Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1892-05-27
PRETTY JOVITA,
An Incident of y Dinner in the Mexican
Hot Country.

An incident OF y Dinner In the Mexican
Hot Country.
Our dinner was astonishingly good.
just think of Il meal in that semi bar
barous place down in the hot lands of
Mexico equal to the best to be had in
the Italian or French restaurants that
stand high in the favor of artists and
other bohemiaus in New York!
There were nine bountiful courses
served in excellent style, at total
cost Of three realeS or thirty
and half cents in Mexican money!
hardly more than twenty-five cents
American, with exchange reckoned as
1t was then. The watermelon served
at desert was the most delicious | had
ever tasted-a deep red pulp Of a
firm texture and mealy crispness that
almost melted in the mouth. The
melons in this region are raised on
the sandy beds OF the streams in the
dry season, where they mature quick
ly in the intense heat For drink
there was pulque from Apam on the
| table land. says writer in Harper's
Magazine, brought by railway train
to the nearest station and thence
/ hauled by teams across country.
This fonda was, Of course, patronized
by the quality "-tho visitors from
the neighboring great estates. city
people who had come over from Jo-
nacatepec. and rancheros with their
families. The latter like farmer
folk the world over | believe, were
undemonstrative and chary of speech.
exchanging but few words as they sat
at table. awkwardly handling their
knives and forks and evidently awed by
the unaccustomed magnifcence Of their
reDast Don Ernesto had entered
into a little friendly cha ting with
Maria, a proceeding upon which a
good ranchera who sat opposite with
her husband, looked with evident dis
approval
'l}ruuk!' she was heard to remark
to her husband under her breath
Yes" he responded, with a
confrmatory glance.
Poor young fellow to be SO harsh
ly misjudged for his metropolitan
manners, when his delicate health
made him a total abstainer.
,Iovita one Of the mattresses, be-
came a great fayOrite with us ALL She
was girl of about fifteen slight. with
regular deIicately chiselled features.
and glossy black hair falling in two
long braids-a type of lovely rural
innocence. There was an exquisite
shy grace in her movements
Take her photograph, " suggested
Don Celso, and the proposition was
heartily seconded by all hands. But
even here the function of a hand
camera appeared to be known, and
Jovita took sudden alarm.
NO no " she appealed. Her head
dropped, pretty fingers went shyly to
her mouth, flush stole over her
brown cheeks and she stood there
with face aVerted a picture Of maid
emily shame. She was now on her
guard and ever glanced apprehensivoly
towards us. Every time she saw the
instrument aimed in her direction she
would turn her face quickly away. 1t
was too shadOwy in the fonda for a
good snapshot and so | really did
not lose anything. But when we rose
to leave, JOvita was standing by the
range well out in the light end
awaiting an order. She had seen US
start and deemed herself in safety.
She was looking the other way | was
within a few feet and my camera was
ready.
"Adios, Jovitan' | said
She turned my way unthinkingly.
Click went the shutter and had her.
A shout Of merriment from my
companions greeted the success of my
stratagem. and the expression of dis
may on Jovlta's face gave way to a
ripping little smile. as if TO say that
now it was done. it was no great harm,
after all