The copper country evening news. [volume] (Calumet, Mich.) 18??-1907, 1897-03-31
CHAPTER vi

Foremost III tue liocSsSloh 'hd' ="
tered the tent came the Pike county man
and his household tie carried with HIM
his rife aud also the Splint bottomed
rocking chair that ] bad seen accom-
panying his travels strapped TO the back
of his wagon Behind HIM came his
wife and after her a procession OF chill
dren eight in number whose tow tinted
heads. all of color, ranged like the de
scending notes of the musical scale.
from the eldest. a comedy girl of 10,
downward TO the toddler of 2years. thar
brought up the rear Of the line Behind
them the rest of Us fell IN. giving pre-
cedence to Don Ramon and his party
and so we all got into the tent
Within we found that en- the side OPP
posite the entrance stage or amphi
theater had been laid of by means of
rope supported by wooden stakes was
square in shape. and at the rear the
blanket hung up as dressing room for
Lupita now served as a common retiring
room for the troop between acts In
this amphitheater was performing bar
the sole piece of stage furniture IN the
ontfit About the space without the rope
the audience dispersed itself There
were no seats provided by the manage
ment for spectators, so, while the Pike
county lady rocked herself serenely in
the splint bottomed chair that her hus-
band had brought along, the rest of the
audience SAT or reclined in attitudes they
ound most comfortable on the dry. hard
,Irf of the prairie.
1t was pleasure seeking extraordinary
and picturesque Every man present
carried his weapons in full view. and
almost every one added to his enjoyment
of the performance by smoking q pipe
or cigarette The faces were the faces
of men accustomed to danger and hard
ship and the most of them bore the hard
expression that Is SO often found on the
frontier, and betokens recklessness of
life and readiness TO meet every emer-
gency with quick and determined re-
solve In the midst of the wild scene
Carmen seated on a gaudy Mexican
blanket spread on the ground. was as
royal and respondent in her beauty as
youthful and innocent Cleopatra on
an Egyptian divan To complete the
strange elements of this impromptu
gathering Billy the Kid and his two
companions sauntered in and threw
themselves on the ground little apart
from the other spectators Felix ap-
preached them and politely asked if they
would like TO contribute some money to
the welfare of the admirable Senior
Trinbaje's troop, whereupon Billy
smiled rather peculiarly, reached into
his pocket and carelessly handed him
two Mexican dollars, which Felix, with
thanks, placed with the funds already
contributed for the maestrO's benefit
II is ccarcely worth while to give the
details Of the performance, except so far
us they were associated with other scenes
yet to come. There were simple tricks
of Juggling performed by the worthy
maestro with an air of great impressive.
ness and mystery, some feats of strength
and a variety of exercises with a sword,
illustrating the manner in which he
professed to have overcome furious wild
DUllS III tliC stitlltt III Ills Altl ltICt uS ~
matadore. After this came an acrobatic
performance in which he acted in con.
junction with the young Mexican known
as Rosconomo, who varied his clowning
by feats of ground and lofty tumbling.
The incompatible Lupita next took
her innings, first rendering a Spanish
melody to her own accompaniment with
the guitar, in which the singer and her
song were pretty and piquant enough to
satisfy the most eXacting Sad to say.
she responded to an encore with an
American popular. song of the variety
hall sort, the only redeeming feature of
which was her crisp pretty Spanish
enunciation of the English words This
was followed by Spanish dance with
castanets, into which she threw so much
grace and fire and enthusiasm that it
was with difficulty that the audience,
after repeated encores, punctuated by
silver coin thrown at her feet, permit.
ted her to retire, painting and laughing
with gratificd vanity. to prepare for her
next act.
At this point was summoned outside
the tent 70 take my turn at guard duty
and give the other man a chance at the
show. was not sorry to get out into
the clear night air. under the bright
stars The whole scene was of peace and
beauty, and it carried no hint of the
dangers that lurked within and without
our little encampmeut
AS first duty, made the rounds OF
considerable space about the station
and noted that the Missourian's and the
prospectors outfits appeared quiet and
undisturbed. All being we'll there,
turned toward the station Seen from a
distance. it was indeed strange weird
scene in the wide, lonely spaces of the
| plain-the low, adobe station, with its
right angled outlines and look of mass
iveness. the wagons here and there and
the Snowman tent, looking very larg,
10y contrast with its surroundings and
illuminated warmly by the lights with
in From IL came the sounds Of an
plause. the stunning of the primitive
orchestra and the calls of thc pcrform