Santa Fe daily New Mexican. [volume] (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1885-1897, 1895-11-20
THE TWO INNS.

grasshoppers- foolish, deafening music
to quick time which seemed the expression
Of the great luminous vibration. l had
been walking in this open desert two hours
when cluster of white houses arose sud
denly out of the dusty road before me-
1t was what Is called the relay Of St.
Vincent There were five or six houses
with long, low, red rooted barns, an empty
watering trough in clump Of struggling
fig trees, and at the end OF the place stood
two large inns looking at each other from
opposite sides Of the road.
There was something striking about
these inns.
One was large new building, full Of
life and noise. All the doors were open.
The diligence was standing In front, from
which they were unhitching the steaming
horses. The passengers were climbing
down to get hasty drink in the short
shadow thrown by the walls. The court
was filled with mules, loaded carts and the
drivers lying under the sheds awaiting
fresh relays. j
From the inside could be heard cries,
oaths, the pounding Of fists on the tables,
the exploding corks Of lemonade bottles,
the blinking Of glasses, the noise of billiards
and dominating all this tumult a joyous,
ringing voice singing in a manner calcu.
lated to make the glasses tremble.
The inn opposite, on the contrary, was
as silent as II abandoned. Weeds grew
about the entrance; the blinds were bro,
ken; upon the door small branch of with.
cred holly hung like an old plume; the
doorsteps were propped up with stone from
the road All was SO poor, SO pitiful, that
it seemed real charity to stop there for
glass Of something.
entered. There was long, deserted,
mournful room, which the dazzling light
from three great ourtainless windows made
more deserted and mournful still.
Some limping tables, ON which were
sofa, an old counter, broken down bill
lard table, slept there in heavy, deathly
heat.
And flies, fies Never had seen 80
many-.on the ceiling, in the glasses, in
punches. When l opened the door, there
was buzzing and agitation Of wings as
If had entered q beehive.
| At the end Of the room, In window, a
woman stood with her face against the
glass, looking intently outside. called
twice:
| "Ho, hostess"
She turned slowly and let me see poor
peasants face, wrinkled, hollow, Of the
color of dirt, framed in scarf of red lace,
such as old women wear in villages with
u.s. Nevertheless she was not an old
woman. Tears had faded her.
"What do you wantp' she asked, wiping
her eyes.
II want to sit down moment and have
something to drink"
She looked at me very much astonished,
without moving as II she had not under
stood.
"This is not an inn, thenr
The woman sighed.
eyes, 1t is an inn If you Mke-but why
have you not gone opposite, like the others!
1t is much gayer"-
sit is too gay for me. prefer to stay
at your house."
And without waiting her response I
seated myself before table.
When she was very sure was speaking
seriously, she began to 60 and come with a
| busting air, opening drawers, moving
bottles, wiping glasses, disturbing the
Hies-one felt that to wait upon this trav-
eler was an event.
Now and then the unhappy woman
would clasp her hands to her head as
though she despaired Of keeping on her
feet.
Then she went into an adjoining room.
could hear her there rattling great keys,
turning the locks, fumbling in the bread
box, gasping, busting, washing glasses.
From time to time there was great
sigh, half choked sob.
After a quarter of an hour of house
keeping I had before me plate of dried
grapes, an old loaf of bread, hard as slate,
and bottle of wine.
"You are served" said the strange crea-
ture and she turned quickly to take her
| place at the window. While drinking I
tried to make her talk.
People do not come here often, do they,
my good woman?"
"Oh, no, monsieur. Never any one.
When we had the only inn here, 1t was
quite different. We had the stagecoach,
game dinners In the wild duck season and
teamsters all the year. But since our
neighbors have come and established
themselves we have lost everybody. People
would rather 60 on the opposite side. They
find it too dull here. The fact is the house
ia not nlaasant am not beautiful +
have had fevers and NV two iittia ones are
dead Over there on the he. contrary thew
laugh all the time II Is an Arle,s sienna
who keens Tho Inn a handsoma woman
who wears lace and three strands of cold
chain ahont her neck. The driver Of the
dilioenca 10 her lover with that thera ara
several caiolino cha mhorr,a;da And then
sbe has GOOD Steady natronaoa, Sha has
MI tho vounr noonle ~ Razonces ~ Re-.
dassan ~ Innauiares Teamstsrs mata n
Jetonr ~ ,a 90 har donr TT STOW hora all II
sav w,thnrt q customer j, ' ~
She said this With a nr.occrr,od ,nd,f.
ferent voice continninr to s,,nnort her