Democratic Northwest and Henry County news. [volume] (Napoleon, O. [Ohio]) 1894-1905, 1894-10-25
oNRSM. 1874, sr AMERICAN pRssRsstElon

Personally or municipality" queried
Rayuier.
"Well, personally, l suppose, for the
city is not very we'll policed, for fact.
But that Navajo service-Tve taken my
turn at it and can appreciate your feel
ings. 1t is life full of danger, minus
the element of glory"
81 certainly do feel it relief to bo
secure from alarms, not to have my
heart bound into my throat at every
shout or find my hand seeking my waist
belt at the breaking of twig."
mot much like your life on the Po-
tomac."
"No. There one felt that if the fates
gave victory to the enemy the worst
that could happen was imprisonment
and poor fare, with some chance of ex-
change. In Indian warfare defeat means
death and mutilation. The red man
takes no prisoners in action, so one must
win or die. | think 1 shall like Santa
Fe for q change. Is there any society
here?"
Little army society. There have
been few ladies at the frontier garrison
since the war broke out. ="
"Aren' the Mexican families social?"
among themselves, yes, but not to-
ward us gringos. "
"Do you never receive Invitations to
their houses?"
"Yes, to meet the men now and then,
but never see the ladies. "
"-And don't you know any of the
girls?"
"Oh, yes, plenty of girls-such girls
as attend the bales and fandangoes, but
of the gente finas we know none. "
Never meet them in your calls?"
Never. / have been invited to din
ners, lunches and card parties at several
of the best houses and have been enter
tanned right royalty, too-by the men,
and I've met some married ladies-they
were very hospitable-and a few I'M
married ones long past the interesting
age. The lady of the house and few of
her married friends sometimes appear in
the salas, but the daughters are invisi-
ble"
"But officers have sometimes married
Mexican girls?"
"Now and then, but I have been Civ
ing you my own experience. "
How have such marriages been
brought about?''
Accidental meetings, love at first
sight, elopcments. Mexican carriages,
you know, are arranged by the parents
of the young people. "
"And are consequently unhappy, l
suppose?" said Raymer, smiling curl
ously.
THAT is our American idea"
"Is it false?"
81 think so. Our divorce courts show
the results of indiscriminate so called
love matches. Did it ever strike yo1
that little more parental supervision
might be desirable and beneficial?'
Doesn't that reflection belong to the
parental age? No; have never given it
a thought. have always believed in
love before marriage"
"Yet the cold fact stands, Raymer, "
continued Reed, that marriages among
the French, Italians and Spaniards are
quite as happy as ours. Right here IN
Santa Fe I've no doubt that among the
married there is as much domestic hap
piness, love, devotion and that sort OF
thing as in any American town Of Its
size in the eastern states. "
ooh, yes, am up on all the current
literature of the subject and have beer
chaperoned in New York, Philadelphia
and Lake Georgel am not ignorant Of
Latin race methods, but believe in ou1
| lovemaking. Don't you, Reed?'
Don't l! Am l AN American? What
would life be without it? I think the
Mexican youth have missed the gist o1
life in not making their union in the
good old Anglo-Saxon way. 1t is like
| sitting down to fine dinner with ones
nose stopped and eyes covered. The eft
feet of odors, floral decorations and es
thetic arrangement of glass and chini
is lost. "
"An original comparison indeedl Blu
I supposed that contact with our coun
trymen had broken up those customs il
the territories acquired of Mexico"
NO." replied Reed refeotively; "th'
custom has not been abandoned. Indeed
the tendency is in the opposite direction
and American fathers and mothers seen
to be adopting some foreign restriction
in these matters-more English thai
French OR Spanish perhaps. I think yo'
mentioned the chaperon?"
"Yes; she is becoming recognized a
the correct thing now; not so strict AM
merciless as the Spanish duena, how
ever"
"I hope not"
"Do you know any young ladies a
the palace?" asked Raymer, broachin
the subject upon which his thoughts ha
been dwelling of late.
"There are several usually" reptile
Reed. "The governor has daughter
and she has many friends and som
cousins who visit her"
II have seen but one, q young lad
with fair hair and dark eyes," observe
Raymer.
"There are three who answer to ths
description. When did you see her?''
"At guard mounting yesterday an
today young lady stood at the windo'
overlooking the sundial. She appeare
to be about IS or 10, fair haired, blac
l eyed, of delicate complexion, gracef,
figure"--
"You might as well give me the 'p
;. sition of soldier, y" interrupted Ree'
:. "Tell me what she Wore. "
o II think" said Raymer thoughtful
Y ly, "she wore creamy dress, ligl
/. blue sash, a rebozo of broad yellow an
IT black stripes, with fringe of same CO
A. ors"--
II "Cross and rosary of jet and goldi
d again interrupted Reed, Maltese Gro
II of Mexican filigree i'll sash?'