The Penance of Magdalena and Other Tales of the California Missions: Classic Book Guide and Free Edition
The Penance of Magdalena and Other Tales of the California Missions: author and translator credits, catalogue synopsis, subjects and links to the Gutenberg reading formats.

The Penance of Magdalena and Other Tales of the California Missions is catalogued by Project Gutenberg with author credits for Chase, J. Smeaton (Joseph Smeaton) (1864–1923).
Catalogue synopsis
Project Gutenberg supplies this automated synopsis of the opening text:
"The Penance of Magdalena and Other Tales of the California Missions" by J. Smeaton Chase is a collection of short stories that captures the spirit and history of the California missions, likely written in the early 20th century. The tales focus on the lives of the indigenous people and Spanish missionaries, intertwined through themes of love, sacrifice, and cultural conflict. The opening of the book introduces us to the Mission of San Juan Capistrano and centers on a young boy named Te-filo, an aspiring artist in the mission community. Te-filo encounters Magdalena, the daughter of the mayordomo, and they develop a secret love despite the rigid boundaries imposed by their cultural differences. The narrative unfolds as Te-filo seeks permission from the Father to marry Magdalena, but their union faces challenges due to the Father’s prejudices and Magdalena's pride. These tensions set the stage for a poignant exploration of love's trials amidst the backdrop of a historical era marked by both genuine faith and societal constraints.
Book and edition facts
- Title: The Penance of Magdalena and Other Tales of the California Missions
- Author credits: Chase, J. Smeaton (Joseph Smeaton) (1864–1923)
- Catalogue language: English
Catalogue subjects
- Missions -- California -- Fiction
Gutenberg collections
- Category: American Literature
- Category: Historical Novels
- Category: Short Stories
- Christianity
Read this edition
View the complete Gutenberg catalogue record. Project Gutenberg identifies this edition as public domain in the United States; that designation does not establish its copyright status in every country.
Source notes
Catalogue metadata is public domain and is supplied through Gutendex, which imports Gutenberg's machine-readable catalogue. The automated synopsis is source-supplied, not an independently verified review. Author dates above describe the credited people; no ebook release date is presented as the book's original publication date.


