The News-Herald. [volume] (Hillsboro, Highland Co., Ohio) 1886-1973, 1907-04-04
Her Cowboy
Lover
Copyright, by Joseph n. powies,
BY Elliott Flower


and Mexico, is a primitive affair, but
Il was to Rosita what her first ball at
Sherry's is to a New York debutante.
Senorita Rosita lived lonely life OF
hard work and much discomfort Hab-
itations are small and rough, and most
OF the ordinary comforts of life are un-
known in the mountains. The only
luxuries in the edible line are canned
goods, for the sun Is hot by day, al
though the breeze is cool by night, and
there are no facilities for keeping any
thing fresh. The only people she saw
were those who lived the same hard
life that she and her parents lived.
and there we're few of these. But |
Rosita dreamed So also. did others. |
for the Mexican gives much OF his /
time to dreams and music; but Rosi- I
ta's dreams were of the life of which |
she heard in only a vague way and |
knew nothing at all. For Rosita was
pretty, and she knew it. and she had
the feminine longing for admiration.
And at this dance she met her
knight. even as she had dreamed. lie
was handsome. he was dashing, he
was roughly picturesque-not at all
typically Mexican, but a combination
OF American cowboy and Mexican. He
gave incidental evidence of the Mexi-
can love of color in his scarf, and his
broadbrimmed cone-shaped hat was
decoratively Mexican, but, otherwise.
he was mostly cowboy. She danced
five times with him this night.
ut Is not well that you should dance
so much with this Eduardo Ramirez
said her father. This Eduardo Is OF
those who are ever lodging the ru.
rales."
She knew what that meant; he
brought over the line into Mexico sup
plies upon which no duties were paid
But smuggling is not even misde-
meanor in the unwritten mountain
code.
"Is that then so dreadful?' she
asked. DO not the freighters who
travel by night bring us much that we
need? Do you not deal with them? Is
not the law made to beat us down?
Does not the law of Mexico put tax
upon what we must have to live, when
we bring the things from Campo"
Her father argued no more. but he
was glad when next morning they left
Campo far behind.
But Eduardo came to see her. II
dattered her that he should ride so far
to see her, so, for her own satisfaction,
perhaps II was Just as we'll she did not
know he had combined business with
pleasure and delivered some smuggled
goods on the way. He was not Of the
freighters who smuggle on a large
scale, but, with his blackboard and
horses, he was always ready for the
more daring jobs.
She saw him when she went to the
spring for water, and later she stole
away TO meet him In the shelter OF a
great rock, just over spur of the
mountain back Of the house. When
she failed to return, her father went
to look for her, and he found the
wheelmarks where blackboard had
been turned in the road.
Eduardo has been here" he said
quietly, when he got back to the
house.
His wife made no comment, for she
understood the situation, and accepted
Il with resignation. With such horses
as they had, It would be useless to
follow. Besides, her life had made her
something of a fatalist, accepting
whatever came.
Eduardo and Rosita rode through
the night, reaching Campo the follow.
ing day. There they were married,
and Rosita thought life of bliss was
opening for her. Eduardo was a
Jealous and passionate husband, but
. this she liked; II gave her feeling OF
value and Importance that was pleas.
ing. She was glad to be guarded and
ruled and protected in this way; she
gloried In the feeling that she was
owned by this man and was thus
priced by him.
For two days they remained togeth.
or at Campo, and then he left her for
two days, first making it plain that he
would hold to personal account anyone
who exceeded what he deemed the
bounds OF strict propriety In the treat
ment OF his wife. This warning all
men needed, giving her only the most
formal courtesy. which she deemed
evidence Of the high respect in which
her husband was held. OF the business
that took him away, she merely sur.
missed that 1t had to do with bringing
some Chinese over the border, and she
wisely asked no questions.
Another two days they had to-
sether. when he returned. and then he
had business down the Tres Pesos val
ley, and this time she went with him
She was happy beyond the power OF
expression. He was liberal and de-
voted; he had money in greater sums
than her father had ever possessed al
one time; he bought for her whatever
she desired; but, most of all, she liked
his fierce. jealous guardianship. for In