The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1897-02-17
A RAILROAD LOCHINVAR,
EDITH WAGNER.


amounts to-a peon's hut. However,
Augustinita will always give you cup
of excellent coffee. And when the
trains are late in either direction, you
have no alternative but to accept
the hospitality of old Mamma rs the
railroad men call her" And my pleas
ant acquaintance of an hour or 80 led
me to the small entrance of a hut
thatched with tules.
The little mud structure was built
against the face of a hill. There We're
bird cages, filled with variety of
beautiful birds, and such other evil
dences of civilization as a goat, tur-
key, and jardinieres of flowers yet the
habitation belonged to the age of the
cave dwellers, decided, as l groped
my way apparently into the bowels oi
the earth.
After . few moments my eyes grew
accustomed to the half-light, and |
could see quite well.
"Wow-wow-wow," growled Il heavy
bass voice from the inner room. The
words were indistinguishable.
"What deep, bass voice that man
has" l said, innocently. "Mexican
men as a rule have such light voices" b"
"That's not man, it's Augustinita,
replied my friend.
am acquainted with that pleasant
little custom of Mexico which holds to
childhood's tender diminutives long
after old age has fallen on one. Still,
| confess, Aueustinita-which would
be ''dear little Gussie'' in English
was a slight shock.
She was of huge bulk, and her old
face was like withered, brown apple
for wrinkles, but her eyes were as
bright as stars in tropic sky, and she
had on that old countenance most
shrewd expression.
Augustinita delivered our order to
some one in the further cave can
not call it room-in her rumbling
bass, put her long brown cheroot back
in her mouth, and waddled behind a
mat made from reeds and hung from
the ceiling. She brought out clean,
white cloth, which she spread with
care, and on that put some American
plates and cups and a Guadalajara
water-bottle i sat on a long bench,
drawn close to the table, watching the
old woman.
al want you to take good look at
Manuela when she comes in; she is
quite a belle with the men who eat
here" said my friend, who had told
me his name was Stacy.
Manuela came in and went out again
at that moment. | was almost start
led at her face. "Why, she's a beau
ty," | said.
'.She has a good figure" said my
companion, with assumed indifference,
''but you get straight look at her and
YOU won't think her such beauty
If long, red braids, soft, brown skin,
and Iimpid, gray eyes can make beau
ty, then was Manuela beautiful. On
closer examination, however, her face
lost much of its beauty, so coarse was
her red mouth and so hard and bold
her expression.
She switched her skirts and put her
hands on her hips and her head to one
side. after fashion had known but
not loved in time gone by.
81 could weep for very home sick
ness, she is so like the waiter-giris in
the frontier towns, if she had more
bang and bustle," | said.
After looking at his watch, my COM
panion said: 1--WE have yet an hour 10
wait. I'll tell you about Manuela's
elopement."
SO, while eating calabassas, chile con-
carne, and frijoles fritos with ''0ld
Mamma" sitting in the corner, her
glittering eyes the only live thing about
her. with Manuela fitting in and out,
bringing the highly seasoned Mexican
dishes and bestowing soft, furtive
smiles on my comrade, / heard of the
elopement of Manuela.
"Branscombe, one of the men who
used to eat here, fell in love with Man.
ueia's red braids and buxom figure. 1t
was reciprocated by her; but Old Mann
ma hated him and never winked her
little rattlesnake eyes when he was
around.
"He was rough sort of fellow, and,
it was said, had a wife or so and a lot
of children up in the States. bat as that
! makes no difference here in Mexico, he