The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1901-08-31
The Exhumed Repentance

round hills called Tetilias. Across the
summit. with the green basin in view on
either hand. and the clear air making old
Popocatepetl seem close. wound Tomas's
train; wooden horse legs sticking up from
mule backs: wooden horse heads overhang-
ing ourro heads; all the paraphernalia OF
a battered, modern, dreary American mer-
ry-go-round, crawling thus over Montezu-
mas ancient trails.
on the bare space by Pachecho's one
legged statue the caravan at length came
10 a halt. The drivers saw the anxious
race OF a woman looking out OF the window
OF the pink house. Already ragged boys
were whOOping in the joy of anticipation.
for TINS sort OF diversion the granuest
which heaven ever permits TO men, comes
but once IN many moons TO boys or a town
like Cuernavaca.
Tomas came and burst open his door, and
the two fell into each others arms as
though they had been parted a dozen bitter
years.
My angel, Tomasito.' gurgled she.
"Soon-ah, very soon" he muttered in
coherently, with her hair wound round his
neck. Then he strobe out.
At length the circular canvas top of the
merry-go-round was up. Then for. two
slow days Tomas and some workmen
fitted those battered wooden steeds In
place. The steeds stood I'm pairs, woodenly
prancing on a circular platform. The en-
CINE was delayed. Tomas stormed and
walked the patio. Julia sat right down on
the floor of the corridor and wept many
endearing tears for her lords encourage
ment.
After awhile the old engine from Cleve-
land, o., came growing into the open
space, and there was a mar TO run 1T, and
burro loads of wood for fuel. Julia heard
the shrek of the petulant whistle. Hand
bills of that eXtravagant, overdone sort
common to Mexico. had been strewn in all
the streets. For Tomas was no dreamer;
and if there should prove to be no Aztec
gold below ground, at least there was
Aztec copper above ground. The bills read
I " y Mexico! Little horses moved by
steal The company, DESTROYS of pleasing
the hIsn taste of this exalted community,
fC HiGnnGaH fn nffar its services together
with an Instrumental concert every day:
Knowing that we are abjectly unworthy or
the commentator of so enlightened a city,
we have yet ventured. with humility. to
bring forward our poor abilities. viva
Mexicoi
Within that circular platform of horses
was a smaller circle of canvas wall, sur
rounding and hiding the central pole and a
space three yards In diameter around 1t.
Forbidden City-of the owner of the
caballitos. To the ragged boys il was the
retreat of a god. Thereto strobe Tomas,
and, casually, big iron tools were taken in
also and concealed.
At 4 o'clock. out from her home steps
Julia, arrayed in sky-blue, with her hair
waving nobly and her eyes like mountain
lakes. She takes her seat In a chair on the
movable platform, between two pairs of
open-mouthed little horses. She carries a
guitar In her hand. With that sweet, calm,
mild. reliable repose. which is the exclu-
sive property of the Mexican women of a
certain class, she sells little green tickets
at 3 cents apiece to the clamoring boys.
True, her calm permits some small scamps
TO steal rides for nothing, but that Is
neither here nor there.
"Tomas-ah, where is Tomas?" ask
many.
Taking his chocolate replies she,
The whistle shrieks. the engine gives a
puff, and the horses do truly prance, in
deed, go all around. one pair snorting after
Ing after those before them, till finally
even the first snorters are snorted after.
and the battered circuit is complete.
Julia up-takes her guitar in a fair hand,
and. remaining seated on the circular plat
form with that mild, reliable repose, goes
round and round forever snOrted after by
Incredible rings of those animals. And as
she goes she touches her guitar with light
finger, and casts up the mountain lakes to
the canvas of the tent and sings. Her song
IS sweet and ringing, clear and full OF
pathos. Her constant change of place
causes the music TO have that wavering,
sinking and rising uncertain quality so
priced by certain lovers of the art. To
be one moment yonder and the next here,
makes the voice OF Julia like that of the
night wind, which swells and retires with
varying gusts and fills the soul with sad
ness. The words she sang We're like these
All, that sweet. fair sonora,
She lived beside the spring;
There stands a blue cross over her
And the breeze goes -murmuring;
"Ah. sweet, sweet, fair senora:"
1t may be mentioned. as a general truth.
that there is always something exceedingly
melancholy about a merry-go-round in
Mexico. 1t is not known why: ones philos-
ophy staggers before this truth. But, alas,
a merry-go-round in Mexico is exceedingly
melancholy.
The movement ceases: other tickets are
sold; other circuits are made, and the
sonora is still mentioned as having lived
come on and torches are lit.
And Tomas-why, where is hep asked
many still.
Taking his chocolate" says Julia
sweetly.
Faith. he takes much and long,"
Isl. senior; Tomas was always very fond
Midnight at last arrives. The crowds
have gone away. Julia, something of eager
guitar i'm hand, and runs with swift feet
into home, hair flying. TIL torches are out
The engine is settling down grumblingiy
to slumber. The engineer has gone. The
stone-paved place is deserted.
She sits in her room, staring at the door
waiting: The door brusts open: she springs
forward with a cry, to fall upon Tomas
who comes In with a burden. He is toll.
worn. earth-stained with b~listered hands
He locks the door and they sink down OF
the door beside his burden.
There are two iron boxes. each about
eight INCHES square: and locked with pad.
hands and falls palpitating on Tomas
breast. He takes a crow-bar. pushes he
aside and smashes the locks. and it i,
Julia's white fingers that throw the lid!
back.
The Iamplight shows some silver and gol,
in little heaps, but not very much. 1t show
some packages wrapped In cloth. The silve'
and gold coins are hurriedly piled on tn
floor. The packages are torn open. The,
reveal bank bills and a letter. Tomas ant
his wife stare. stupidity at one another. an,
at the money. They finger it. The coin
and the bills are unlike Mexican coins an,
bills. They do not know what kind the,
are. or their value. But there are eagles OF
some of them. which. at least. is like Mex
leo. and cheering.
Read the letter. she cries. curling ur
with commissions or emotion I'm his lap.
1t was as follows, in bad Spanish:
'Cuernavaca. june .. 1857.
This Is q confession TO he read by hin
who finds this money. I was born I'm Nortl
Carolina in 1871. | have lived nearly al
my lie I'm Texas. | joined General Tay,
lor's army for the war with Mexico i'm 'le
/ was In the battles of Ruena Vista am
Chapultepec. | was captain of "a COMPANY
I'm the Twelfth Regiment. Ny colonel WA.
a beast and treated ne beyond the endur
ance OF man. The regiment disliked m,
and made my life miserable. They stol,
my money. After a while was mad.
crazy, so Stung was 7. ! came to hate TIA,
name OF Americans, my people though the,
are. Then came "A chance to take som,
money sent down by the United Statei
government to pay the troops. one nigh
| took II and deserted. Having shaved of
my beard ! came safely to Cucrnavacs
life of the damned. and this is To testIf,
that before God | repent. But what Is
man TO do? ROBERT Il. MARTIN"
This was the mute and brief appeal
This foreign trash meant little TO iona
and julia. They made n secret trip [,
Mexico. They received $1,000 I'm Mexican
money for the coin and bills. And in