Gloucester County Democrat. (Woodbury, N.J.) 1878-1932, 1893-05-11
THE BLACK PEARL.

The harbor Of Acapulco is an ideal one
for shelter, and after the steamer is once
at anchor it is source of mystery to the
passengers who have not been on deck
how she 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
shore the tiled and thatched houses
among the Oldest on the coast-and on
the rising ground to the right the an
cient fort and military prison-all these
make sight that fills lover of the pic
turesque with enthusiasm
The 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 world of
indescribables, all keeping up 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
shore beyond.
From the ship the city seems but a
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 10000 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
Jean 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 in the miser-
able excuse for hotel in time to enjoy
a delicious comida, when they felt an
impulse to join the throngs which filed
the clean paved streets as evening came
and night soon followed the footsteps of
the srltry 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,
where 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 senor-
itas and caballeros. All were watching
the couples dancing the monotonous clog
quadrille on the low platform to the mu-
sic 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 up
until all were exhausted and others took
their places.
The Americans had mingled with the
throng about the dancers, watching al
ternately the platform and the groups of
girls about. Soon soft eyes had discov-
cred the strangers, and coquettish
glances went out from beneath long
lashes. Warren was never happy unless
in love and in love with every pretty
face that came across his path. His
heart beat faster as he caught the glances
shot at himself and and Henry, and he
nearly pinched the latter's arm off as
smile came from dark eyed beauty on
the edge of the throng.
"Gad, Henryl Such eyes! Did you
nxc,. fJ,a.x. 1tl-ac- \ IT
must see where she lives Are you with
me7" and he rubbed his hands in antici-
patton of an adventure. Henry was
quite as ready for a lark as his compan-
ion.
Ten o'clock The dancing was over,
and the crowd scattered through the dark
streets.
"You had better look out for that tall
Mexican with your beauty, Ned. He
may stick knife into u.s." cautioned
Henry.
h Nonsense. Come on" was the others
rejoinder.
They did not notice the native police,
not uniformed, but armed, following
some distance behind as the Americans
dogged the footsteps Of the first conquest
of the amorous Warren, nor did they
know their custom Of running in" the
foreigner on any pretext whatever for
the revenue Of the paltry fine. Muriella
Narvaez knew full well that her new ad-
mirers were close behind, and SO did her
tall lover. He bade her good night as
Warren and Sanford passed, and went
back toward the plaza. If the Ameri-
cans could have heard his consultation
with Old China, the bumboat woman
and character Of Acapulco, they might
even now be back in their native city.
The young men retraced their steps
and found the olive skinned beauty still
in the door. They saluted. The bow
was returned
"Adelante, senors, " q pretty voice said,
and they accepted with alacrity the in
vitation to enter. Candles burned dimly
in corner filed with bottles mescal
aguardiente and aquilla. Several other
girls, quite as pretty as the captor of