The Washburn leader., 1914-08-28
PEDRO'S
WIFE
By SADIE oLcoT

BY SADIE OLCOTT
There have been. in the United
States and elsewhere, numerous in
stances of men acquiring wealth sud-
denly and squandering it in unusual
ways. One of the most prominent of
such cases was that of "Coal Oil John
ny" Steele, who was made very rich
by the discovery of petroleum on a
farm he owned He spent his fortune
in spectacular ways and then sank into
comparative obscurity. While his mon
ey lasted he was known as 1.-The prince
of spenders.''
But the story of Goal Oil Johnny" is
dwarfed by that of Pedro Alvarado, a
Mexican. son Of a peon and a Mexican
woman. Pedro's father saved his
money till he had $1OO and bought
with it a rocky hill. On his deathbed
he eXacted promise from his son
that he would never sell the land.
Pedro prospected it for silver and one
day found himself in possession Of a
mine that paid him $4,000 a day.
This amount for a year of, say. 800
working days amounts to $9.O0OOOO
a year. What fortune for one who
had known nothing but abject poverty!
But Pedro Alyarado. unlike Goal
Oil Johnny" did not waste his money
in dissipation. A mania for something
usually seizes on those suddenly made
rich. and Pedro's was for pianos. He
built a fine house and filed it with
pianos. There were rosewood pianos
and mahogany pianos and white en-
ameled pianos-indeed, pianos Of every
variety. 1t does not appear that he
could play note on one Of them or
that he had any prediction for mu-
sic. 1t was simply the form Of mania
that struck him. he having unlimited
means at his command.
The story of Pedro AIvarado is a
number of stories. Perhaps the most
curious one Of all is that Of his wife's
foresight. Pedro had no idea Of busi-
ness principles and knew only how to
work his mine in a primitive way.
which was most expensive. He paid
everybody connected with his mine an
enormous salary. besides which his
employees helped themselves to what
they could lay their hands on. Instead
Of building railroad to carry his ore
he sent 1t by mule. Perhaps the mine
could have stood this drain and its
owners extravaganza had the vein
held OUT But it did not. There was
just so much silver in it. and when it
was all gone Pedr0's income was gone
He; had spent 1t as fast as he made it.
and when it ceased he found himself
with nothing.
During this period. when bank bills
were floating about like snowfakes.
Pedro's wife foresaw that when the
storm Of wealth had passed the soil
about them would become dry as be-
fore. She determined to gather what
she could while it lasted and began
putting away money secretly. Catching
thousand dollar bills as they circled
about her. she concealed them in her
clothing. ripping open articles. putting
the bills in and sewing them up. 1t
is singular that while she and her hus-
band had been poems and had drudged
as such he lost sight during prosperity
Of the fact that he might return to his
degradation. willie his wife took pre-
cautions against IT,. ~
When Pedro's mine began to show
signs Of running out he was advised
that in order to keep it paying he must
work it on business princfples-he must
cut down the wastage, due to his meth
ods: he must retrench in the matter
Of salaries: he must stop the stealing
But he had not the ability to change.
Az: the amount Of silver taken out Of,
his mine decreased; It was met by the
expenditures. and there was nothing
over: the one balanced.the other.
According to all we'll told stories. Sc
nora Alvarado. who had been sewing
up thousand dollar bills. should now
come forward and take the lead. But
true stories have way Of running
like water-in channels they make for
themselves. The good woman did not
live to enjoy the fruits Of her precau-
tiOn. She died about the time that the
mine gave out
Among the servants who had attend
ed the deceased was maid who had
been in her mistress service a long
while and had learned the secret of her
hidden wealth. When the senora's ef-
fects were distributed this maid was
asked If there was anything she would
like. She asked for quilt that her
beloved mistress had slept under so
long that it had become identified with
her. But in making the request the
girl showed anxiety to possess the ar
ticie which would be such valued
mementO of her dear mistress.
Now. Pedro and his wife had many
tiffs with regard to his extravaganza.
and she had often warned him that
be would one day come to want. He
wondered at her death II she had not
been putting something away for a
rainy day. The maids anxiety to pos
sess bedquiIt Of no value. when
there were other articles far more to
be desired. excited his suspicious. Rip
ming nm the nuilf ont fell one thOuaand