The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1896-02-26
UNEXPECTEDLY UNDERSTOOD.
4 Telegraph Operaeor Trses to Hire a
Rorse I'm Mexico.

4 Telegraph Operator Tries to Hire a
Horse in Mexico.
Its strange how contrary things 60
ronetimes," said telegraph operator
rho has travelled and seen many things.
| Some years back, when 1 was roaming
around in the southwest, / went down
10 old Mexico with a man named Glenn
.nts. 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
pne place TO another TO see the coun-
try.
I'VE found the climate agreeable and
everything lovely except the eatables.
The fact is, the eatables were all right,
too, butwe couldn't get them. 'Tamales'
vas the only thing we could say in
greaser language when we wanted
something to eat. and tamales was all
We could get. These tamales that the
Mexicans make, you know, are one
sighth corn husk. one-eighth meat and
cornmeal and the remainder red pepper
that tastes like concentrated extract of
future punishment. Now, tamales are
good things by way Of relish in small
quantities, but as steady diet they
pail on a persons appetite, more or less.
hut, as l remarked, the only thing we
nould call for was 'tamales.' That's
Just to show that we couldn't be under
stood when ii was desirable.
''Well one day we proposed taking
ride and went 10 stable to engage some
horses. There were horses in plenty.
Tut the fool people couldn't understand
that we wanted to hire them. Clements
had little red book with some common
expressions in the greaser language for
ready reference, but it either wasn't
printd correctly or Clements didn't
have the correct pronunciation, for the
stable folks didn't sabe his talk worth
cent. Clements then tried a sort Of
sign language and they became suspi-
cious that he was crazy, and when he
attempted to saddle horse they threat
ened to shoot him.
while Clements was in the midst of
these demonstra tons a man dressed in
the height of Mexican style rode in.
His sombrero and saddle carried enough
silver to buy a mine. He entered the
courtyard, said few words in Spanish
to an attendant, and, seating himself
near US, began rolling cigarette. 1t
vexed Clements to sec how readily this
greaser could communicate with the
people, while he couldn't make himself
understood.
r Look at that yellow-faced rustleri
Zee how easy it is for him to talk!' said
Clements. His experience had shown
him that there was no danger of being
understood by anyone but me, and he
spoke freely. Perhaps that blamed
bow-legged horsethief can understand
me- he added. Then, turning to the
stranger and bowling deferentiaIly, |
Clements pulled out his little red book,
and, following the textwith his ringer, be |
gan TO read in Spanish that he wanted a |
horse. He had only begun when the
man who looked ike a greaser said, in
good English:
I gather from what you have been |
saying TO your friend that you desire to
hire two horses. Am l correct?
He was correct. but Clements was 90 |
that some time elapsed be- |
fore he could answer and make a few |
necessary explanations to The hidalgo, |
who proved to be Mexicanized Ameri- |
can who owned a mine down there.
That was an instance where we were
when we didn't expect it."
Star.