The Washington herald., 1913-09-28
Nv LANES b. MORROW.

IL
A brisk agent from the United States
banged into a Mexico City hotel and
voicefulIy asked the price OF rooms.
Five dollars a day. the manager re-
piled, without looking up from the news
paper he was reading behind his desk.
But there will be seventy-five persons
in nv party" the agent said, and we
shall need fifty rooms at least
.'If YOU want fifty rooms the rate Will
be s6 a day." the manager answered as
he arose, walked away and ended the
dialogue.
The Mexican way in most of the visible
events of life is not like the American
way. Many statesmen and some diplo-
mats may be ignorant Of that fundamen-
tai truth.
4 professional interviewer, jaded and
irritable by leo miles of travel from the
Texas frontier, covered with sand and
full of it even to his shoes, dragged him.
self out of a cab in front of one Of the
best hotels in Mexico City at { O'Clock IN
the morning.
The interviewer, il was his hrst Jour-
ney into the country, expected that he
would be met at the curb by porter.
No porter was there. The interviewer
bearing his own baggage. entered
huge door and found himself in large
court In far corner he saw black
man in a blue coat
Yes. he was the porter. but he was
playing with a dog and didn't know any
thing about rooms. The manager would
appear by and by. For thirty minutes
the indignant interviewer walked the
patio. He did not exist so far as the
Indian porter was concerned.
The interviewer was a nervous amer
lean and he kept busy. He moved his
baggage several times and tried to read
the Spanish signs hanging on the wall.
Also he wanted to be noticed.
Refuss.d TO See the American.
A thin little man leisurely descended
the stairs at o'clock He wore an
overCoat and a white silk muffler. MeXi-
co City is cold at night, but the days are
warm and brilliant.
The thin little man. almost as dark as
the porter. did not look at the American
He was smoking a cigarette and seem
ingIy had eaten his breakfast. Anyway
he appeared serene and satisfied. Present
IL he went behind the counter. slowly
took off his overcoat and nuffler. opened
an account book and began to write.
The interviewer. determined to make
a buSness-like demonstration, grabbed
up his bags and rapidly walked to the
counter. He whacked the stone floor
with his heels, dropped his bags ana
coughed. The little man never looked up.
Il should like to see the manager" the
interviewer said in a voice Of peace
but with the heart of warrior.
Il am the manager the thin man
answered in English that easily could
have sounded better. His face was with
out interest or expression, and he con-
tinued To write and utterly by look TO
ignore the interviewer.
American
roaring inwardly. but cOncealing his
anger
The dark little man put down his pen. |
lighted another cigarette and walked TO |
a blackboard which hung in the court |
near the large door. Written thereon in |
chalk were the numbers of the rooms and |
opposite the numbers were the names OF
the persons occupying the rooms.
Having read the blackboard up and
down and down and up. the thin little
man said: Il have no room
But" the American continued. No.
n appears to be unOccupied. so does IS,
20 does 107. and so does l25.''
Those are store rooms" the Mexican !
replied. He walked back to his desk. He |
had not looked at tn American; he never |
did look at him.
But can't | have a room some time !
turing the DAY" the interviewer asked.
Il don't know" the manager answered. !
He was again writing in his account |
book. and the porter was still playing |
with the dog.
Unique story froIu oriZRbR.
The American gathered up his prop
crty and passed out into the street. He
had learned his first American lesson in
Mexico City. That is where John Lind
Mr.. Confidential Agent, as Gambua,
Foreign Minister, disdainfully calls him
got his.
Passengers taking ship at Vera Cruz
usually spend the night before sailing at
Orizaba. There are mosquitoes and yell
low fever at Vera Cruz almost every day
in the year. There is neither at Oriz-
aba. which is on the slope of the noun
tains among coffee plantations.
A Frenchman at Orizaba Keeps won
derful hotel, inasmuch as it is in Mexico.
one can get a fine siX-course dinner,
served in polished silver and thin crock
cry, for g cents in gold. One also can
sleep in a clean. comfortabA bed, hung
with dainty white curtains, at OriZa ba.
But the landlord, in other respects is
Mexican.
The interviewer paid his bill one even
ing after dinner, telling the Frenchman
he meant to leave for Mexico City at IL
o clock. There was a pleasing bow and
there were cordial good wishes, and then
cards and drink a bottle of wine with
his beautiful wife, who wore many dia-
monds and a gown made in Paris.
At 9 o'clock the landlord returned. Two
American girls were writing letters in
the office. A dozen other American men
and women guests were talking. The
landlord was in evening clothes. 1t was
A good place to be, after eating canned
beans. hash and preserved cherries on
the Pullmans, and worse and more mys-
terious food at Mexican hotels.
Ladies and gentlemen the landlord
said in tone that was polite, but con-
vincing, 81 shall retire
Thereupon he locked the door of the
ONCE. closed all the windows, and
turned out the lights. Il bid you good
night" he remarked with a bow, and
then he vanished. The other Ameri-
cans felt their way through the dark
ness 10 bed. The interviewer went into
the patio, where. with the stars above
him and nothing but his baggage to
sit on, he walked the stone court for
an hour and a half.
An ancient Indian watched the single
outside door He told the interviewer,
by signs, that a street car
would come from the west at 1880
o'clock, that il would go east four
blocks, would wait there five minutes
and then return to the hotel and take
the interviewer to the railroad station,
more than a mile distant
I'll.