the pictures and events as if they had happened yesterday. No one could ever accuse Diego de la Vega of having an overactive imagination. Everything he said, all of the stories he told, were true accounts of what happened in his life and his family firmly believed them.
As Diego took one last look at the great statue he quoted a verse recently used to dedicate the statue.....
'Not like the brazen giant of Greek fame, with conquering limbs astride from land to land; Here at our sea-washed, sunset gates shall stand a mighty woman with a torch whose flame is imprisoned lightning, and her name Mother of Exiles. From her beacon-hand glows world-wide welcome; her mild eyes command the air- bridged harbor that twin cities frame.'
'Keep ancient lands your storied pomp!" cries she with silent lips.'
'Give me your tired, your poor, your huddled masses of your teeming shore. Send these, the homeless, tempest-tost to me. I lift my lamp beside the golden door!'
"Emma Lazarus died not more than a few months ago, but her dedication will live on in the hearts and memories of those who come to these lands looking for freedom." Diego smiled and hugged his lady love closer to him," This Statue of Liberty has enlightened the world with her beauty and stature. Now her flame will light the way when it seems all is lost in the darkness, bringing an air of peace to this land and freedom to the hearts and souls of all who land here."
"Liberty Enlightening the World, indeed....."
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