The National tribune., 1902-12-18

erect for their accommodation small
adobe house, which was built upon ut
tie hill, cut jill places by several rather
steep ard rocky .,arroyos.' or guiches run
ming from the top of the hill to its foot
The family consisted of Mendoza, man
| of mature years, his mother-in-law, rather
aged, his wife, and daughter of from
Ia to Is Summers, named Trinidad this
latter was ably-when washed
"a very pretty girl, with a clear, olive
skin and large. black eyes of unsurpassed
beauty and fre-in short, semi-tropic
belle. The family was very poor. but. as
far as we knew, strictly honest, decent
and yirtuous.
Lieut.. Harrington aud l had visited
them several times during our frequent
rambles, and had discovered that the girl
| Trinidad, was the pOssessor of very
pleasant musical voice; in fact, she had
RECALLED US with several innocent love dit
ties which she accompanied with some
skill upon superannuated guitar. Our
conversation had been extremely limited
on account of the difference in our YER
nacular; but Harrington and l had re-
solved to precipitate ourselves with might
and main into the study of the Spanish
| language, rather difficult undertaking in
the absence of q competent tea cher and
tie needful books.
There was, however, at our post one
Marigildo," q half-breed Mexican, who
spoke English somewhat, and after pro-
tracted and diligent search, we succeeded
in discovering a few fragments of an "Ol-
lendorfs System" of learning the Spanish
language. Marigildo himself could not
read at all, but he could to some extent
correct our pronunciation when we read
Spanish sentences to him. At all events,
he undertook the task of being our in
structor at odd times, when he was not
engaged in his legitimate occupation of In
dian guide with scouting parties. 1t will
be readily understood that his method of
teaching being rather primitive and spas
modic, SO to speak, our progress in that
musical language was far from satisfac-
tory or encoufa giug. | had somewhat the
advantage of Lieut.. Harrington, inasmuch
as | had studied Latin at college, up to
a few years previously.
THE HATEFUL SONG.
All at once Lieut.. Harrington conceived
what, after some argument and delibera-
ton, we came to consider brilliant idea.
One evening, after making the rounds of
the stable-yards and having locked the
gate, l found my friend, upon entering the
Office, sitting in an office chair before the
fire with his violin across his knees, APP
parently in a brown study.
After the usual good evening" there
was a silence of some minutes, during
which l wondered what the fertile brain
Of my friend was concocting. Suddenly
he broke forth with See here, Spring,
have been thinking Of giving these Men
doza people a great surprise" q knew
that these Mendoza people," used thus
collectively, meant simply the dark-eyed
daughter). What sort of vocalist are
you? Could you sing a simple easy tune
fairly well if l study it with you on my
violin for some time?
l humbly informed him that l had a
fairly good voice for eating beef, but as
for singing tunes, l apprehended consider
able difficulty.
"Bah!' he exclaimed, anybody can
sing with the accompaniment of violin,
which comes nearer than any other instru-
ment to being perfect imitation of the
human voice. Our study of the Spanish
language progresses very slowly. and
was just thinking We might do this: We
will get Marigildo, who sings quite well.
to teach us simple, easy, short Spanish
song; we will study it together, and next
Sunday we will give Miss Trini-I mean
the Mendoza people-a Spanish concert
just think of it! What grand surprise
it will ber'
How about the text, the words, you
know" said l mildly; Eve do not know
enough Spanish yet for the purpose"
"What Of it," said Lieut.. Harrington.
'f you can but clearly pronounce the
words? A Latin scholar ought to be able
to do that. Many birds have learned to
pronounce distinctly n number of words,
and whole sentences, even. Please do not
thwart me in this project. Let us find
MarigildO at once"
At that very moment this identical gen
tleman appeared upon the scene. bent on
business with the Office. We communi-
Gated to him the plan of our surprise party
forthwith, and found to our great joy that
he entered upon the spirit of the thing
with great ardor and gusto. From his
extensive repertoire of Spanish love-songs
gaze t the s;,erk y we se:ectad ONE which
sounded certainly melodious enough and
had furthermore the great merit of being
easy and short. consisting only of two
stanzas of four lines each.
We studied bravely. The Lieutenant
fddled and l sang till I began dreaming
of it in my sleep; We practiced during two
hours for four consecutive days, never
asking. never caring, what we sang, after
MarigildO had declared that he did not
possess sufficient command of the English
language to explain the meaning of the
words. 1t certainly sounded Spanish
that was all we wanted. Marigildo sim
ply called it a love song, and assured us
sMarigildo was up to a few years ago.
and perhaps ID now, Chief of Indian
Scouts at the San Carlos Reservation,
Ayi9oua.