St. Landry democrat. (Opelousas, La.) 1878-1894, 1884-05-03
NV FAIR ROAD COMPANION.

At Perote. where we halted for re-
lay and refreshments, all my fellow
passengers took leave of me, very
.solemnly assuring me that, If assailed
by the ladrones or robbers, it would be
much better for me to take matters
quietly, and suffer myself TO be genteellY
plundered than to run the risk of hav-
ing my throat cut for resistance, as [
had somewhat boldly proclaimed it was
my intention of doing. ! thanked them
for their advice, and replied that |
would take the matter into serious con-
sideration.
At Perote, repeat, all who had been
my companions from Vera Cruz took
leave of me, this being the end of their
journey in that direction; but there was
one new passenger here to 90 forward,
whom, to my agreeable surprise, Hound
to be a beautiful young lady, some
twenty years of age.
Senorita Paula, as / subsequently as
certalned her name to be, was indeed
one of those rare beauties seldom met
with except in works of iction-tall,
graceful, with a profusion of long,
black hair-soft, clear, melting dark
"
from the hands of the sculptor, and
with an animation the most fascinating
varying in expression with every
changing mood of the intellectual pos
SCISSOR. A glance at her bewitching
dark eyes showed me that she was one
who was naturally of social disposi-
ton; and as we ratified away from the
gloomy town, / took the liberty of open
ing a conversation.
s'They tell me- said I, 'sthat the
route between here and Mexico is very
dangerous one to travel
There is little to fear, she replied,
with sweet smile and in rnelodious
tone, except from the professional
robbers, and they seldom harm any one
who makes no resistance
1T seems strange to me, 2 reioined,
''that you Mexicans should take such
things as a matter of course, and deem
resistance very impolite way of treat
ing the knights of the road, instead of
boldly asserting your rights and abat-
ing the evil by manly spirit of resist
ance. For myself, I must consider it
the most coWardly of proceedings for
any respectable party to set OUT pre-
pared TO quietly CRAFTY the cupidity
OF the tGdTones, and unprepared to treat
them to their just deserts.
Every traveller, senior, she replied,
should, before setting out, count the
cost OF his journey; and, as Of course, it
is natural he should value his life high
", it seems to me natural that he
should pay certain sum for positive
safety, rather than put that life in
jeopardy. For instance, in travelling
from Vera Cruz to Mexico, if he will
first reckon that SO much is the fare by
the diligencia, and that so much viii be
required for entertainment on the way, i
and so much for the contingency you
speak of, he will then have the exact |
cost between the two points; and If he
viii look at the whole as the sum total
Of his journey he will not seem to be
robbed b. any one party more than
another. z
That replied, tmay be, I believe |
is, the Mexican mode of doing business,
but does not tally with the preconceiYed |
IDEAS Of foreigners. "
But every one, replied the fair
speaker, should conform to the Gus
toms Of the country he visits. 2
And do goa, then, go prepared for
this highway robbery. and have you no
lear il thus iourneying BY yourself?'
''Well, senior, what can do? am,
IS yon perceive, an unprotected lady,
who. for certain reasons am required to
make the journey between Perote and
The Capital some two OF three times a
rear, and You certainly could not ex-
pect me to go prepared to resist an
armed band. AS to fear, I will not
deny I have my share of that, but, SO
ar, have never met with any rough
treatment. and of course trust to the