Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1895-01-24
He had taken the

Acapulco before, nor had Henry San
| ford, who accompanied him on this
trip. They had only just landed and
become settled in the miserable ex-
| cuse for a 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 sultry day.
Passing down the street, leading by
| the stores, the market. and the plaza.
Just back of the custom house. a 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 ont in the
dim light of the long torches planted
here and there among the throng.
like ghost of departed senoritas and
caballerOS. All were watching the
couples dancing the monotonous clog
quadrille on the low platform to the
music 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 We're 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 dis
covered the strangers and coQuettish
chances went cut from beneath long
lasheS. Warren was never happy IN
less in love and in love with every
pretty face that came across his path
His heart beat faster as he caught the
chances shot at himself and Henry
and he nearly pinched the latter's arm
off as a smile came from dark eyed
beauty on the edge of the throng.
Cad, Henry! Such eyes! Did you
ever see their like?" he exclaimed. 81
must see where she lives. Are you
with me?" and he rubbed his hands
in anticipation of an adventure. Henry
was quite as ready for a lark as his
companion.
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 a knife into u.s." eau
toned Henry.
Nonsense. Come on" was the
others rejoinder.
They did not notice the native po-
Lee, not uniformed, but armed, follow
ing some distance behind as the Amer
lcans logged the footsteps of the first
conquest Of the amorOus Warren, nor
did they know their custom of "run-
1ing in the foreigner on any preteXt
whatever for the revenue of the paltry
fne. Muriella Narvaez knew full we'll
that her new admirers were close be-
hind, and so did her tall lover. He
babe her good night as Warren and
Sanford passed, and went back to-
wards the plaza. If the Americans
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," a pretty voice
said, and they accepted with alacrtty
the Invitation to enter. Candles burn
ed d;mly in a corner filled with bottles
-nescal aguardiente and aquilla. Sew
eral other girls, quite as pretty as the
captor of Warren's transitory affec-
tions, We're seated about, some on
stools and some on a low couch in
the corner. Two had guitars.
Here's luck, Henry" WHISPERED
Warren, and they were soon quite at
home in the little white adobe, though
to Henry there seemed something I'M
canny about the place. To the Ameri-
cans, used to the luxurious fittings of
a metropolitan home, the bare walls
and dirt floors, covered with palm
patateS, were a new experience.
While laughter and song came from
the little house, and the Americans
ears of newly found amOreuX, in an
other house not far from the water,
more serious words were passing be-
tween Old China and the tail lover Of
Muriella. The old dealer in green CO
coanuts and occuls mysteries was lis
tening with i'll concealed pleasure to
the man who was begging a favor at
her hands. No love scrape about the
shores of that pretty bay ever escaped
her notice, and nothing pleased the
stout old bumboat woman so much as
to be sought out by the aamorouS of
the upper classes to listen to sucn in
formation from her lips as is sought
from the second sight mediums of
our own country.
$50 you want to buy the Black
Pearl! To buy it! You fool" shrieked
Old China when the Mexican had fin
ished his story. "What do you know
about it7'
81 know what was said when the
comandante was found dead, and that
the police were afraid to search TO it.
Five hundred pesos for it's use to-
night-tlat is all I ask"
1.-The police are FOOLS and you are
fool. / know nothing about the Black
PEARL
"Come, China. A thousand pesos
for it's use and the knowledge how to
use it,