Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1912-08-08
A
Mexican American
Tragedy
BY F TOWNSEND SMITH

A great many of the railroads of
Mexico have been built by Americans
Many young American engineers have
gone down into that country. and here
and there one has not come back The
girls there have had something to do
with these men remaining in Mexico.
Sometimes the engineers have married
there, and sometimes they have court
ed Mexican girls. but something has
interviewed. as in the case of this story.
Ralph Emerson. who was one Of a
surveying party, one evening after
having tramped all day with theodo-
lite on his shoulder stopped at the
house of a Mexican for something to
eat and drink He WAS served by
girl OF E+teen, though as much devel-
oped as a woman of twenty in the
north Emerson, who had been grad.
uated at a scientific school the pre-
vious June and was not overexperi-
enced In matters concerning the oppo-
site sex. was injudicious enough to
smile at the girl. Had he fired a lead
en- ball at her 1t would not have had so
momentous an effect upon her as that
smile. though Of different kind. It
the smile-struck her right in the cen
ter of her little heart
When Emerson went out of the
house he took with him a bit of the
tinsel with which her jacket was
adorned He very foolishly told her
that he would wear 1t on his person.
or, at any rate, keep it in his pocket
book. He might have said such a
thing to a dozen sophisticated north
ern girls without producing any great
Impression on any of them but not to
this little girl
Perhaps Its Importance would never
have affected him seriously If Pepita
had not already been spoken for.
swarthy Mexican named Jose, ten
years her senior. had asked her of her
father. and she had been pledged to
Jose. He could neither read nor write,
but he could shoot and stab Emerson
had no idea that in momentary fir
tation he was rivaling one so far be-
meath him and mourning a great dan
ger. The day after meeting Pepita he
wore her token In his buttonhole rath-
err to redeem his promise than for any
other reason. He wore it Just long
enough for Jose to see it. then threw
1t away Rut, thinking he might meet
her again and would need it for pur-
poses of gallantry. he picked it up and
put 1t In his pocketbook.
When Jose met Pepta again and
wished to salute her with a kiss as he
had been used to doing, she repulsed
him Before she had met Emerson it
made no difference to her whether Jose
kissed her or not, Now It made a
great deal of difference He asked her
what had caused the change in her,
and she told him.
1.-THE man | saw wearing a strip of
gold braid off your jacketY'
"YeS"
Jose said no more, but went away.
A few days after that Emerson was
missed from the surveying party. His
companions sought him high and low,
but he was not to be found
When Pepita heard of the young
mans disappearance a diminutive tiger
was born in her heart, for she knew
what had become of Emerson. But
she said nothing. She waited to see if
his body would be found Jose kept
out of her way for awhile, but this
didn't trouble her. for she knew he
would come in time
When he came she appeared to have
forgotten all about the American She
didn't even ask Jose If he knew any
thing about him Nor did Jose speak
of him. On Jose's second visit after
she had told him of her meeting With
the engineer, she put up her mouth to
be kissed Jose was delighted After
all. her affair with the American had
not struck very deep.
A month went by, and so did the
party of surveyors They had finish
ed their work In the neighborhood and
passed on. All hope of finding Finer
son. alive or dead. had been given up.
One day Jose asked Pepita when
they should be married.
"When You bring me the keepsake
| gave the American" she replied.
Jose was surprised He said the
American must have gone away since
he had not seen him for long while.
Then YOU must go after him and
find him and tell him l wish him to
send me what | gave him.
Jose said he could not do that, and
Pepita said she would not marry him
unless he did.
The desire to possess Pepita at last
overcame him, and he told her that he
was going to find the American and
bring back the Keepsake
From that moment Pepita did not
lose sight of him for a moment. The
same night she saw him leave his
house. and she followed him up into
a rocky ravine covered with low trees
1t was all she could do to get through
the brush She saw him stop. light
lantern and remove some dead wood
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