The Celina Democrat. (Celina, O. [Ohio]) 1895-1921, 1911-07-07
FRIDAY, July 2 1911

July 2, 1911
During the day we would lie In the
shade OF the trees and read our favor
ite authors; he, Victor Hugo; /. Mau.
passant. As the day wore ON we
would retreat, from this innocent d.
version. before the heat, and nap nm.
an the cooler afternoon. Upon awak.
ening we would bathe, and then for an
hour We would play; he upon the
flute; ], upon the plano; we We're both
fair musicians in an amateur way.
AS the sun sank and night came on,
no would take his leave, after arrang.
ing for the nights amusement.
Sometimes II was q visit 20 one OF
our aristocratlc neighbors. Upon such
occasions We were always called upon
] TO provide the entertainment with our
music. And our efforts were rewarded
with iced drinks and perfumed cigar.
cites served by the black-eyed senior
itas.
Sometimes IL was a party at the op.
era, after which we would visit one OF
the gorgeous, gilded and enameled
cafes, and sit down to luncheon OF in
describable, spicy dishes, and eat to
the strains Of a native band. Mexico
is indeed the land Of music, women
and flowers An is beautiful and de.
/ llghtful in that Paradise.
Then, sometimes our reereations
would be less harmless. We would par.
/ TALLY disguise and enter the lower
| quarters Of the city. Entering some
| obscure retreat, we would sit at one
Of the tables and watch the masses
amuse themselves, while slipping our
drinks and listening to the song OF
some much berouged maiden singing
10 the twanging Of a few maudolina
and guitars played by musicians fam,
ingly dressed in reds, greens and ycl'
lows. The songs would be loudly ap.
plauded by the patrSns Now and
then some half-druuken youth would
climb upon the raised platform, upon
which the singer stood, and attempt
to kiss her, only to be rewarded With
box on the ears Cor his staggering |
endeayors. This always pleased the !
crowd, who would jeer the escaping !
malclactor and shout 'brayas' to the
girl.
Upon one Of the occasions of such |
an exploit we were seated at table |
listening to the songs of the singer
she was more beautiful than any we |
had yet seen-wheE a drunken miner
leaped upon the stage in the midst of
a song, and, before the girl escaped
him, he seized her in his powerful
arms and kissed her. As was custom
airy, the crowd was pleased by this
added attraction, and lent voice to
its approval But the girl must have
thought otherwise, for she became
as rigid as ice, her lips trembled, and
her eyes burned like living Goals.
Turn me loose, senor,' she said, tremu-
lously lie kissed her again and held
her at arms length. Again she com
manded him to release her, but he
only laughed at her anger. A silence
Of expectancy had fallen upon the
crowd for this gave promise of some
thing out Of the ordinary. The musi-
clans had stopped playing and
watched the pair as intently as the
rest of the audience. Her eyes were
darting CLEANS of deadliest hatred at
him, which he was too drunk to ap-
preciate. Suddenly she spat full in his
face Hardly had she done So when
he crushed her to him and sank his
dirty yellow teeth into her bare shoul-
der As he tossed back his head and
laughed at her agony a stream Of
blood flowed down her chest and dyed
the covering of her bosom dark
color
THE crowd gasped; not so my
were MeXicans he was
American. In a few bounds he was at
the foot Of the stage. He leaped upon
it and dealt the brute blow on the
side of the head that sent him spin
ming half way across the stage. The
girl almost in faint, sank to the
floor. With a smothered curse, the
Mexican recovered himself and, draw
ng a cleaning machete, lunged at the
who met him with his bare
lands.
In trice they were locked in a
leadly embrace. With opened mouths
he crowd surged forward and looked
)n The girl, her eyes filled with ter
or, sat where she had fallen and
watched them fascinated by the death
struggle. 1t was the hand Of the Mexi-
AN which held the knife, which was
Jad; but it was the hand of the Amer
can which held the wrist of that hand,
which was good For a few moments
they seemed ages-the point of the
weapon was within an inch
# the Americans throat. If his al
eady perspiring hand should slip and
i've but FRACTION, it would mean the
nd. Gradually, though the hand
which held the knife was turned
low it was turned completely
round and its point was nearing
he others throat. Fear of the
lost frightful sort, instead of hatred,
,as now stamped upon the face of the
IeXican The tables were turned; he
,as no longer the aggressor Now he
yas fighting to save his own life, not
, take another's. He made a superhu-
ran effort to break the iron grip that EI
cid him. The knife blade receded @
omewhat, but 1t was a dying effort. M
lis strength had fed with that last E
tempt. His resistance gave way. #
Jith a scream, that was cut short, he M
ank to the floor. The blade had
Continued on fifth page.