The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1901-04-28
as the big cnlored nos+oru a.. -.

as the big colored posters on the walls.
r,a1, ut lo 0ne can eXaggerate the size of
texas. we entered Texas on Thursday
e et We crossed the Sabine river
at O'Clock. All night Thursday. all dav
srlday, all night Friday night and all
o os 1S saturday we We're crossing the state
ph 1eAaS IN gong from Boston to Wash
Ihgton, Which is less than a DAVIS jonr-
ney, one runs through some half-dozen
states. In days journey In Europe one
R,1t be runs tnrough as many countries.
put put mere we We're days and nights cross
ing the mighty state of Texas. If we
were disappointed in the New Orleans
Mdrpl Gras, In the width, of the Missis-
Sippl, and in the amount of water in the
NO GRANGE, we were not disappointed in
the size Of the state Of Texas Texas ia
the Digest thing that ever happened.
;, AS 1t was with the Mardi Gras, SO was
It with the Rio Grande. / had once seen
the Great River of the North I'D in Col
0rado, and 1t gave promise that down in
Texas it would prove worthy of its name
But it seems to grow smaller as it nears
the sea. 1 don't know where its mouth
IS Perhaps it has none. But at Ell
las Paso ;, 1t Is scarcely gigantic stream.
nau determined when we reached Ell Paso
70 escort H1ckup to the middle of the
bridge, where, between the two countries
ne might drop into the great river his
OF time at Ell Paso for we were seven
hours late, and would therefore have
only aVe hours to wait for the train OF
the day after tomorrow instead of the
train of the day before yesterday. which
was the one we should have made con-
nection with. So. when we reached FL
Paso, l took Hickup out on the bridge
between the American town and the Mex
lean town Of Ciudad Juarez There 7
told him that celebrated Ell Paso story OF
the thrifty hackman who starts out from
the American side in the morning with
an American silver dollar; of his getting
drink and a Mexican dollar on the Mex.
lean side. in exchange for his American
dollar; OF his crossing back to the other
dY~i11l II n 70l
lar In change; and Of how when the
shades of evening fell, the hackman still
mad his hack, his horses, his dollar and
compound comminuted jag.
Hickup was much struck with this
story. He laughed inordinately over It.
He said he would remember it and tell
Juarez" was spelled There on tho
bridge at night, where no one could see
him, I urged him to disembarrass him.
self of his voodoo burden. From the par
apet he cast into the darkness below the
fatal key.
We returned to the American side
Hfckup was continually repeating the
story I had told him, and promised him
self much pleasure in telling it. But I
pointed out some structural weaknesses
In the story IS he told it, which were
fatal He attempted to remedy them.
as to the story; he broke down under
cross examination. Under continued
DISCRIMINATION he showed signs of in.
that the voodoo sorceress was getting in
her deadly work.
| took pity on the unfortunate Hickup
after this and forbore asking him further
questions, but he continued necessarily
to rave Of the American dollar, The Mex
lean dollar, and crossing the bridge.
When we got back to the station, the
train was in, at last, and we entered and
took our places. I sail to Hickur:
II suppose, old man, you think yon
have at last got rid of that voodoo
Yes, thank God" said Hickup. de-
Voutly. THE river rolls over 1t now
Yes" l replied, at would if there were
any water in the river, or if the river
rolled. But it doesn't roll. 1t can't"
What do you mean?' cried the startled
Hiclxup.
Mean? Why, mean that just now
the Rio Grande at FL Paso is so dry that
they have to sprinkle 1t to lay the dust
And that sound I heard on tho
BRIDGE" asked Hickup.
WAS tho sound of the fatal key ring
ing on the river bed bowldsrs''
Hickup fell back speeches. in his seat.
Just as our train was about to pull out
Of Ell Paso, the Pullman conductor ap-
proached: They Is a greaser outside
said he, "a Mexican-wants to see the
two American. gents that was standing
on the brioge a whiie ago"
l looked at Hckup. He turned pale.
We went to the car door A fawning
Mexican was therc-a pordiosero. He
said that Hickup was nluy caballero, amt
that he had brought him something that
de Dios kindly give poor man 81 dollar
for his honesty? And he took out of his
sWaddlirg clothes and handed Somethine-
to the terrified Hickup.
1t was the voodoo key.
Con- Frapoieoo AnrII 1q01 -