Juniata sentinel and Republican. [volume] (Mifflintown, Juniata County, Pa.) 1873-1955, 1875-09-22
The Fair Hostess.


81 don't like the temper of these
people They are hard To satisfy. never
looked very kindly upon Americans
since the war with their country, are
Jealous of even glance at their women,
and revengeful and treacherous to the
last degree"
''The Great American and Continen-
tai Clique" had drifted into Mexico.
They were performing at one of the
small frontier towns. but at a little dis
iance from where the fierce battle of
the Alamo had been fought, or rather
the terrible massacre had taken place,
and more than one slight disturbance
had arisen, though fortunately quieted.
But il was evident To all that there was
4 secret fire burning. that it would take
little to fan into flame, and the pro-
prietor but spoke tle feelings of all in
the words he had uttered.
"You are right, Mr.. Caison,' replied
one of the principal riders, whom he had
addressed, land | have warned the men
To he very careful in their dealings-to
give no possible cause of oifense, and
above all things to keep together when
wandering about"
And, sir, have noticed one circum-
stance that gives me more uneasiness
than | have felt before. There are
several of the half bandits in town. who
are none too good to create 4 disturb
ance without cause"
cor cut your throat for a sixpence," :"
laughed Harry Daniels. the strong
man" and ''csmnon ball'' performer,
a. he Joined the little group. 81 know
them of old. the miserable horse-thieves,
stage robbers and midnight murderers."
81 never knew you were i'm the conn
try BEFORE
''But was, though only a yOungster
at the time. Yes, sir, 1 had the honor
of being drummer boy under old Zack
-General Taylor, mean-and we found
more than one poor fellow stabbed with
their cursed matchetes, and left i'm the
chaparral for the coyotes to feast upon.
But / learned their lingo, and haven't
forgotten it yet"
''If such were the ease with all it
would the better enable us to guard
against SURPRISE"
1'Pshawr' and Harry Daniels seemed
to literally blow scorn from between his
white teeth, hidden by the softest and
blackest of mustaches, ''Pshawi there
isn't brave man in an entire genera
ton of GreaserS. The Northern boys
proved that well enough. In fact
look upon the sen0ritas as far the most
dangerous of the two. At least | have
SO found them"
''But the natural jealousy of the race
guards them so that there is no chance
even of speech"
''Does?'' and Daniels laughed in his
customary hearty and wholesOuled
manner. "Does it? Eve been in town
only a couple of days, and have already
had several flirtations. Ii is easy enough
when one knows the ropes
And can talk their language"
''That is a great assistance, certainly;
but it isn't absolutely necessary. They
are fond of Northerners, and when one
peeps out from behind her fan or rebosa,
if fellow is ordinarily good looking,
knows how TO use his tongue, and plays
his cards with the least skill, all he has
got to do is to 90 in and win"
"And more than likely arouse jealousy
in the heart of some rival"
"Well. he has 10 take the chances
everywhere, as for that. But there isn't
any fun without some danger. The
fact is, Eve half mind TO settle in the
country"
.'In love again, Harry,'' laughed his
fellow performer. But that is nothing;
the same thing appears to happen in
every place"
of the girls will take a liking to me,
how can help it?" and Daniels strolled
AWAY whistling merry waltz.
That he was Il faYorite with the sex
could not have been denied. His was
lust the figure and face to attract their
atte 4tion-the one being that of a per-
fectly nodded Hercules; the other ever
pleasant. with waving locks of jet,
most obliging disposition, merry ma
ture. fair knowledge of music, and a
good voice. He was bold as lion, and
wandered wherever fancy dictated, salts
fled that his play with iron balls none
other could do more than lift, had
made him an object of dread as well Is
wonder.
But if he had no fears of molestation,
and passed his time pleasantly with the
dIrk-eyed senoriias, talking, singing,
playing the guitar. and flirting, it was
not 50 with others. Reaping, rs they
were. a golden harvest after a not very
prosperous season, they were 10th 10
leave, and did all that lay in their power
To keep the populace in good humor,
even to the putting up with insults lhal,
under other circumstances and in
another region, would have been quickly
resented.
Yet. do what they would, there was
something int he AIR that seenred to warn
them of some oming danger, some not
10 he accounted for mesmeric influence,
that comes TO all, at times, with pre-
monition of a not distant fatality. Per
hapS this arose from the fact that rumors
had reached their ears that some of the
wild guerrilla roamers of the mountain
and prairies had taken a fancy TO their
best stock and trappings, and having
failed to secure them by purchase or
barter. had determined 10 do so by less
honorable means. Against this, of
course, guard was set, and the men
looked we to everything connected
with the concern.
Eve must get out of this" said the
proprietor, uneasily. ''If it were not
80 late i'm the day L would he off now;
and yet not to show tonight would be
great loss. | wish to Heaven they