The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1898-12-29

of the tabernacles, here and there, or q
projecting porch, to shelter home
made bench, but, as rule, the evi'
dences of architectural talent did not
much exceed the constructive capacity
of an American beaver.
.'No stairs, no sill:-the only fioor
was the absorbent earth,"
and the walls consisted of poles laid
crosswise, and supporting roofframe
with a thatch of palm leaves. Climbing
plants had often been encouraged to
supplement the deficits of the panel
work, with results suggesting the ara
besques of a Moorish temple, but lack
ing the Doric solidity of log cabin.
But if "perfect adoption of means
to ends" characterize superior civil
ization, the Enclosures Of these rustic
ranches could challenge comparison
with the most elaborate wire fences of
our Yankee grangers. The orga',o, or
pillar cactus, bristles with thorns like a
vegetable porcupine, and close-set row
of such hedgehogs can defy all marau-
ders, from wild pig to a night-prowling
gypsy boy. They are simply impene-
trable to ordinary foragers, when the
narrow gap is guarded by reliable
dog; but the Pelados had often con-
trived to solve the problem by shooting
the dog and widening the gap with
their maehetes.
We had passed about dozen such
easuchds, when our scouts finally struck
an available clew. The proprietor OF
one of the riverside shanties, an old
campo, who had often exchanged vege-
tables for our sharTsheeters' game, had
taken cargo of eggs to San Carlos and
was expected to return that very night.
His squaw, indeed, was confident that
the old man would be back before dark,
and urged US to tarry, assuring us that
Chino Carlos WAS news gatherer of no
ordinary ability, and would be glad to
swap an assortment of war reports tor a
few ounces OF gunpawser.
81 never allow him to stay away from
home more than one Hight,'' SAID she
and Judging from sample of her dis
ciplinary methods she seemed, indeed,
fully able to enforce her household
regulations.
We had gone into biveaac under the
riverside trees, some zoe yards below
her shanty, when she set her brats
gathering fuel, possibly wsth view OF
selling US a tcw pIaiefuls Of warm 81. sper.
At all events thugs were beginning to
work under fuli steam on her rancho,
and seeing one of her youngsters chasing
grass-trogs, instead of dry twigs, she
snatched up a stick and made a rush
for the offender.
A DIVERSION.
"Ay, que pe'ro tan fgo." she
screeched, "if vou amt the LATEST
But Master Scapegrace seemed to
have reserved his energies for an emer-
gency of this very sort. She was aiInast
upon him before he realized his danger,
but the first jump landed him at least
three yards beyond the range of her
club. and before she could fnd words to
express her indignation her offspring
was skinning up tree with the agility
Df spider-meakey.
A Yankee disciplinarian would prob
ably have set one of the older boys to
recapture the refugee but Mrs. C.
scorned such admissions of personal in-
competence. Without a moments hesi-
tation she made dash for her woodF pile
and as promptly reappeared, swinging
long-handled AK.
Ya fenseno I'll teach you!) she
shrieked, as he chips began TO fly, then
stepping aside to calculate the results of
the impending caIaclys,n:
Now, will you come down or not ?"
eyes, ma'am," whined the dese.ter;
ELL come. il -
"H,' you say? Here goes, then I"
And again the chips few in perilous
proximity to the core of lhe tree. Then
came warning crackle, and once more
the AK paused. The remaining chances
for arbitration were evidently measured
by minutes.
"PIl come down, ma'am," howled the
refugee. "Say. a'an, will you let me
off if / cut you all this tree into fire.
wood, and carry water enough to last
you three days."
@Will you come down, or -
"Four days, six days, week, ma am
Water.for week +"
"Oh, mother, the trees going TO fall, I"
interceded one of the girls.
"Well, hurry down, then, and go to
work, said the materiamilias, turning
with smile of triumph. Here's your
ak" as the penitent leaped to terra firma !;
"pitch in, now, and chop all those
branches into billets, before come back
and use them for clubs" Then she
strutted back toward her shanty, with
out deigning TO turn her head. when the
tree came down with a resounding
crash.
s'I pity old Charley if he doesn't get
back before dark" laughed the Lieu
tenant. That squaw has a pair of fists
like she gorilla"