Arizona republican., 1892-11-20

| 70 the prOpfletOr; then uOJlOnlnB UO AT thur, Come, frent," he started down the street with the latter, turned a cor ner, went two blocks more, then into a lane. where the sexton, stopping in front of an open door, directed Arthur to en- ter, then followed him.
 "Senoritas," said the sexton, lowing l low to some women who were seated around the room; "senoritas, mi amigo my frent"
 Do these ladies speak English?" asked Arthur after he had bowed.
 "No, not dam word."
 That's too bad"
 "Oh, never mind, frent. talk enough. Take the trouble to sit down." said Gar cia. "These ladies my wifes.'
 "Your wivesr
 "Yes; what's matterp"
 "Why, there are six of themr
 "Oh, l forget one, Inez, my daughter --other five wifes."
 "Why. that's bigamyr"
 "Oh, yes. very happy; all love me very dam much. l very good man bydam. Wait moment, open bottles, then we take drink"
 "How in thunder is it, sexton," asked Arthur, surprised to the utmost limit, "that you have five wivesY
 "You want to hear that story-how l get marriedT'
 .'1 should say so. Five, by thundery"
 .sYes, five bydam. l tell you story. You zee that lady in corner, that Marce- lima. know her long time. She widow when l marry. She have house, she have money. go to see her. 1 say, Good days, Marcelina.' She say, Good days. Don Vicente say, You very pretty, you very nice, you got very fine forms'-all that say. She say, Much 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. 1 say, 'Padrecito, want to marry He say, Fifty dollars 1 answer him, oh, padrecito, she dam ugly, only thirty dol lars He make me no contestation.
 "l go to Marcelins and say to her, Oh, beautiful woman, lend me fifty dol lars She want to marry very much just like widow, all time want to marry quick She lend me fifty dollars. make count of money, put thirty dollars in one pocket, twenty in other; then l go to priest and count out thirty dollars and put him on table. All white money --one, two, three, four, thirty dollars beautiful money. The padre bydam he look very hard at that beautiful money. When 1 see that 1 put it in my pocket and say. Padre Serafno, you got any cognacy' He say Yes, got leetle Then we take drink, wait while, take two, three more. Then 1 tell him: Pa drecito, 1 don't think bydam l get mar ried. 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, padrecitoY Got a leetle.' He more generous now after have take drink, He bring out half bottle: we drink and finish bottle.
 "'WeIl, he say, Son Vicente, you good boy; 1 suppose marry you for thirty dollars say to him, No, padre cito, she dam ugly; you marry her your self. What you say that forY he say, angry; don't you know priesty Yes, l know say; you not got thirty dollarsY He look very sad and say he no got dam cent Then take out from other pocket twenty dollars and count very slow-one. two, three, four, twenty. He very astonished. That only twenty dollars, he say; other time you have thirty dollars.
 "'No,' 1 ssy, very serious, very truth ful face, I never have thirty dollars. count five dollars two times, make sound like thirty. 'Madre de Diosr he say, how you astonish mel 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 cognac and see all gone.
 "You see very good merchant, very good beezness man. You lend me hun ulOu uOlldio anu Dg gNhlli dSJOillSi y Ou 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 treat 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 read his Bible, and remembered that in the early times men had many wives; so, though surprised, he was not shocked at the idea of a man in 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