Santa Fe new Mexican. [volume] (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1898-1951, 1899-10-07
q q q q a q a a q 4 q q a
ONE W0MAN'S WISDOM.
WV y y v! 2

UNu w UMAN y w lOUUM.
Y 2 2 Y 2 Y 2 Y Y Y wy
"Woman-fools? 2" said this turbaned
degenerate between the philosophic puffs
from his hookah. "No, sir. She more
wise than two serpents, and when she
love she more gentle than Mohammed's
own dove. Bissmillah, listen!
''Ten-twelve years ago one English
steamer struck one Frenchman there
With the stem of his pipe he indicated
the entrance to the canal just ahead of
us. "Ze French boat was going to sink,
and re captain run it on shore by re sig
nal house. WE'LL" he continued, drop
ping some of his Frenchman's style of
speaking English, which came Of his bet
ter knowledge Of the cross channel Ian
gauge, re men were sent home, but re
officers, engineers and re carpentair was
keep by re damaged ship, and some came
from Port Said to mend re broken place.
Or course re steamer was here weeks.
Well, re French signalman in re house
there again pointing) had one servant
girl-yery fine-what you call good for
re eyes. All, beautiful! Eyes like re
moon, face same as houri, tall and soft
to re fingers. Her mother was Circas-
sian-slave, l %think-but the master give
his child freedom cause her mother ask
it. Well, she had lover, Mussulman, in
lsmailia, but she soon love re carpen-
tair-he live in tent on shore there with
his shlpmen. Re signalman had one fine
cow-plenty milk-and Alphonse, re car
p%entair, go many times to buy milk.
He was young, kind and pleasing to see.
II was what you call taxman here, and
l learn all.
"Well, Alphonse and Joyce Joyce not
her name, but he call her so, and she
called that today, they meet many times
after re SUI go down-so many that Ben
Ali come two. three times catch them.
OF course he make trouble. Love makes
re coward brave. Think she care? Not!
She speak some French, and she tell
Alphonse that she what you call aft
anced to Ben Ali. Alphonse not care.
He love her, he say; she love him, she
say; so what for care? All, Ben Ali
come soon to claim her, then she must
go! Re signalman and French people
about take sides with Alphonse and tell
him take Joyce to France. But lovers
wisdom is fools knowledge. They bet
ter know their own business best.
"The ship was nearly ready; then sha
go to India and come back to Marseilles.
One night Joyce creep out of re signal
house. First she run by re lake to
where it deep. There she leave her
her what you call dress and shawl; then
she go quiet back to re ships boat,
where Alphonse lie wait for her. Her
mothers sister live other side of ne
lake there, and he was to take her there
till his ship come back; then she would
60 with him in it to France. OF course
re people on this side re lake was to think
she had drown herself cause of Ben Ali
making trouble. So was her plan, and
re lover always say his houri's plans are
good. 1t would take Alphonse most re
night, but what care he! She would be
out of Ben Ali's way, and vas he not re
slave Of his Joyce?
$50 re boat put off, Joyce lying down,
her great moon eyes peeping over re stern
edge at re ship and signal house. Soon
she lift her head and look hard. Then
she sit up and say hot words. Alphonse
stop pull, and ask what's re u affair. She
make to him to pull hard, and say, Ben
Ali, Ben Ali! Then she tell Alphonse
that she make mistake Of re night. She
sometimes have to see Ben Ali for keep
peace. This was re night she should see
him, and run away on re next night.
Never mind, if re. Mussulman not see
them. But Joyce said quick words. Ben
Ali had turned from re shore and was
making speed after re ships boat. He
come out of re canal from lsmailia, and
was going to re signalman's landing
place, when he see re uncommon sight Of
boat going cross re lake at night. He
miss re ships boat, and what you call
Jealousy sometimes make men wise. He
give chase. His boat was one old small
thing, made of cane and camel skin, and
he sent it through the water like steamer.
"Joyce begin to feel 'fraid, talk to her.
self, and turn about. Ben Ali must catch
them, and Alphonse say he go back and
fight him. No, say Joyce. Then she creep
to her lover, take his knife, kiss him to
say nothing, and tell him to stop pulling
two minutes after she leave him, then 20
round back toward re ship. He know
how well she can swim like fish, and he
say no word. In one minute Joyce slip
into re water, like re night come down,
and swim straight for Ben Ais boat.
Alphonse 60 on; by and by him turn, &c
on again, then sit still.
"Soon Ben Ali come on, like wild man.
Him see the other boat turn. Wonder
what re mattair and stop to use his pad
die. That minute his boat have it's life
took. Joyce stab it at re bow, under wa
ter, as it run over her. Then she swim
fast to her lover, and Ben Ali begin to
sink. He shout for help, but Alphonse
stop as Joyce tell him. Soon he see her
head in re moonlight, pull to her and take
her in. Now, Ben Ais boat gone, and
he nowhere. Re lovers say it not right
for him to die. They 90 to look and find
him sinking last time. He no senses.
They put him in their boat, see that he
soon all right and talk what best to do.
In two minutes they do what Joyce say
lie him face down, tie his hands and feet
and make all haste to re few houses on ze
other side of lake.
Presently him speak and try to look
at them, then she point Alphonse finish
re plan and wind Ben Ali's turban
round him eyes and mouth. Soon they
come to re shore. There they leave re
Mussulman and &c back. Next morning
Joyce and 70 carpentair tell her master
and re captain what they do, and re two
men send re lovers to Port Said BY re
first steamer into re. canal that morning"
"And what became of them" I asked.
"Bissmillah" said he. "They at Port
Said ever since, keeping one fine French
estaminet."
"And Ben Aliw | added, looking at
him as he mutely pulled at his pipe.
"Oh, re people find him all right when
re day come. In two days he walk round
to re signal house, but re ship gone, and
no n believe his tale. One year and
half after then he find Joyce and AL.