El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1911-12-25
The Daily Short Story
The Pretty SenOrita
a Story Of An American in Mexico and-Christm
By G. A. MARTIN

TT WAS one of the numerous Mexi-
can feast days. when every work
= man lays aside his tools and every
senorita dons her best mantilla ana
goes to church in the morning and to
the band concert and the gambling Oh
the plaza at night.
In the shadow of the ancient adobe
church, the chime Of centuries hang
ing unused in the white@ashed belfry,
itself standing like a ghostly sentinel
in the Pickering lights about the roof
of the old structure, the crowds were
promenading around the little square
the women walking in one direction
and the men in another casting sly
glances as they passed; the older ones
sitting on the benches beneath the II
regular rows Of trees that shut out the
moonlight from above
William Owens, mining engineer, late
graduate of Harvard, was interested IN
the throng. He had been IL Mexico
but q few weeks and, like most newly
arrived Americans, he had first been
fascinated and then he had tired of the
Mexican way.
That's the way they do" he NUT
tered to himself, as he thought Of the
valuable mine filling with water and
watched the young men, many of whom
were employed on the work of his COM
pany; they wouldn't work for love nor
money They take a day off for eY-
cry saint in the calendar and the Lord
knows, when they get through there are
few work days left. There are oppor-
tunities in Mexico for the American.
yes, millions OF them, but he'd better
bring Americans hsse with him II he
wants to get results. If we pay the
Mexican good wages besides the
saints days he takes off, he will cut out
four or five extra days every month 10
finish spending his money; pay him too
. 8
and talk about the preference shown to
foreigners. It's a bloOmin' poor coun-
try for white man and TO think that
some of them actually live here all
their lives and marry Mexican girls
well, have heard of the pretty Next
can senoritas, but / haven't seen 'em
vet"
Talking to ones self, even in a for
eign country. is apt to grow wearisome.
and as the lonely young American en-
gineer with the bulldog pipe between
his teeth and the khaki suit covering
his we'll built frame raised his eve
brows in weary resigna ton upon the
kaleidoscope throng passing beneath
the bright glare Of the several score
oil lamps and the hundreds of Chinese
lanterns, his breath almost stopped.
The steady breeze waiting the tender
notes Of La PalOma" through the park
had with gentle fingers lifted a deli
cate mantilla from the face Of a girl,
tall, stately. to this American. far from
home and beautiful women Of his own
nationality, she was a veritable fairy
queen, and this in the heart Of Mexico
where he had but Il moment before de-
clared he had never seen a beautiful
senorita. The glimpse was but a mo-
ment- for the vision passed on, but
Is she turned to catch the recresnt
mantills- pair Of eyes as beautiful
rs any he had ever dreamed of in his
freshman school days, fell full upon
him and teeth as even and beautiful
as a string of pearls displayed them
selves in the brightest smile without
knowing why or how. the dun bfOund-
ed American was on his feet in an in
slant. siouch hat in hand. and was as
sisti1g to replace the mantilla.
There was not a word from tho vis-
lon; the smile and that look had an
reared and vanished in an instant; the
lifting of the msntilla to the shoulders
had been 50 quickly done BY the young
American that the first smile and the
first look had served as an apnea1 and
a thank you" in the same instant al
most. and the fair crea ture had passed
on and been swallowed IN in +be rest
IF the crowd. An aged man. with gray
beard appeared to be her cOmDanion.
Vainly the eyes Of the American
Looked again and again as the prone
naderS passed. but there was no reward
Only lauFhing. chattering. big wasted
girls. in hideOuS com hination OF color
and i'll fitting frOcks continued 70
mass; some had high prominent cheek
bones. showing their indian blood
some had rouge enough on their faces
for an entire American musical come
DIV chorus but none were beaUtiful-he
nroved again 10 his own satisfa elton
that there were No nrettv SenoTitas But
the fare ard figUre he bad seen but an
instant haunted him Could she have
been 2 Wavican2
Owens had seen MANY pretty Girls ~
leea- he bod seen roanv IN the hirh
school hack IN old Msssa oHusetts he
fore his f~sshv7an davis. he had fra-
cTeDf1v lost his h0vish heart for few
weeks hut there had ALWAYS been on
0ther who could reDair any da~naR a
This NIGHT however # was different
and he v-~-+ 70 his quarters IN the low
adohe building frnnfing the r7air office
IF the n7ini'F .. c0r1nanv IN the dirtv lit-
ne street that formed the towns rrfn-
Nfna1 thorou ghfa p. bu+ THOUGH tired
there was no Sleen. He he'd courtad
slUmber before and failed. but maps