The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1897-02-17

rs the train pulled out. She was al
most frothing with rage, and went
stamping round the platform, calling
on all the Aztec gods for assistance.
"She calmed down after time and
asked the night operators advice, and
he told her that the only way to catch
her daughter was to hire and engine
and follow on that.
cold Mammal at once sent mes
sage to the superintendent asking for
an engine. They wired back yes, if
she would pay 500 for the first hour
and $50 for each succeeding hoar. She
was pialo. PiaIo IS derived from
pilado, peeled. They knew Augustini-
Ia had quite a bit of money, and it is
the proper thing TO keep the pialos true
to their name and caste-peeled.
"Augustinita bit her teeth down on
her cheroot and said: Send for it,
ain about two hours the engine came
laundering in from Aguas Calientes.
Tom Haskins was the pilot, and the
engineer was one Of the best on the ex-
ira list.
"The road was clear for half dozen
stations, and they went whizzing along,
50 kilometers an hour.
"'Old Mamma sat stolidly looking
out of the cab window, apparently un-
moved by the tremendous speed and
the iurching of the engine as they tore
around the short curves; hut Haskins
thought she must have been greatly
excited, because she was unable to keep
her cheroot lighted.
"Finally she tired oftrying to smoke,
and simply clamped her jaws on her
puro and sat immovable, with her
beady eyes fastened on the rails ahead.
"They met the passenger train in the
early morning, and, as word bad gone
from one end of the line to the other,
of course the trainmen had informed
the passengers, and with heads out of
windows and the platforms crowded,
they cheered and shouted as the engine
ran by. One wag shouted: Hurry
and you'll catch them; they're just
around the bend"
"Not twenty minutes later, at the
next station, was the freight train,
humbly side-tracked, awaiting the enc
my.
'.They had had terrible time assist
ing AugustiBita in the cab. You can
see for yourself she weighs about 275
pounds and clumsy at that. Haskins
and the engineer pulled, and the fire
man, who was Mexican, pushed, and
Augustinita struggled and grunted,
and finally was landed. Bat when she
saw the yellow caboose, she frislIed out
like kitten.
''The engineer, who is a spirituaiist,
said that the spirits helped her. Has
kins said he would have been much
more grateful TO them ifthey had help
ed her in, but he thought they showed
good sense in taking the easy end Of
the job.
''Haskins was afraid Branscombe
would shoot or abuse the old woman
in some way, so he went with her to
the caboose.
'The two were sitting on a sort of
locker; he had his arm about the girl,
and, beyond rising, they made no
change in their position. Haskins on
the platform hovered near the open
door.
"Augustinita walked up to them and
asked Manuela, in her politest basso, to
come home.
"The girl gave an impudent answer,
and poor odd Mamma turned to
Branscombe, who laughed in her face
and gave Manuela fervent kiss. Later
in the day the thought of that kiss,
and others, made Branscombe's blood
turn to ice.
"Now Augustinita had followed her
daughter because she loved her and
because she wished to save her from
the fate Branscombe had in store
for her. BesiGes, she is thrifty old
body, and Manuela's beauty brings
great many centavos to the house.
Many of the men eat here merely to
get a look in her big gray eyes.
"At Branscombe's laugh, Augustine
Ia burst out: 'Carsmba. no more will
YOU laugh this day-iook"
"With a surprisingly quick move
ment she pulled off Manuela's chal
and tore open her high neeked camisa.
"Branscombe gave one glance, and
staggered heavily against the wall.
keep away" he screamed, with
outstretched hands. Don't let her
come near me. I'll hit you ifyou
touch me, as the girl endeavored TO
catch at him, pleading with him in
her soft low tone.
"Manuela covered her breast and
walked sulkily back with her mother
to the engine.
Hawkins said it was an awful sight
those shining, livid, white blotches
on the brown skin, a sight he could not
forget for many day"
| rose, sick and trembling.
Tina. was one of the loathsome sights
of Mexicn to which | could never ae-
custom myself, and the thrill of horror
had felt on seeing the first white
patched, frosty-headed leper returned.
Don't get frightened, madam"
said my friend. eating my salsa with
| guSto.
"'Old Mamma had just painted
Manuela up in her sleep. II she had
been leper, Branscombe would have
been welcome to her. DO sou think
that old lady would spend $3.50 recov-
ering damaged goods?"
| looked at ''Old Mamma" sitting on
the earth floor comfortably smoking,
and she looked back with her diamond
eyes, and thought il not likely.-San
Francisco Argonaut.
Tried on Carcasses.