Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1894-07-10
A TRAVELLERS 5LUNDER.
Ignorant of Spanish, He Demands AdmiS
sion Into an Infected House.
(ChIcag0 Tribune.I

kCnicdBo lIlDuHVj
4 prominent clubman OF Ravenswood,
who lays great stress on the importance
OF the youth OF our land and the elders
as we'll becoming linguists to as great
an extent as their circumstances Will
allow, relates in an interesting manner
a little incident in his life which caused
him TO devote 80 much time to the study
Of the languages of other nations.
Several years ago." he said. I'm COM
pany with a couple Of friends, took
lslsurely trip through the southern part
OF this country and Mexico. Not one OF
US could understand word OF Spanish
and after we got into the Mexican ter
ritory our conversation with the natives
was necessarily OF limited nature I'M
less we happened TO come across some
one who had resided on the bOrderland
long enough TO learn a few American
isms.
zone boiling afternoon We decided TO
drive from Llanos, where we were then
stopping, to Cruces, thirty miles distant
The road was clearly defined and was
bordered here and there by the mesquite
bushes and cactus that were sprinkler
over the hllsides. The dazzling light that
was reflected from the white sands ana
rocks added to our discomfort, and before
the trip was more than half completed
we were heartily sick OF II. At last We
came TO a little adobe cabin squatted
down in one Of the narrow valleys. IL
was the first dwelling We had seen since
leaving the confines Of Llanos, and az IL
was near sundown and the hope Of reach
ing another that side Of Cruces was
small. we proposed trying 10 spend the
night there.
There were evidences OF occupation,
but our repeated vigorous knocks on the
door failed 10 elicit any reply. We were
pretty sure that the owner OF the cot
tage would show up when his days work
was done, So we waited. To while away
the time we commenced examining a
piece OF rusty tin tackled to the side
of the house IL was about a foot square,
and was ornamented with two words,
whose meaning was as much OF a mys-
terry 70 US as Sanscrit would be. and a
lot of queer little characters that looked
Ike the figure turned upside down.
1--WE were seriously considering batter
ing the door down or doing something
else equally desperate, when a man APP
peared on the brow of low hill at the
back OF the house. He waved his arms
like mailman when he saw US and
tore pell-metl through the cactus ana
mesquite. We could see he was trying "a
tell us somsthins. but not till he was
within SIX feet Of US could we distinguish
his words. He spoke In broken English
and the first thing we heard was, Small
pox here
I'VE didn't wait to learn anything
more The man followed us as we has
tily retreated and asked us II We didn't
see the sign.
I'VE pressed on 10 Cruces that night
who that patient was, who took care
of him, and how he lived in such close
quarters at all have always been mys
terry To Va. but we didn't care 10 invest,'
gate. Whether or not that is the kind Of
notice the health authorities use In Next
co / don't know, but | made up my mint
then that | would never again traVe
through any country till l was familial
enough with the language 10 know
smallpox sign when | saw II.