Birmingham state herald., 1896-07-24
UNEXPECTEDLY UNDERSTOOD.
A Telegraph OpSrater Tries to Hire
 Horse In Mexico.

A Telegraph Operator Tries to Hire A
 Horse In Mexico.
 'It's strange how contrary things go sometimes" said D telegraph operator who has trayelad and seen many things. "Somo years back, when I vas roaming around in tho southwest, went down to old Mexico with q man named Clements. We didn't have any particular business down there, but it was not difficult to get a job at telegraphing In those days, and we worked around from ono place to an other to see the country.
 Two found tho climate agreeable and everything lovely except tho eatables. Tha fact is, the eatables were all right too, but we couldn't get them. 'Tamales' was tho only thing we could say in greaser lan- guage when wo wanted something to eat, and tamales WAS all VIC could get. These tamales that the Mexicans make you know, are one-eighth corn husk, one- eighth meat and cornmeal and the re- mainder red pepper that tastes iike con- centratod extract of future damnation. Now tamales are good things by way of relish in small quantities, but as steady diet they pail on persons appetite, more or less. But, as I remarked, the only thing we could call for was 'tamales.' That's just to show that wo couldn't be understood when it was desirable
 Well, ono day wo proposed taking ride and won't to q stable to engage son:v horses. There were horses in plenty, but the fool people couldn't understand that we wanted to hire them. Clements had little red book with some common expres- sions in the greaser language for ready reference, but it either wasn't printed cor reotly or Clements didn't have the oorrect pronunciation, fer the stable folks didn't sabo his talk worth cent. Clements then tried sort of sign language, and they bo- came suspicious that be was crazy, and when he attempted to saddlc horse they threatened to shoot him.
 "While Clements was in tho midst of these demonstrations a man dressed in the height of Mexican style rodo in. His sombrero and saddlo carried enough silver to buy mine. He entered the courtyard, said few words in Spanish to an attend ant, and, seating himself near us, began rolling cigarette. It vexed Clements to municate with the people, while he couldn't mako himself understood.
 Hook at that yellow faced rustlerl Sec how easy it is for him to talk said Clem- snts His experience had shown him that there was no danger of being underetood by any one but me, and hs spoke freely. "Perhaps that blamed bow legged horse thief can understand me- he added. Then turning to tho stranger and lowing defer sntislly, Clements pulled out his little red book, and following the text with his fln- ger, began to read In Spanish that he wanted horse Ho had only begun when Inc man who looked like greaser said iis good English:
 "'I gather from what you have been saying to your friend that you desire to Iiro two horges. Am correotf'
 ''He was correct, but Clements was so frightened that some time elapsed before he could cBssser and make a few necessary explanations to the hidalgo who proved to be Mexieanized American, who owned 0 mine down there.
 "That was an instance where we were understood when we didn't expect it."-- Woci,ir,e-4 t-AHs.