New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1898-01-09

Now Benito In his travels had wandered to
the furthermost limits Of the continent even
unto San Francisco and Los Angeles. He had
learned much that the padre would not, and
much that the padre could not, have taught
him. Among the latter was the trick Of hypno-
thing. hypnotist had picked Morales up from
the streets one evening and had promised him
80 cents IL the Mexican would help him with his
show. Morales did not know what It was. but
he needed half dollar and he went with the
man. and he went again. night after night He
observed aud ne watched. and at last he deter
mined that ne could do the "treeck'' as we'll as
the "grngo." He Experimental, and practised,
and became. In course of time fairly proficient
For Morales was man OF brains and will The
"treeck" served to amuse him and his worthless
friends. but he never thought of turning 1t to
account lie was sharp enough TO know that he
did not do it SO well as the white man.
In course of time he grew weary Of working
to live. He did not grow rich. and he had to
labor hard for the rare dollars that he turned.
1t better in Tularosa, where people would
give him frjoes and cigarettes. and where his
mother would do the little that was needed to
keep hunger from the door. Slowly and leisure
~ he earned his way back to Socorro, and thence
he rode on a burrO that he found on the banks
Of the Rio Grande to Tularosa. Thus 1t was
that Benito Morales returned 20 his own people,
little dreaming of the honors that were In store
for him.
One day as he sat in his own doorway. watch
Ing the hooking bird that hoped back and forth
in its cage and picked at the red chill stuck be-
tween the bars, he wondered how he should get
his next package OF brown rice-paper for Gig
arettes. He had no money. his mother had none.
he had exhausted the generosity OF his friends
Then it flashed upon him that the 'treeck
would be Of use He could get endless pack
ages of papers by that method He went to
where number Of his friends lounsed around
the door Of the one store Of the town. The least
generous man Of them all had a new package
In seeming playfulness Morales pressed him
upon the brow and gazed into his eyes. The
man grew rigid.
Give me your cigarette-pap and some to-
bacco If you please" suggested Benito.
His subject did as he was bid. Benito released
him and sat down to smoke.
The onlookers were seized with a terrible awe
Benito had power from the devil or from
heaven they were not certain which, ana II lay
with Morales to decide that for them lie put
his power TO good for a time tie cured
those Of the sick who seemed likely to recover
he made men perform feats of prodigious
strength. The people rose up and blessed him.
and ere long they called him San Bonito tlnidiv
at first then with growing conviction
When his reputation was established. Morales
began to work for his own ends Manner
CuittereZ awoke from trance one DAY 10 ihu
that he had in the presence of witnesses seheu
away his house to Morales. When he protes'eo'
he was set upon and beaten and driven OH WIFI
boots Jose Ortega, in the same fashion, gave
o,,.a, his bit of a ranch at Three Rivers
LODI
r,arried. and one person contributed, all I'M
Willingly. a chair another bed another
table another a statue of a saint. to furnish the
,ni,,ocroor,,s house The people feared and al
most worshipped him. His mother and his wile
and his children received much honor But Mo
rales had too much rope. and in due time ne
hanged himself.
t,o,,ster who was camping upon the bank
% tho crock a couDle Of miles from Morales
rancho had TWO mules which the Mexican COW
e,d Benito spent the evening hanging around
the transfers campfire and talking to him. lie
vas q "gringo" but the "treeck" had been done
IN "gringos' before; why. reasoned MoraleS'
sbould not he attempt 1t? He did-and with ell
tire success When the man was under ms III
Auence Morales said Tonight al Il cio'"'
Won will come mile down the river u ""e'
the ford road is. and you Will give me THESE wv
mules" Morales touched the ones he wanted
Then he awoke the teamster and went away.
AT midnight he waited by the ford-and received
the mules He sent the man back TO MS camp
and took the animals to clump OF hea'y VIII
lows. where he tied them. he did not want ''''
man to find them in his corral II IL shou'u ocou'
TO him to make trouble
The next day. Morales digged amnesty ~
his strawberry patch, he sa" 'He "n'i' ~
hnri0 A