Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1897-08-31

ness and mystery, some feats Of strength,
and variety Of exercises with sword,
| illustrating the manner in which be
| professed to have overcome furious wild
bulls In the arena in his experience a. q
matadore. After this came an acrobatic
performance in which he acted in con.
junction with the young Mexican known
| - Rosconomo, who varied his clowning
by feats Of ground and lofty tumbling.
The Incompatible Lupita next took
her innings, first rendering . 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
enuhciation Of the English words. This
was followed by Spanish dance with
castanets, into which she threw so much
gruce and fire and enthusiasm that il
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 gratifed vanity. to prepare for her
next act.
At this point I was summoned outside
the tent to take my turn ut guard duty
and give the other man 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 il carried no hint Of the
dangers that lurked within and without
our little encampment.
As first duty, made the rounds Of
q considerable space about the station
and noted that the Missourian's and the
prospectors' outfits appeared quiet and
undisturbed All being well there,
turned toward the station. Seen from
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 large
by contrast with its surroundings and
illuminated warmly by the lights with.
in. From il came the sounds Of ap-
plause, the strumming Of the primitive
orchestra and the calls of the perform.
ers, whose shadows faithfully repeated
their movements us they staggered and
tumbled on the ground or swung from
the horizontal bar.
As approached the station and cor.
ral from the rear noted that in the
shadow Of the angle between the house
and corral walls the horses Of our three
inauspicious visitors, who had come at
sundown, were standing saddled and
bridled, as IL in readiness for start at
q moments notice. The steel gray horse
Of the leader, beautiful. spirited ami
NAL, paused To admire as he stood,
with head erect and small ears moving,
as il listening for his masters tread.
At the house door paused to pass q
few remarks with the herder who was
my fellow sentinel remarked to him:
NO word from the eastward or west.
ward, suppose!"
Nothing whatever" he replied. ~
reckon the blackboard won't get along
tonight. It's overdue an hour now, and
I have put /, up all along either to ar.
rive OH time or not get in ut all tonight
I'd give something to know what's hap
pened today between here and Silver
City We may get news Of another kill.
ing on the stage trail with the coming
Of morning"
We stood and chatted few minutes
longer until our relief came and we
were free TO return to the show, which
was still going on at lively rate. We
could not know what eyes besides our
were watching the tent from the waste
spaces about, or what schemes were Oh
foot whose realization would mean good
or i'll to the various members Of our lit
tie community clustered for night
about this halting place in the desert.
We talked minute or two with the
prospector and the second herder, who
came ont to take our places rs sentinels,
and then strolled over to the tent to see
the rest Of the performance. Aswe came
to the entrance saw man standing
motionless, partly concealed by bunch
Of cactus close mt hand. He was dressed
in civilized clothes and wore sombrero
So much could see. As he clearly was
not an Indian, l did not deem it neces-
sary to accost him, and so without re-
mark followed the herder into the tent
There the performers We're all con-
genially engaged in acting melodra-
matte play. 1t evidently was their stan
production of the evening and q favorite
with every one who took part in it. It
gave the maestro chance TO air to the
full the theatrical expression which was
q strong feature Of his character. and Of