Padre Ignacio; Or, The Song of Temptation

"Padre Ignacio; Or, The Song of Temptation" by Owen Wister Owen Wister was an American writer and historian, considered the "father" of western fiction. In this novella, Wister shows America in the 18th century, where Mexicans, French, and other immigrants lived together. Padre Ignacio is the local priest with his existential angst and worries. The arrival of a young New Orleans aristocrat bound for the gold fields sets in motion a crisis of faith for the padre.