The Carbon advocate. [volume] (Lehighton, Pa.) 1872-1924, 1893-05-20
THE BLACK PEARL.

- LII A4AAAASAA Il LII AAAAAs
The harbor Of Acapulco is an ideal one
for shelter, and after the steamer is once
at anchor II "a a source OF mystery to the
passengers who have not been on deck
how ahs ever entered the quiet little bay.
The high, blue mountains In the back
ground, the tall palms and tropical green
down to the waters edge, along the
ahore the tiled and matched houses
among the oldest ON the coast-and on
tho rising ground to the right the an
cient fort and military prison-all these
make q sight that fills lover Of the pic
turesQue with enthusiasm.
Tbs waters about the steamer are thick
with the boats and dugouts Of the bum
boat women and dirty native boys ped
ding fruit, shells, pearls and a world of
indescribables, all keeping up a constant
din Of jabbering jargon, that, with the
hundreds Of half naked natives passing
from the ship to the lighters discharging
cargo, makes an exciting scene, in sharp
contrast to the peaceful outlook on the
shors beyond.
From the ship the city seems but
collection Of small adobes, scattered here
and there along the hillside, with an oc-
casional long, low white building in
view. But no sooner has the traveller
passed the gates of the custom house than
= little city Of $4,000 inhabitants lies be-
fore him under the shelter of the hill,
with thriving stores thronged with dark
eyed senoritas and men in white linen or
bespangled velvet, many Of the latter
with the flaming serape hanging over the
shoulder.
Edmund Warren represented an Amer
lean house. He had taken the place of
the traveller who for years had made the
annual visit to the Mexican seaports.
He had never seen Acapulco before, nor
had Henry Sanford, who accompanied
him on this trip. They had only just
landed and become settled i'll the miser-
able excuse for hotel In time to enjoy
. delicious comida, when they felt an
impulse 10 Join the throngs which filled
the clean paved streets as evening came
and night soon followed the footsteps of
tho sultry DAY.
Passing down the street leading by the
stores, the market and the plaza, just
back Of the custom house, small space
under sheltering palms opened to view,
whore night after night the lower classes
assembled to watch the fandango. The
crowd Of dark skinned men and women,
all dressed in the garb of the locality
stood out In the dim light Of the long
torches planted here and there among
the throng, like ghosts of departed senior.
itas and caballeros. All were watching
the couples dancing the monotonous clog
Qpadrille on the low platform to the mu-
Gio Of drum, tambourine and guitar
With hands on hips and heads thrown
back. the dancers faced each other on
the boards arms length apart, and the
constant stamping Of little feet and the
changing from side to side was kept NJ
until all were exhausted and others tool
their places.
The Americans had mingled with the
throng about the dancers, watching al
tornately the platform and the groups oi
girls about. Soon soft eyes had discov
cred the strangers, and coquettisf
glancea went out from beneath Ions
laAhes. Warren was never happy unless
In love and In love with every pretty
face that came across his path. Hi
heaEt beat faster as he caught the glancel
shot ct himself and and Henry, and h,
nearly pinched the latter's arm off as
smile came from dark eyed beauty OF
the edge Of the throng
Cad, Henry Such eyesl Did yoJ
ever sse their hl1eT he exclaimed. 90
must zee where she lives. Are you will
msg" and he rubbed his hands in antici
patton Of an adventure. Henry wa
quite as ready for lark as his compan
ION.
Ten o'clock. The dancing was over
and the crowd scattered through the darl
streets.
"You had better look out for that tai
Mexican with your beauty, Ned. H
may stick knife into u.s." cautione,
Henry.
Nonsense. Come on" was the other
Tajoinder.
They did not notice the native police
not uniformed, but armed, following
some distance behind as the American
dogged the footsteps of the first conques
Of the Rmorous Warren, nor did the
know theiT custom Of running in" tn
foreigner on any pretext whatever TO
the revenue Of the paltry fine Muriell
Earvaez knew full well that her new ad
mirers were close behind, and so did he
tau lover. He bade her good night a
Warren and Sanford passed, and wen
hack toward the plaza. If the Amer
cans could have heard his consultation
with OLD China, the bumboat woma
and character of Acapulco, they Nigh
even now be back in their native city.
The young men retraced their steT
and found the olive skinned beauty sti
h ths door. They saluted. The boy
Was returned.
''Adelante, senors, pretty voice sai(
and they accepted with alacrity the II
Vitation 70 enter. Candles burned diml
IN . corner filed with bottles-mescl
aguArdiente and aquilla. Several otht
girls, quito as pretty as the captOr {
Warren's transitOry affections, WEI
seEted about, some on stools and SON
en- . low couch in the corner. Two ha
guitars.
Heres lRck, Henry, whispered Wa
Ten, and they were soon quite at hon
In the little white adobe, though to He
~ there seemed something uncanI
about the place. To the American
used TO the luxurious fittings Of a me
ropolitan home, the bare walls and di
floors, covered with palm patates, we
new experience.
While laughter and song came fro
the little house, and the Americans we
whispering love nOthings in the ears
newly found amoreu1, in another hou
not far from the water more serio
words were passing between Old Chi
Hnd the tall lover of Muriella. The o
dealer In green cocoanuts and occu
mysteries was listening with i'll co
ceaied pleasure to the man who was be
ging 8 favor at her hands. No 10
scrapo about the shores Of that pret
bay ever escaped her notice. and nothii
pleased the stout old bumboat woman
much e. 10 be sought out by the amC
oas Of the upper classes TO listen 70 SUI
information from her lips as is soug
fsO1n the second sight" mediums of o
own country.
$50 you want 70 buy the Black Pea
To buy I'll You foolw shrieked O
China when the Mexican had finish
hia story. what do you know abo
itr
'1hnow what was said when the co
andants was found dead, and that
polios were afraid 70 search for It. Fl
hundred pesos for its use tonight-tt
q Al AK"
'rhs police are fools, aud you are
fool. / know nothing about the Bla
Pearl"
''CoIne, China. A thousand pesos
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