The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1899-10-01
The Magic Of Don Eduardo
HOW A RIVAL WAS REMOVED.

Pepe was at the bottom of it all, Of
course. And it all began with his mis-
guided attentions to pretty Anita at the
cock fight that Sunday, and the (natur-
ally) spirited fight afterward between
Gertrudis, the wife of Pope, and Anita
herself 1t was hair-tearing. ear-split-
ting fight, at that, at the which five gen.
darmes. one mounted officer, and count
less rejoicing poems assisted, the former
men Of peace for the separating Of the
shriek1ng combatants, and the latter for
approving cheers and shouts of "Anda.
Gertrudis!" and Bravo, bravo, Anita!
Buen muchacha!' In one Of the front
rows" 80 to speak, grinned and capered
the shameless Pope, cheering the two i'm
partially on to victory, cigarette in mouth,
and sombrero tilted rakishly over his left
ear. 1t afterward developed that he had
bet as much as peso on Gertrudis-and
won 1t, of coursei Trust even peon
to be the best judge of his wife's fighting
capacities and staying powers.
The two were finally separated, Anita
badly mauled and pounded, and minus
several tresses Of dark hair, but Ger,
trudis little the worse for wear, and still
thirsting for blood. And as she was
clearly the provoker of the fight, and still
desired to pound her adversary, prison
for five days was declared her fate, while
Anita, after severe reprimand, was
found not guilty; not that the latter
would have minded free board and lodg-
Ing for a few days. being lazy girl at
best. and not over fond Of her mattress
making. But to poor. plain-faced Ger
trudis 1t was quite another thing-she
was the bread winner Of the family, and
only this morning had she brought home
the accumulated clothes of the Sonora
Ames. And, worst Of all, what sins would
Pepe not commit during fer absence from
him? 1t was indeed hard lines for Ger
trudfs and. weeping and calling on. Dios
and la Virgen, she was led along to
Belen. her best fiesta skirt dragging in
the dust and blue rebozo all askew. But
what mattered appearances, under the
circumstances, and what would become
of that graceless Pope while she was in
prison?
Meanwhile, rejoicing in the thought that
there would be no scolding spouse to greet
him that night, and utterly careless Of
the trouble that he had wrought. Pope
proceeded to turn himself loose-himself
and peso! And oh, the fun the thor
oughly glorious time that you can have
in Mexico with just one dollar, If you
happen to be peon Of bibulous habits,
with, moreover, we'll depeloped taste
for cock fighting and cheap roulette!
Between the cock pit and the Haunt
of Peaceful Mem pulque shop did Pope
vibrate, together with his companions,
until late that night. winding up in the
Zocalo with free-for-all fight. Several
Of the companions were arrested Pope,
with his usual luck escaping He had a
broken head, a, blackened eye and two
centavOs in. his pockets, wherefore he
counted himself well off. In that frame
Of mind he lurched homeward, to sleep
U"til midday
Now, it is good thing to have a.
royal spree occasionally. Still better Is
it to have no scolding wife to face after
ward. But, as Pope found, when he
arose. hungry and tired, after his
'sleep-off, it is worst of all to have
no nice hot chocolate and pan du'ce and
cigarettes, awaiting one. after these lit
tie eventsi And, with all her faults and
jealousiesr Gertrudis had been very good
and patient in such matters. But. Ave
Maria Purissima! why had she left alb
'solutely nothing in the house to eat?
There was not even a cold tortilla! Poor
Pope groanedI and swore as he unavail-
ingly hunted in every nook and corner
no bread, no money-nothing This was
entirely too much; he would have TO
work or steal something at this rate.
Diablo! Perhaps he could find some
thing to pawn and thereby tide over the
her washing; good thought, there were
the clothes Of the American lady, which
Gertrudis had only yesterday brought
home. They We're, very valuable and
could be disposed of to good advantage,
gracias a pios!
An hour later Mrs, Ames' pretty Ameri-
can-made shirtwaists dangled from the
rope in old eMugueFs pawnshop while
her husbands shirts and collars fiuttered
ANtay rIer I,1s.n IL IzIN
10 cents had been the rake-off, and Pope
and the Sinking Anita We're soon cele-
bratfng their good, luvk and the occa-
sion! Such a supper, at that-hot tor.
tillas, mole, chilli, .carne con chilli, polio
with onions, and pulque-what better
could duke ask? q, And then later cigar
cites for both, and Guadalupe, where
gambling and more cock fights were in
progress. OF course there would be lit
tie money left by night but-there was
great deal Of the Gringos' washing yet
on hand, and Mrs. Ames pretty lace pet
ticoats would bring, as Anita sagely CAL
culated, at least another dollar or two.
But old Miguel was a thief and man
without shame, who never gave full
value for such things. Without doubt
the Inferno would be his fate!"
Gertrudis' sentence had been for five
days. Tea minutes after her release she
which she called home and was
hurrying through the patio to her own
door. With the accustomed versatility
of a Latin, and the never-failing faith
fulness of a despised wife, she had for
gotten Pepe's sins, the fight, and her
own Imprisonment her one thought was
of the graceless Pope, and his prospective
delight over the cigars and dulces which
she had stopped en- route to buy. How
glad he would be, poor fellow, and what
a good supper she would cook for him
that night! After all, it was not his
fault that the muchachas would admire
him. and fiirt with hin-good-looking
husbands are always subjected to such
trials and nlolestations! And, of course,
men must have their fling and some fun
occasionally. Yes; If he liked, he should
go out to the pulque-shops this very
evening and have a good time and enjoy
himself. dor there had been no money
during her absence, and Pepe would be
very sorrowful All, yes, she would be
good to him. For supper it would be
well to have mole, and dulces de pima,
and pulque compuesto, and
What could be the matter with the
door? - 1t was unusually hard to open,
and some of the women of the house were
snickering .slyly as poor, painting Ger
trudis wrestled with the wooden bolt But
their mirth was wasted on her; perhaps,
she thought, agonizedly, Pope had sue
cumbed entirely from faintness and star
walton, and was even now sick or dying
Maria Sanctissima! she would never for
give herself, for there had been three dol
lars In her purse and PeDe had not even