New-York tribune., 1895-08-18
MEXICAN HOSPITALITY,

said my partner IN low tone. as Hiieu the
belt Of my revolver-"Cot's Army"-with its
complement of thirty-fve cartridges. Though
Mexicans are meaner than snakes on the
ranches. and no sane would trust them
with the worth of old shoe button. they
take a different line on their own ground. You
had better keep your six shooter united until
the women of the place show up then take
off the whole concern and hand 1t over to
Jose's wife. and don't ask for 1t until you
leave the next day. Are you loaded? Well.
be of then. Take of yourself. lad"
In few minutes the old ranch was fading
out of sight. and / was bowling merriiy across
prairie toward the POnil a Mexican village
forty miles to the northwest. the eastern
slope Of the Rocky Mountains. My companion
a swarthy youth of eighteen. with fine
eyes. fiat nose. and n wide, ugly mouth
Jose was a thorough Mexican. with the man
nefs and speech of n spnnard. and the siolid
taeiturnty Of an indian. q man who would
k his best friend n necessity OF anger
prompted him. yet who obeyed his elder brother
like n child. ana could he trusted 10 endure
any privation ana brave any danger for the
sake ~ n flock Of sheep Principle and duty
were not recognized In Jose's code Of morality.
but he often made sentiment and feeling act
as exceedingly good substitutes,
IL was a warm and pleasant day. and ! en-
joyed the complete deness and rest OF my
position in a way which can scarcely be re-
allied by any one who has not herded sheep
for eighteen months.
Oh, the eternal walk walk, walk day after
day, wet or fine, cold or hot. Sunday and week
day, summer and winter. Nothing to read, no
one to talk to. nothing TO think of but the con-
dtion of the sheep and the chances Of hard
winter and dry summer nothing to do
hut m xttb
praire-dogs. and conjecture whether the
Apaches are likely TO be troublesome
this year. and If So whether your part Of the
settlement will be favored with the first raid
What wonder that a Western man begins to
feel his life is Of less Importance than that
of the smallest lamb in the flock? His life and
the lives of others! Men who live in cities. in
comfortable homes. and IN the midst OF social
life cannot understand the effect Of such ex-
istence as this. They tn up the whites Of hor
ror-struck eyes at the idea Of shooting man
who has lied or at killing for cheating at cards.
They do not know-how should they?-what a
small thing II Is to die )ut West. A Western
man never commits suicide and give one home
and a wife and he becomes careful of his per-
sonal safety as any one desire. But wives
are not plentiful In this country. and the bache-
Tor without kith or kin lives without sympathy
which drives the majority into excesses Of the
worst kind and sends many strong man mad.
My partners words had awakened a certain
amount of curiosity in nv breast about the viii
iage Of the Ponil. Not very much, because / had
been out West too long to be reused into vivid
interest about anything less important than the
prospect of a good supper or an undisturbed rest
at night; but did wonder more than once. as
we bumped and swung along, what sort of a
reption should meet with and what my hostess
would be like Jose himself not exactly beau
tiful 10 look at: he had too much Indian blood in
him: but / had heard a different account OF ia
sehora,'' stad matron sixteen years Of age
Hour after hour our good little kept up
her quick vigorous stride over the rolling prairie.
until at in the afternoon struck road
which led us up long. steep hill The air grew
cooler every moment as toiled upward; we
were leaving the plains behind. looked back
the long stretch Of prairie we had traversed,
Tying brown and dry under the summer sun. and
inwardly comparing it to my own life, dull and
uneventful, desolate and monotonous. Before US
the dark foothills grandly, range beyond
range and as we travelled on the road grew
sleeper. We among the mountains now,
and the ranch and the sheep and the old life
were forty miles away At last. turning off upon
a track which branched to the right Of the main
road, we came upon most refreshing thing. a
running stream. which Jose pointed out to me as
the Rio Cmmarron. the banks of which. two
miles further on. his native village stood and
our journey came 10 end
1t seemed a short two miles. for the road was
level again. anS spun on at a merry pace. at
intervals me ''. some relation of Joses. each
man raising bi- hat with polite Spanish greet
Ing which fear was acknowledged very grimly
peerng suspiciously at my equipment; and as
came in sight Of the little town, and Jose
whipped up the mare TO enter the place in style.
felt very particular Discrimination TO reln-
quish my trusty and beloved six-shooter to any
eehora whatsoever. But as we descended the
last hill and drew up before a gray adobe dwell
Ing with the smallest windows and largest door
had ever seen, my suspicious died away and
gave place TO a feeling which had not expert
enced for many months Grouped in the big
doorway Of Jose's homestead were half dozen
grls-girls with soft blown eyes. delicate fea-
lures and trim little figures. The taest. should
suppose would not reach to the shoulder Of a
well-grown English lassie. but the proportions of
their figures could not have been more perfect
and as they stood there In pretty colored prints,
their glossy black hair loosely braided and reach
ing to their waists their eyes big with innocent
curiosity, they formed as pretty picture as Il
mans heart could desire. felt the color rush
into my cheeks and queer sensation OF pleasure
pass through my whole being. of came my hat,
as the buggy stopped with a spirited jerk. and
the next moment was bowling with all the grace
! could muster. which was not much. and offering
my revolver. knife and loaded belt TO the little
sefora whose dark eyes flashed with gratifica-
tion and who thanked me with grand courtesy
which would have become the Queen of Spain
herself.
Perhaps 1t was the plea-ure Of this exchange Of
civilites; perhaps the approving glances which
foi upon me from so many bright eyes had taken
effect; whatever the reason. l noticed no more
cunning. inquisitve looks from my Mexican
friends. but felt entirely at my ease and happy.
Presently Jose disappeared with his wife and