The Portland daily press., 1892-10-22

"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, alwaysl Hot climate In
Mexico" answered Garcia.
l"What does it cost?''
"One dollar"
Arthur took his purse, which held
four dollars, out of his pocket and
opened it slowly; then, still hesitatlng,
look out a 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
the youngest woman of the party, say
ing in Spanish, run, girl, two bottles
mescal, 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. l know old
woman with three COW. She fifty year
old-too old for me. | sixty, like wife
| twenty-but she have three COW. go
| to her; say, 4 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
riage get fathers money That l 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 /
go to see judge. Isay. Mr.. Judge, want
to marry, but got no money, got three
COW. How much costY He answer me,
Twenty-Five dollars Then say, You
take COW, Mr.. JudgeY He say, Eyes,
enough cow Then ask him how much
he pay for COW and he tell me, Fifteen
dollars for good one | say, 'Bueno, !
bring you COW, then bring you woman
81 go away and never let Josefta see
me 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, but
don't know anything about COW. Dam
fool to beezness with me. Then l think
to myself, be damfool, too, like judge.
if Imarry old woman now have money.
But then | think again, if l don't marry
go to Jail. very good merchant and
too bydam smart to go to jail, SO marry
old woman. Then l take her here.
Caramba, Marcelina angryl She sorry
tsen she no give me money. After
while Josefta she say to me, Vicente,
go bring COW from potrero and put him
in corral tell her l sell COW to judge
that day. Oh, then she angry too. She
yelll very strong dam yell. Then she
say, Jesus de mi vida, you then sell me
soon too say, Too bad you not COW,
can't sell you. Sorry"
Garcia turned around on hearing the
young woman enter with the mescal.
It was past 1, and Arthur felt hun
cry, SO he took one Of the breads and
piece of cheese and asked the sexton for
a glass of water, who thereupon spoke
to the young girl. This one motioned
to the young American to follow her,
which he did, through two rooms into a
back yard, where she gave him from an
earthenware jar a tumblerful of water
as cool as if taken from deep well.
When Arthur had drunk, Inez threw
her arms around him, and though he
struggled gave him a smacking kiss on
the cheek. She wanted to repeat the
feat, but Arthur sprang away, his fair
skin tinged deep red.
"What would your father say, Miss
Garcia, if he knew this?"
"No ablo Ingles. Otro abrazo'' ca
don't speak English. Another embrace'),
she said, and made for him; but Arthur
jumped and ran into the house, joining
the party, the girl following, laughing.
merrily.
All noticed Arthur's extremely red
face, and looked to the girl for an ex-
PLANTATION.
"Don Pendejo," the girl said, laugh
ing, "me do un beso" c'Mr. Fool gave
me kiss').
"Ah," said the sexton, ''you want to
marry my daughter? All right. Take
her."
'rm too poor to marry" said Arthur,
giving the first polite excuse that oc-
Cured to him.
"You got three dollars" answered the
sexton; ''that's enough Come here
Ben AGA, Inez."
When Arthur saw Inez making toward
him he jumped up and ran to the door,
This caused all to rise, seeing which
Arthur grabbed his hat and scampered
to the middle of the street.
Come back" shouted the sexton.
"You got three dollars. Valgame Dios,
come back"
But Arthur felt the kiss of Inez, the
dark one, burning on his cheek, and he
shook his head and went his way, re-
GREETING that he had not heard the three
remaining romances of the sections life.
Frank Loringen in Argonaut.
An Odd Habit Among Rocks.
Amon0 tho odd ha hits of rocks is the