The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1899-07-26

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The Tale Of q Brencho, a Palmist
and q Mexican Bandit. /,
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"Come, senor, have your palm read.
\ few centavos are nothing for the Sc
cret of your future" urged a voice that
had become exasperatingly familiar to
me Of late.
I was employed on Los Angeles
daily and sras on my way, as usual
each morning, from my home in the
San Fernando valley, by way of the
, Cahuenga pass, to the little station
lust beyond the divide, where I took
the train into the city. Midway OF the
pass stood an old stone watering
trough, at which was accustomed to
refresh my horse while journeying
through the hills. For upward Of q
fortnight past had regularly encoun-
tered at this point a solitary evil yis-
aged Mexican, who had announced
himself ELS palmist .spar excellence" !"
and occupied the few moments pause
in my ride with persistent importuni-
ties for my patronage. What did not
tend to enhance my regard for this un-
prep0ssessing individual was the Graf
ty manner In which he invariably in
spected my horse out Of the corners Of
his small, restless eyes. The horse,
moreover, appeared to resent the scru-
tiny quite az much as myself and from
the first asserted his antipathy for the
5vagabond f..kir by steadfastly refusing
to approact the drinking trough until
had invited the stranger to withdraw
q few PAGES.
Cn this particular morning, however,
my curiosity became aroused as to
why the fellow continued to frequent
so unpromising locality, which ut
best was q lonely spct. visited only by
transitory horsemen and teamsters.
Therefore, as my horse fretcully sip
ped few drafts of yater. eying the
peon suspictously the while, I remark
ed: 'eYou 1aust be intensely fond of
your occupation. considering the little
recompense you appear to derive from
it. Why do you not go into the city,
where, AZ least, your field for solicita-
ton would be larger?
.Ah, senor," replied the peon. with
affected pathos. II am indeed fond Of
my profession; but, however little I
may realize from it here on the high
way, the city would yield me less; for
they who 1--we in the city care little
about the future. 1t is the present
. alone~ that interests them"
was inwardly forced to recognize
certain amount Of truth in. his argu-
ment and by way Of appreciation ten
dered him small coin.
AS deposited the silver in his hand.
however, with quick movement he
caught the tips Of my fingers in his
clasp ana Fixed his eyes on the open
palm. The precipitateness Of the act
was all but demoralizing to my horse,
which sprang backward with a sud-
denness thst came perilously near un-
seating me. The Mexican, however,
held ten1clously on to my hand, incl
lentally taking care to keep out OF
range Of my frantic animals hoofs. Az
soon as I could recover myself I
wrencheG my hand free, but not until
the peon had vouchsafed this admoni-
ton:
.Senor, terrible accident threatens
you from horses. Take heed in time,
therefore, and rid yourself Of that
broncho you are riding"
Imade no response, but as / touched
my spurs and galloped off down the
,,ass the peon shouted after me part
ing Injunction.
s'Sell him. senior" he cried. II warn
you he is under the spell Of demon.
As the words greeted my ear
glanced admiringly down at the sleek,
arched neck Of my spirited charger.
"MescaI," said ], reaching down and
patting his splendid shoulders, "do you
hear that? He says you're possessed
Of a demon and that must sell you.
But shan't."
The Mex!can's ominous characteriZa-
lion Of my horse was no revelation to
me, and instead Of inspiring me with
Any apprehensiveness his apparent con-
,,ern for1ny safety somewhat amused
me. Moreover, the knowledge that
Mescars disposition was so thoroughly
consistent with nit, name was rather u
source o. qualification than regret to
me. It was an odd name for horse,
but he had come by it legitimately-
that is, he bad been so called ever since
The Mexican bandit Garcia had broken
lin as colt to the saddle and bestow-
ed the title upon him. And for two
years thereafter Mescal had borne his
1nscrupulous rider on all his maraud-
ing raids until the latter had been so
hard pressed up in the Ensenada hills
by Shey,ff Doyle Of Yuma that he and
mis- followers were forced to abandon
their horses and take to the chaparral.
+ had CHANGED to be along with Doyle
On that occasion--assignmen Of that
character were accepted as matter OF
course by newspaper men out there in
hose days-and as the forsaken horses
Of the fleeing outlaws dashed down the
hill in an effort to escape past US I
launched my riata Mt the leader, Il
Saunt but feet and gaudlly equipped
pnisual.
NV calculations rs to the distance of
me mark had proved accurate. but SO
had the aim of the sheriff Of Yuma.
Tor hardly had my moose settled about
he shoulders Of the horse when anCth-
ar loop, hurried from the opposite di-