The Calhoun chronicle. [volume] (Grantsville, W. Va.) 1883-1984, 1897-09-07

fs3RS. SCSSSs& 81 girls, VINO or
III, G2ASsSSS-1d dered out their
S@y y eyl& MtSNN carriages if they
had n block to
go, used to look upon her with amaze
ment rs she tramped down their steep
streets with n iiue, swinging, heel
and-toe gait.
She was picking her way one day
among the vendors in the plaza, stop
ping once III while to give some
whining beggar or battered monstrosity
centayo, when she felt her skirt
pulled. Looking, she saw tiny hand
held out, and IL childish voice piped
the usual formula for aims. The little
creature was no taller than child of
four But the facet 1t was old and
withered. The eyes were sunken aud
so Old! Miss Stanley pulled back the
rebozo-the hair was gray,
A dwarf, she thought, with lit
Tie feeling of repulsion. GLOW old are
you?"
"Fifty-four,' pipel up the wee
thing. Then, true to her sex, '"The
priest will tell You fifty eight, but I
am not; AN only fifty-four." She said
her name was Rosita.
Kosita, it appeared, did nearly any
tnlnS Tor living, begging preferably,
although that is somewhat over
crowded profession i'll Mexico. Some
times she sold chickens or vegetables
on commission. She had another
source OF income, being pensioner on
the bounty of II young mau-a centavo
week-but she confessed sadly he
made her Jump for the coiu, and if he
held his arm out straight she might
Jump i'll vain, she could not reach il
The brute" said Miss Stanley.
Roslta did not know the meaning, but
she looked up, pleased That was
good, the English lady was taking an
interest i'll her, for the expletive
sounded profane. aud profanity from
feminine source indicated strong emo
lon, which she construed favorably.
The poor in Mexico are always hun
CRY, and Miss Stanley, knowing this
ialiinS, took Rosita to little one
room restaurant. The menu was con
fined strictly to Mexican dishes.
Miss Stanley noticed that Rosita put
nan her dinner to one side, wrapping
the carne aud friioles in tortillas.
when she came to n dulce of some
troplc fruit boiled in n syrup of cane
sugar her little wrinkled eyes looked
wistful.
How can / take some to my little
brother?" she asked.
Miss Stanley asked another aucs.
ton: rs this food you have put away
Tor your brother?"
Yes, answered Rosita, in her
squeaky voice, II take all the care of
him. We are alone. and / work for
him. He is locked in the room now
see, and she held up tho massive KEY
peculiar to Mexican doors.
why is he locked iu?" asked Miss
STANLEY, rs she directed the mozo TO
put the dinner in n couple Of ollas for
kosita to take 30 her brother.
He has combats with the children
IN the street, and ] am afraid some ono
WI. get hurt she answered.
Miss Stanley watched her trot away
laden with the dinner for her brother.
50 little and so old. unlike many
dlwaris not bulky indeed. pitifully
thin. 1t was not until sine reaohed
her home that Miss Stanley rcmern-
bered she had not asked how old tho
little brother was.
She often met Rosita after that
sometimes i'm the Jardin. whore tbe
roses nodded overhead. and yiolets
doomed undcrfoot, and the band
played softly aud swcctly, ag Mexican
bands do. Rosita would dart from
the circIing stream OF pclado into the
inner circle. whore thc quality walked
under the trees or SAT ON the iron
benches. Miss Stanley could seldom
resist the little, dirty. bally worked
square of dlaWu-work held out bv the
tiny hand
Constance Stanley hal mo- father or
mother, audi, living with 70 brother
VINO was cudcayOriug 20 effect the
drainage OF ''thc richest silver mipo
in ihe world. sho wandered uu
checked through the crowded. narrow
streets of the old town with v,upo
cfl1'1 Der only safeguard
Sic had often lougcd To- cvpioro q
da street that plunged downward
from The paved and civilized ono n
was damp aud murky. A staircase If
stone with crumbling alobo walls.
.wo and three stories high. Across the
streets narrow width nuttcred strings
OF washing. The women. with their
red petucoats and blue rebozos. made
bright b!ots Of color The men loafsd
a3oat, lean AL ragged It reminded
her OF Naples. The doorways swarmed