The Portland daily press., 1892-10-22

right; here it is"
With this the Mexican bought two
bottles of mescal, piece of cheese and
two small breads, on seeing which Ar
thur frowned.
"Adios, amigo" said Garcia, winking
to the proprietor; then motioning to Ar
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, stepping in front
of an open door. directed eArthur to en-
ter, then followed him
"Senoritas," said the sexton, bowling
low to some women who were seated
around the room; 'senoritas, mi amigo,
my trent
''Do these iz.s;es speak English" asked
Arthur after he had bowed.
mo, not dam word"
| "That's too bad"
"Oh, never mind, trent talk enough.
Take the trouble to sit down." said Gar
cia. "These ladies my wifes."
your wives!"
"Yes; what's 1natter?"
"Why, there are six Of thenw
"Oh, forget one, Inez, my daughter
other five wifes."
"Why, that's bigamy!"
"Oh, yes, very happy; all love me very
dam much. | 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 wives?"
"You want to hear that story-how
get married.
81 should say so. Five, by thunderr
Eyes. five bydam. tell you story.
You see that lady in corner, that Marco
lima know her long time. She widow
when marry. She have house, she
have money. go to see her. l 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. go to priest. l say,
'Padrecito, want to marry He say,
Fifty dollars | answer him, oh,
padrecito, she dam ugly, only thirty dol
lars He make me no condensation.
81 go to Marcelina 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 |
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 see that | put it in my pocket
and say. Padre Seratino, you got any
cognac? He say Yes, got leetle.
Then we take drink, wait while, take
two three more. Then tell him: Pa
drecito, 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, padrecito? Got leetle.'
He more generous now after have take
drink He bring out half bottle; we
drink and finish bottle.
"'Well.' he say, Son Vicente, you
good boy; | suppose | marry you for
thirty dollars say to him, No, padre
otto, 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 dollars?
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, say, very serious, very truth
full face, i never have thirty dollars. |
count five dollars two times, make sound
like thirty 'Madre de Diosp 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
dred dollars and bydam | astonish you
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 q foraioD country