Peninsula enterprise. [volume] (Accomac, Va.) 1881-1965, 1893-05-13
THE BLACK PEARL.

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THE BLACK PEARL.
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THE harbor OF Acapulcois an ideal one
: foc shelter, and after the steamer is once
at anchor it ia q source of'mystery TO the
passengers who have not been on deck
how. she ever entered tho quiet little bay.
Tho high. blue mountains In the back
ground. the tall palmsnnd tropical green
down to the waters edge, along the
shore the tiled and matched houses
enong the oldest on the coast-and on
therising ground to; the right the an
Gent fort and military prison-au these
make a-sight that'tillss lover OF the pio--
turesqnc with enthusiasm.
4Theiwaters about the steamer are thick
with the boots and dugouts Of the: bum
boatiwomen and dirty native boys ped
ding fruit, shells, pearls and a-world OF
indescribables, all keeping upla constant
din OF iabbering jargon, that, with the
hundreds of half naked natives passing
from the shipito the lighters discharging
cargo. makes IN exciting scene, IN sharp
contrast to the peaceful outlook on the
shore beyond ..as..sa. ia.
From the ship the city seems but
collection ofsinalt adobes, scattered here
and there along the hillside. with an 90
casional long, low white building II
view. Dut no sooner has the traveller.
passed the gates of the custom house than
little city Of 1900 inhabitants lies be-
fore hiln=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 y
Edmund Warren represented an Amer
lean house He had taken. the place-oS
theitraveler who for years had made the,
annual visit TO the Mexican seaperts-
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-epioy.
q delicious comida, when they felt an
impulse to- john the throngs mhich: filed
the clean paved streets as evening came
and night soon followed the footsteps OF.
the sultry day.
Passing down the street leading by the
stores. the market and the plaza, just
buck OF the custom house, small space
under sheltering palms opened to view,,
where night after night the lower classes
assembled TO watch the tandango. The
crowd OF dark skinned men and woznen,i
all dressed In the garb Of the locality,
stood out in the dim light Of the long
torches planted here and there among
tho throng. like ghosts OF departed senior
itls and caballe:os All were watching
the couples dancing themonotonous clog
qundrille on the low platformto tho mu-
sic of drum. tambourine and guitar.
With hands on hip. and heads thrown
back, the dancers: faced each other on.
the boards ar1ns.iength apart, and the
constant stamping Of little feet and the
changing from side to side was kept up
until I'LL were exhausted and others took
their places go
The Americans hnd mingled with the
throns about the dancers. watching al
ternately Tho platform and the groups of
girls' about: Soon soft eyes had discoy-
cred the strangers, and coQuettish
gia,uss went ont from beneath long
loshcs... Warren-was never, happy unless
in loY6 As.d in love with every pretty
f,sc ts,rt ,ca,ne across his path. His
hnnrt beat ddsteras he caught the g!apces
shot al himself and and Henry and be
nearfy 1aircAeA the latter's arm of as q
suite come a,llliniee from dark eyed, beauty on
the edge OF the throng.. rl9 5is.,. te5Ial
.:4allli5t.. Henry Such eyeslar DID; you
ever see their ,like?" he exclaimed, Il
rnust SEQ where, she lives. Are youiwith
niey's a:4ty he rubbed his hsnds1n iauticl-
patton Of an adventure. Henry was
quite az ready for lark as his oompan-
ion, on ..tjyty: Iy4ls, 1910 :
Ten O'Clock. The dancing was over,
and the crowd scattered through the dark
streets.
You had better look out, fo1athat tall
Mexican with your beauty, Ned He
may stick q knife into rs, = cautioned
Henry
.s:Sonscnsc. Come on Yves the others
re;ointlct. -. 49,, o
Thcy2Ai,iasot notice the -n;itive police,
acknowledgements bat, armed! u following
somci distance behind as tho Americans
Observation-Disclosures Of th5 4s:e tz,.ttss
e e17ff,, ,i,..,,1,5 i:rrei,!! nor d1d they
i,,,o,,. t,,e:r ,.rste,.n of running IN the
.,'.S;,,,,.,- on any pretext whatever Tor
the revenue OF the paltry fne Muriella
N:iryaaz R,sawi fill wUh 1thit her, new adj
miycrsJwero clescebehind, and SO did her
tlla 'toverod He babe her good night as
Warreis and Sanford passed, and went
back seward tie piazza II the AmeFi-
cans eo1.d have heard his ,eonsult ation
with Old China. tie burnboat woman
and character OF Aeapu1eo they might
even now be back ID their native city. ;
rha y5uMg men Dretraceep their steps
sna.found Tho olive skinned beauty stilf
In the door: They safuted, The bow:
was -returned: -, - ss.zf.,..f,
''Adelante; seniors. 8 pretty voice said,
and they accepted with alacrity. the in.
v:tation to enter. Candies burned th1nly
IN as corner flied with. bottles uescak
ags.srasente and; aquilla. Several other
girls, quite asG pretty as the ;eaT&o1 oH
Warren's2 ttAnsitory affections, were.
seated about, some, on stools and some
ON 8, btw.coach in tho cerhersq Two had
guieaxa.rii4o5f 1is3Q : :s-'G.1lS aiisis-..ii,
'.Eere'a LUCK Hemy,,s whispered War-
rem and they: soon quite at home
In the little white adobe, though to Hem
ny There y seemed something uncanny
about the place. To. the Anlericans,l
used to, the luxurious Attings,of met.
rOra1ifdf1 home the l,oro Urn t1oro ud -f]i,.E