Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1892-11-07

thanks Then say She lovely encanta-
dora. She say. Much thanks Then
one day ! say. MARRY me. beautiful
woman. And she say. With much
thanks. mister l go to priest. say.
.Padrecito. wais 70 marry. He say.
Fifty dollars. answer him, oh.
padrecito. she dam ugly, only thirty dol
lara. He make me NO condensation
Il go to Marcelina and say to her.
Oh. beautiful woman. lend me fifty dol
lars. She want to marry very much
inst ike widow. all time want to marry
quick. She lend me fifty dollars. l
make count Of money. put thirty dollars
in one pocket, twenty IN other; then !
70 to priest and connt out thirty dollars
and put him gu table. All white money
-one, two. three. four, thirty dollars
beautiful money. The padre bydam he
look very hard at that beautiful money.
When see that | put il in my pocket
and say. Padre Seratino, you got any
cognsc: He say Yes. got leetle
Then we take drink, wait while, take
two. three more. Then tell him: Pa
drecitc don't think bydam | get mar
RED drink thirty dollars cognac' He
say that very wrong, very hurtful; he
marry me for thirty dollars preference
to see me drink SO much white money.
That make me think when he drink he
like money more Then say, Got any
more cognac, padrecisof Got leetle.
He more generous now after have take
drink. He bring out half bottle: We
drink and finish bottle.
We'll. he say. Son Vicente, yon
good boy: suppose l marry you for
thirty dollars say TO him, No, padre
cito, she dam ugly; you marry her your
self What you say that for:' he say.
angry; don't you know priest:' Yes, !
know say, you not got thirty dollars2ii
He look very sad and say he no got 4
dam cent. I hen take out from other
pocket twenty dollars and count yer
slow-one. two. three. fonr. twenty
he very astonished. That only twenty
dollars he say: other time you have
thirty dollars,
mo. | say. very serious, very truth
ful face. Il never have thirty do!lals, !
count five dollars two times. make sound
like thirty. 'Madre de bios. he say,
how you astonish iner Then he make
big groan 'Bueno, give me the money.
and marry you for twenty dollars and
he have water in eyes when he pick up
bottle OF cograc and see all gone.
lyon see very good merchant, very
good beezness man. You lend me hun
bred dollars aud by,ian astonish yon
quick That way marry la encanta-
dora Marcelina.
That fat woman over there. She
ugly bydam. but she have house and
money, and feed herself and me and
daughter and other five wifes, so it does
not Importance me so much dam ugly
fat. threat her dam fine; she have most
money Of all.
BY this time the sexton and the women
were about finishing the second bottle.
Arthur was very much interested by
this insight into Mexican life. He had
lead his Bible, and remembered that in
he early times men had many wives; so,
though surprised, he was not shocked at
The idea of man in a foreign country
having five wives, all living in harmony.
The Mormons in Utah even have many
wives. The faces of the Mexicans seemed
oriental to him, and, in addition, the
sandals that the mass Of the population
wore and the way the women had of
covering up their faces as they went
along further impressed him as being
oriental. All this worked upon him.
Everything was so different. so strange
TO this verdant young man, fresh from
New England village, that he was dazed,
and while he did not take all that the
Mexican said as absolutely true the very
position that the sexton held lent him a
certain dignity and trustworthiness in
Arthur's eyes.
Meanwhile the sexton and the women
kept up jabber in Spanish. Deering
did not want to disturb them, but the
story of Garcia's first marriage had
whetted his desire to learn more. 50 he
touched the man on the shoulder.
Excuse me, SEXTON he said, ''but
you told me about only one WIFE
"Ah, yes; but the ladies very dam
tired. Mescal all gone. Can't tell any
more story today"
"Do they want any more drink
Certainly, always! Hot climate in
Mexico" answered Garcia.
"What does it cost:'
Zone dollar"
Arthur took his purse, which held
four dollars, out of his pocket and
opened it slowly; then, still hesitating.
took out dollar. This hesitation the
Mexican did not allow to continue: he
put his hand over Arthur's, and closing
upon it took the money and handed 1t to
he youngest woman of the party, say
ing in Spanish. Run, girl. two bottles
Inescal. bread and cheese.
You want to hear about my second
wife-all right. One day Marcelina get
very angry with me because | ask for
money. get mad, too, because she no
give it. Then think know old
woman with three COW. She fifty year
old-too old for me. sixty, like wife
twenty--but she have three COW. | 30
30 her: say. Il want to marry you, jose
fita. She answer me, But you mar
ried to Marcelina' say: Yes, by the
church marry you by the law; you
then legitimate wife. Mexican law say
church marriage not lawful, not good.
Children from church marriage natural
children, but children from civil mar
rage get fathers money That ! tell
her. That true too. never tell lie TO
anybody. very truthful. That my
dam nature talk to her sweetly.
Then after awhile she say Yes. Then |
20 to see judge say. Mr.. judge, want
to marry, but got no money. got three
cow. How much cost He answer ME,
twenty-five dollars Then say. 'Eou
take COW, Mr.. Judge? He say, Yes,
enough cow Then | ask him how much
he pay for COW and he tell me, Fifteen
dollars for good one l say, 'Bueno, !
bring you COW. then bring you woman.
II go away and never let Josefita zee
Inc bring her three cows from potrero.
One COW no good. S-year-old. never have
calf. but very fat, look like be mother
two months. tell judge that splendid
cow. magnificent. He look at COW and
think going to have calf. very good
merchant, You see. He pay me twenty
dollars for that COW and fifteen each for
other two. Judge know plenty law, bat
don't know anything about COW. Dam
fool to beezness with me. Then think
to myself, be damfool. too, like judge.
if marry old woman now have money
But then think again. if don't marry
90 to Jail. very good merchant and