The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1896-11-30

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asking for an engine. They wired back.
YES, il she would pay 500 for the
first hour and $50 for each succeeding
hour. Pretty steep, but, you see, they
cinched her because she was q pilao.
Pilao is derived from pilado-peeled,
without clothes Or anything else. They
knew Augustinita had quite a bit Of
money put away, and it is the proper
thing to keep the pilaos true to their
name and caste-peeled.
"Augustinita was blooded. She BIT
her teeth down on her cheroot and said,
Send for it.
"In about two hours the engine came
laundering in from Aguas Calientes.
Tom Haskins was the pilot, and the en-
gineer was one of the best on the extra
list.
1.-THE road was clear for a half dozen
stations, and they went whizzing along,
80 kilometers an hour.
old mamma sat stolidly looking
out Of the cab window, apparently I'M
moved by the tremendous speed and the
lurcbing Of the engine as they tore
round the short curves, but Haskins
thought she must have been greatly ex-
cited, because she was unable to keep
her ohcroot lighted Finally she tired of
trying to smoke and simply clamped her
jaws Oh her puro and sat immovable,
with her beady eyes fastened on the rails
ahead.
"They met the passenger train in the
early morning, and, as word had gone
from one end Of the line to the other, of
course the trainmen had Informed the
passengers, and, with heads out of win
dows and the platforms crowded, they
cheered and laughed as the engine ran
by. One wag shouted: Hurry, and
you'll catch them. They're just round
the bendp
"Not 30 minutes later, at the next
station, was the freight train, humbly
side tracked, waiting the enemy.
''They had had terrible time assist.
ing Augustinita in the cab. You can see
for yourself she weighs about 275, and
clumsy at that. Haskins and the engi-
neer pulled, and the fireman, who was a
Mexican, pushed, and Augustinita
struggled and grunted and finally was
landed. But when she saw the yellow
caboose she frisked out like a kitten.
The engineer, who is spiritualist, said
that the spirits helped her. Haskins said
he would have been much more grateful
to them if they bad helped her in, but
he thought they showed good sense in
taking the easy end Of the job.
"Haskins was afraid Branscombe
would shoot or abuse the old woman in
some way, SO he went with her to the
oaboose. The two were sitting on sort
of locker. He had his arm about the
girl and, beyond rising, they made no
change in their position. Haskins, on
the platform, lowered near the open
door.
"Augustinita walked up to them and
asked Manuela in her politest basso to
come home. The girl gave an impudent
answer, and poor old mamma turned
to Branscombe, who laughed in her face
and gave Manuela fervent kiss. Later
in the day the thought Of that kiss and
others made Branscombe's blood turn
to ice.
"Now, Augustinita had followed her
daughter because she loved her and
wished to save her from the fate Brans-
combe had in store for her. Besides she
is thrifty old body, and Manuela's
beauty brings great many centavos to
the house. Many Of the men eat here
merely to get look in her big gray
eyes.
cat Branscombe's laugh Augustinita
burst out: 'Carambal No more will you
laugh this dayl Look!'
with a surprisingly quick move
ment she pulled off Manuela's chal and
tore open her high necked camisa.
Branscombe gave one glance and stag
gered heavily against the wall.
" Keep awayp he screamed, with
outstretched hands. For Gods sake,
keep away! Don't let her come near
mel I'll hit you il you touch mel! as
the girl epdeavored to catch at him,
pleading with him in her soft tongue.
"Branscombe, mad with fear, was
deaf Although he had threatened to
strike her he did not do 1t, for it would
bring his flesh in contact with hers. The
terror stricken man, shaking her off, ran
out of the car and down the track.
"Manuela covered her breast and
walked sulkily back with her mother to
the engine.
Hawkins said it was an awful sight
those shining, livid, white blotches
on the brown skin, sight he could not
forget for many day"
l rose, sick and trembling. That was
one of the loathsome sights Of Mexico to
which / could never accustom myself,
and the thrill Of horror had felt on
seeing the first white patched, frosty
headed leper returned.
Don't get frightened, madam"
said my friend, eating his salsa with
gusto. "'Old mamma had just paint
ed Manuela up in her sleep. If she had
been q leper, Branscombe would have
been welcome to her. Do you think that
old lady would spend $500 recovering
damaged goods?"
looked at "old mamma" sitting on
The earth floor comfortably smoking,
and she looked back with her diamond
eyes, and l thought it not likely. Edith