Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1894-09-01


ne; l threw oft my
hands. and The Evening Star went floating
out into the soft morning air, to settle
gracefully down over a big cactus at the
side of the track. 1t had scarcely ceased to
futter, when the buckskir horse described
circle around the truant paper and the
little ride- bent from the saddle and pick ed
1t up as easily as though it might be my
handkerchief that had slipped to the floor
at his feet. He never drew rein On his
beautiful mare at all. but made the second
circle, which brought him again to my side
1t had all been done so quickly that 1 had
hardly got my eyes rubbed open when the
dark-skinned athlete pressed his knees
against the mares sides, which Brought her
to her launches, and threw he- dainty head
into the air tossing her long white inane al
most into ny lap. A big. white sombrei o.
ornamental with tanned rattler's hide
was lifted high from a head covered with
snort black curis and a slender dark hand
holding my precious Stat was extended -
me, with d bow that ended only where the
ponmel of his big Mexican saddle began.
1t IS the Seno-a Laae"' he questioned me
again, as sat stupidity staring al him and
his horse. forgetting everything else in ny
aCmiration OF both.
No; l am only her guest" I answered
him then. but will call Mrs. Lane"
me, said my hostess, as she hurriedly set
aside the peck IF tomatoes she was prepar-
ing for dinner, and smoothed down her re-
beiliouS locks, which looked as though they
might be the ghost OF her daughters kinny
black cu-ls
w hat does he look like she continued,
as she sought In ner dry goods box dressing
case for a clean apron though she was as
neat as wax before. l described the
stranger as well as could while she tied
her apron strings, and then turned my at
tention TO the tomatoes, while she went to
interview her caller.
Prompt Response.
What am l to do? That greaser says
that there is a young American woman over
at Casa Quenemo-don't they have the most
ortlandsh names for houses here?-and he
is afraid she is going to Gle. She lost her
husband; he was killed poisoned or some
thirS about u month ago, and last week a
little baby was born, winch died last nlgnt
She has no friends out here and nobody but
MeXlcans around her, ana they don't know
where any OF her folks are. This young
fellow is foreman of the place-has only
been there month. but he made up ms
mind that she ought to have a woman CT
her own tongue with her, and a sked some
Of the graders If there was one on tn Is
train; that is how he came to Gsk for me.
! don't see how l can go. Mr.. Lane has got
to go to Albuquerque to buy supplies be-
fore we go west again to repair the bridges
washed out last night and we can't both
be away at orce; but l feel as though it
was my Christian duty to CO."
With an impulsiveness that would have
done Dorothy proud, l asked If l could go
In her place. The idea delighted her And
so 1t was arranged that / should go to
casa Quenemo. where / remained whole
week. 1t was week In which the pleas
ure was not unmiXed with pain for the
first act after going there was to prepare
for burial the tiny baby, that, like a blight
ed snowdrop. lay in its white robes in one
OF the cavernous rooms.
The Barking of Dogs.
found in that mother the best example
OF the fact that money will not purchase
happiness that 1t has ever been my lot
to meet. My picturesque guide and pro-
tector, Juan Cordova Chaves, a nephew of
the owner of Casa Quenemo, had buck
board ready to convey me to the ranch
and turning his beautiful mare over to the
peon, he took the lines himself, and off we
went over the velvety grass, past the cool
flowing spring, and sharply around the jut-
ting rocks, into the grounds Immediately
surrounding the commodious hacienda of
Casa Quenemo At the big barred door,
which swung open to us, and through
which We drove the spirited horses into the
spacious patio, We were met by the keeper
OF the hounds, with zine fine ones in his
wake, which he was taking to some other
part Of the ranch. To a question from
Senior Chaves, as to why he Was removing
them from the kennels, he said that the
women about the Casa objected to their
remaining because they howled so at night,
and that was a very i'll omen! / thought 1t
was; l had tested 1t the night before and
found that l could not sleep, and that to
me is always an iii omen.
They howled when the master was away,
and then the word come that he was dead
by foul play, they howled again. and the
child died. Last night they howled again,
and the women declare they will not stay
tonignt unless the dogs are taken away,
because the young mistress will be the
next 20 go. They are now petitioning the
Holy Virgin to intercede and save her from
the curse that rests upon Casa Quenemo"
Then, crossing himself. he went on his way.
Senior Chaves shrugged his shoulders and
said, with smile. that showed most of
his fine teeth under his dropping mus
tache. you see my people are very super
stitious." Senior Chaves talked but little,
but / liked him because he was SO kind
and tender of the poor little woman who
was so far from all her friends.
Mexican Housekeeping.
God has not forgotten mer' she cried
with fearful imitation of a SMILE when
Senior Chaves lad taken me to her side and
then left us alone. "Oh, you don't know
how it thrills my heart to hear my mother
tongue spoken by a woman. 1 have hunger
ed for 1t as enc who is thirsty longs for
water. l have been i'll 50 long-so long and
now and then she broke off in a weak cry.
that told more than words how she had
suffered in mind and body. kissed her and
let her cry.
''Just clap your hands in the open door
and some one of the servants will come and
show you to ROOM" she said when she had
regained a little composure and told me all
her grief and trouble, and 1 had told her
who 1 was and how l had CHANGED to come
to her. l obeyed orders, and standing in the
doorway which opened into the patio, i
ciapped my hands as Senators and Con-
gressmen do when they want page. I'M
mediately there appeared from the next
room a comedy woman of perhaps forty
years, who spoke kind of patois which she
seemed to think was excellent English.
But had 1 not been fairly familiar with
Spanish we would have made small progress
without an interpreter. She led me to a
room near by, opening also on the patio-it
is useless to keep repeating that, however,
for they all opened that way. One day /
counted twenty-SeveE doors opening on the
patio Each door represented room, and
no two rooms of the twenty-seven opened
into each other. Think of keeping house in
an establishment like that. Without
closets without bath room, pantry, cellar,
attic or basement!
There are plenty Of servants, one for
everything that Is to be done, but they have
no idea of how or when to do their work.
A servant is never yelled" at here, and
there are no bells to call them. The hand