The Jennings daily record., 1901-11-16

ecstasy of imagination; "two boxes
of gold!''
II believe it's some old Aztec treas
ure," said Tomas, ''and the man who
buried it was an Indian of a tribe
unknown to my mother. Aztec gold
has been dug up before, thousands
OF dollars of it.''
She twisted his hair till he cried out,
and hugged him convulsively, and
said:
You must devise plan. I will
l will dig!"
~ ou don't believe it, about devils?"
Il can charm the devils-is it not
so?-little sweet Tomasito-can she
charm the diablito?" She was kissing
his lips and talking endearing baby
talk to the big raw-boned man.
"She CAM swore he. LET us plan.
But how-how? %
And for two whole weeks they
moped about, repeating: But how
but how? Staring at the bare open
space which all the town went troop
ing over. Tomas worked no more.
Julia scarcely cooked, SO that they
were unconsciously hungry and thin
looking. They grew melancholy dur
ing that fortnight looking out of the
window at the cobble-stones.
One day at dinner, when neither had
spoken for an hour. Tomas suddenly
hit his plate with his fist.
Il have it," cried he.
She spran~ up dancing; leaped to
him: hugged and twisted and smoth-
cred him: uttering a flood of incoher-
ent questions.
Neutrality-suspicious. choke me
sr-r-r-r!' gasped he, with beans in
his mouth. ''The -go-round."
She sat down with a sudden gloomy
thump, and "azed at her coughing
lord.
"Tomas. what rude, unkind joke
have you played on your little Julia
oh. Tomas.'
NO joke. I say the little horses"
rry-go-rounds are called little
horses in Mexico. He was now aris-
ing in excitement.
"But-but." she murmured. sitting
there, beautiful picture disconsolate.
how in the world can we do it with
1hem?"
Didn't Romero tell me he was los
ing money with his merry-go-round in
Nautepec, and offer to rent it to me
to try in Cuerna vaca?"
"Ee-yes, with reproachful doubt.
Tomas was now dancing. dignity
gone, the idea fully formed in his
brain.
Big silly" cried she. running and
holding to his ears. What is ?"
'Why-can't you see? This is the
very spot the government rented once
before TO merry-go-round. And
merry-go-rounds have small inner cir
cles walled in and hidden with can
vasl"
Light came into her eyes. Her lips
We're apart. She threw her slender
body with a cry of Joy into his arms
and upon his breast.
And ! can sing while you dig"
wept she.
Next nornn" Tomas rode away 10
Yautepec. For a week the world was
prison. life all but unbeara BILE to
Julia. Al the end of that time the
little horses came.
They had wound along mountain
trails from Nautepcc. On the backs
Of mules and burros were they bound:
canvas, poles, ropes. and much timber
We're bound likewise. \ little steam
engine, made in Cleveland O.. and
sadly out of its elements. came a
roundabout way over two railroads.
The caravan was Il strange sight, yon-
der in those mountain wilds. The
Cuautla valley, green and tropical and
glorious, whence the little horses
came. lies in q basin of the mountains.
Over the low range. green and tropical
and glorious. too. lies the valley Of
Cuernaraca. The two are sisters. The
stony mail route from Nautepec
crosses the range near the two round
hills called TetilIas. Across the sum
init, with the green basins in view on
either hand. and the clear air making
old Popocatepetl seem close, wound
sticking up from mule backs; wooden
horse heads overhanging burrO heads:
all the para phernalia of a battered.
modern, dreary, American merry-@o-
round crawling thus over MonteHu-
ma : ancient trails.
On the bare space by Pacheco's one
legged statue, the caravan at length |
came to Il halt. The drivers saw the
anxious face of u woman looking out
OF the window of the pink house. Al
ready ragged boys We're whoOping in
the Joy OF anticipation. For this sort
of diversion. the "ranCleSt which uea =
en- ever permits to men, comes but
once in many moons to the boys of
town like Cuernavaca
Tomas came and burst open his
door, and the two fell into each 9TH
er's arms as though they had been
parted a dozen litter years.
My angel, Tomasito!" gurgled she.
'HSDOu-lh. very soon he