The Montgomery tribune. (Montgomery City, Mo.) 1892-1910, 1901-07-19


INSIDE Mnuupl's rautina the Amer
\ i irni music boN was playing. That
was nothing unusual. for, from morn
ing to n,gat. the music boN vas going
At n table drawn close to the one OF
which the box stood sat old MAJ
Ch1mberlain. His eyes were closeo
and he was seemingly bnlf-aslecp. But
with an almost automatic action he
now and then lifted a glass to his lips
and sip?cd the fiery mescal which II
contained. And that was nothing un
usual, for. from morning 10 night foI
mPny n year. old man Chamberlain sat
beside the box aud the bottle In the
dark McXicnn saloon.
Between the buN and The man were
two points Of resemblance. Each had
come from the United States and each
wns wearing it's life out In Manucl's
caHiina. There the resemblance end.
ed. Of the two She music box was u
more respectable member Of society.
"Thc Drunken Gringo" the paisanos
called HIN. IL was u double contempt
hcosusc he was u foreigner and a sot
Arl vet. once zach month. they wei.
comcd him rs one ~ themselves. For.
then. there came "a the old mnn o
check from n far.os' city In gringo.
land. and that strange check. convert.
ed into cash. speedily found It's way
over Manuel's hnr. On the day that
n car1e there was free mcscal for all
who cared. and they were few who
would rot leave the tircsomc scratch.
Inc ~ ;ir soil for . 'imc Of intoxicated
hiinrity. Then "Thc Drunken Gringo"
became AL senior" and his tottcring
steps were stcndird 10y willing hands
II was not q big chrck-only for $50
United States currency. Hut that makes
almost aroomfulo ~ Mexican pesos. and,
besides. 81 far NJ rrsults went. II was
worthy the respect II received. For. In
one ~ or another. II was one Of the
supports Of The village. On Il old man
Chamberlain lived entirely. To him
II was board. lcdc ~. clothing, and
whnt wHs morr dr'iYkcn foryrtfui.
mesa. To Manuel t~wo-ihirds Of n
found Us way to his pockci--it was
prosperity In business. what sifted
by him directly or Indirectly support.
ed half the village. SO II was that for
one day Ia the month TIC old town had
n flcatn when Ilncchus was king and
the Drunken Grlngo his premier.
Old man Chnmpcrlnin Ind no, nj.
ways hccn tho Drunken Gringo."
Oncc-it was before his music box was
Invented had been young and the
future had seemed fair. lie had had W..
sions Of q prosperous and hnnorcd life.
Then Ind zone his dark days. and Mex.
leo was his refuge. ms 1t II that Of many
another American. Once across the
border he had been seized with a long.
Ing for his native land. The scenes
which had been x % prosnlc and com.
mon In the days he lived among them
were transformed into dreams Of par
adisc. To see them again In reality
was forbidden by the laws he had
broken. To dream OF them over n mes.
rni bottle was n resource left him.
and In this he found his solnce. Little
by little the reality of the past was
forgotten; little by little he became
the "Drunken Gringo." and all that
was left was the music box. the mes.
cal bottle ard the monthly check.
The last fiesta Of the check had been
unusually exciting. II was the holt.
day Time. and the spirit Of the senson
had covered the disgrace OF the grin.
20 so that the chec'S was larger than
ordinary, and brought with 1t a mes.
sage Of Christmas greeting. For n
time the old man had shaken or his
stupor. But now the music box was
grinding away MS usual, the mescal
IA the bottle bad been reduced by half.
ard Manuel was doing on the bench
outside the door.
Then came n crash. The music box
went tumbling to the floor. Through
the open doorway came fyin. the
metal disc IN which were punched the
notes OF "liome. Sweet Home" and on
which the box had been Mt work.
manuel. Manuel. Come here. Man.
vel ! tell YOU l viii GO. No one shall
stop me. | will go. say, Manuel
Old man Chamberlain was standing
In the doorway prasping the wall 10
support his trembling legs aud shout.
ing wildly.
Roused from his nap by the unwont.
ed disturbance AID the cries of his
usually speechless patron, Manuel
stood half-frightentd before him.
"What Is IL, %senor?" he gasped.
81 tell you | will co. repeated old
man Chamberlain. ~ don't care for
the law. don't care II they do get
me. I'm going home again"
But, senor," protested Manuel, as
the old mans idea became apparent
10 him, "if you cross the river they
will get you. You have said so many
= time. And you have said, too. that
1t is better TO live here than die In