The Fairmont West Virginian. (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1904-1914, 1904-05-21
TIL IEYES { EXICO. !.
THE WiEYRATERos LsTgAL THE
COAT OFF YOUR BACK. .53%sE
One Had q Tooth Pulled So That Nc
Might stenI the Dentist. watch.
The Way u Judge Lost iis Time
niece and Ills Turkey Dinner

=
piece and His Turkey Dinner
There are no burglars in Mexico, and
Tor very simple reason-t'ie a5-hme
Ind the public street afford the adr5:t
ratero such easy opportunities for ap-
propriatiug other peoples property that
Il really is not worth lis While to both
el. with night raids or to take the risk
OF forcing an entrance ia<o private
houses.
other Countries, other cli$to-1ls-the
ratcro is, an institution in Me1ico, and.
like the rest CT the Mexican institutions,
lie is Indigenous to the soil. The sneak
thief in otlei countries is q waste prod
uct of civilization's human mill; the
burglar is Il poison separated some
where in the process of milling. The
ratero is nothing of tue sort lie IS
just as legitimate q product, just as
much g part of the regular output as
any other member OF society lie ls
without shame or reproach III his call,
ing and is quite at peace with man
kind.
There is Il diversity in the methods OF
these thieves, ranging from the atldac-
ity of q moments impulse 10 the most
deliberately plotted trap. Bold speci-
mems attack Il victim suddenly and rely
upon the surprises for an escape. y
man descending from street car mas
the diamond snatched from his scarf
before his feet have fairly touched the
ground. aud by the time he has caught
his breath the thief is lost in 4 crowd
n woman stops to gaze into Il SHOP VIII
dow in busy San Francisco street Ill
the capital city. and her richly einbroid-
u L., I tf1pY.s-
and the nimble footed ratcro disappears
before II nearby Gendarme gets the
alarm.
\ crowd gathers in the street to
watch Il horse fallen on the slippery
asphalt pavement, or procession on 4
fiesta day, and the very hats arc not
safe on die heads of Il respectfully
dressed people. or il may be Oh u
Sunday, when all the suburban trains
are crowded. and the little stations as
well, tI.nta long arm is thrust into the
open window of Il starting electric caC~
and several hats gathered beforG/ang
one knows what has happened
The more willy and consideDatc OF the
calling avoid giving these rude shocks
to their prey. These art. the ones who
annex poclletbooks 2nd watches so
quietly that the logs is only gradually
appreciated ;nG-/v-ho teach women
the folly of Wearing dangling orIla-
ments in the Street. often they are 50
acknowledgement that no one could OBJ
ject to- icing elbowed by tlIcm, while
the, plausible situations they create at
test their lively wits. Certainly they
supply an ever fresh flow of stories.
many OF them too wildly Impossible 20
be told of any other country.
tl..lN @
the popular loud mouthed type arrived
in the capital and set up his booth IN
the Plaza Mayor. The extraction nf
teeth without pain was the lure THAT
drew Il thronG. and several successful
performances made good the promise
His rather primitive method was 20
fire 4 pistol close to the patients head
at the moment Of gripping the mdlar
The shock of the noise sufficed to dis
tract the sufferers attention. and ON
the whole there Were few complaints
At last q we'll dressed Mexican,
pushed his way through the crowd
and. moaning over his aching tooth.
seated himself in the clair.
(Which one asked the dentist
briskly.
The man hesitatcd moment.
The smallest on the left side-.' lac
finally answered.
but the tooth appears perfectly
sound said the dentist, after sur
vey
But it has ached foc three DAYS. !
tell You. and / want it out
you'll pay in advance" was Ihe
query.
Certainly. Will it take Iong:'
The fakir. 4 dollar in his palm. smiled
reaSsuringiy and pulled out 4 In ndsoInc
gold watch 1T will be over. before the
second hand can so half way round" he
boosted.
'.All right" said the patient resigned.
ly.
The dentist got good grip on the
tooth while the man lay back quietly il
the chair. There was IL loud crack of
the pistol. and the dentist held up 4
sound and bloody tooth.
1T was Il mistake to part With That.
senior. But did you feel slnything:"
NO. Did you:"
NO" was the puzzled response
"Thcn we're even" said the Mexican,
getting up and disappearing in the
crowd.
\ few minutes later the dentist clap
red his hand to his empty watch pocket
in diSmay. 1t was then that he appre-
GATED the timely jest of his patient.
\ story almost too perfectly rounded
n jr.r close <