Audubon County journal. (Exira, Iowa) 1884-1993, 1914-07-30
Rosa Puente
A Story Of an American
In Mexico
By F. A. mitchell

enough money to enable him to 81
himself up in some sort of bushes
and not fancying mercantile pursuit..
cast about for an out of door metho.!
of investment. He visited the ives ;.
looked over the sheep growing indus
try and concluded that under the con-
ditions it was not inviting. Going
down to Galveston, he sailed for Vera
Cruz, Mexico, and thence he went by
rail up to the capital.
Coffee raising appeared much more
attractive to him than sheep raising.
and he decided to spend some time on
coffee plantation studying the cul-
ture of the bean. Every morning he
mounted horse. DOMINIC Mexican
riding costume. which consists of tight
trousers with row Of buttons run
ming the full length Of the leg, short
coat and a profusely decorated sugar
loaf sombrero. In this attire MI.
Burch looked very handsome and. be-
ing young man in the twenties. was
especially fitted to capture the hearts
of Mexican maidens
One morning he was riding along a
road lined with tropical verdure Tie
sun shone brightly and would have
shone hot had not its rays been tent
pered by the high altitude Of the Mex
lean plateau. which is more than 1000
feet above the sea. The country com
bined the beauties of the tropics with
the exhilarating air of the mountains
Indeed, there were peaks all about
him, while in the distance an elongat-
ed mountain presented the form Of a
woman resting on her bier. the snow
forming her winding sheet.
Before Malcolm Burch tripped lit
tie Mexican girl. Her jacket. covered
with spangles. reached barely to her
waist Her skirt. bedecked in like
manner. fell not far below the. knee
Not needing her robosa "a garment
Mexican women wear over their heads
and shoulders-she carried 1t on her
arm.
eff anything were needed" said the
American to himself, "to complete this
delicious landscape it would be the lit
tie figure sparkling in the rays Of the
sun"
When he reached the girl she turned
and cast a glance at him. She was
neither Spanish nor Indian, but. mix
ture of the two races. Her Spanish an
cestors must have once dwelt under the
Pyrenees. where the climate is mild
and many Of the people are fair, for her
hair had gold tinge in it, and her
| eyes. if not blue. were certainly not
black She was apparently about six
teen years old.
Burch had picked up few words OF
Spanish for ordinary use, but moi
enough to carry on conversation. But
a man does not need words to express
| admiration Indeed, the word beside
| the look would seem very tame. Burct
knew the words to express 'Where are
you going?" but did not understand the
reply. He put out his hand and his
| foot resting in the stirrup. meaning. III
| you will give me your hand and pu
your little foot on mine | will lift vol
up behind me and carry you whitherso
ever you are going"
The girl hesitated. then advanced, die
as he indicated. and he swung her III
behind him on the horses back. Il.
keep her position she must put he
arms about his waist, and wheneve
his hand touched hers there came tin
gle that ran by leaps and jumps to hi
heart He asked her her name, and sh
said it was Rosa Puente with such
musical voice that, pretty as it was
the name sounded much prettier.
They rode along. he mixing Englis
and Spanish. three parts English to on
language which was the only one sh
knew She looked and acted unsophi.
ticated. but when they approached
clump Of adobe houses she slid dow
On the ground. knowing full well tha
she must not appear in company wit
man. Had she been Of the uppe
class she could not have been NOR
particular in this respect. that class
which girls are not permitted to col
verse With members Of the opposit
sex except through barred window
Or the man standing in the street viii
the girl stands on balcony above hin
Malcolm Burch said "Buena bye
mixing his languages as usual, and tt
girl replied in the vernacular n
forced his horse to walk very Slow
in order that he might Keep her anea
of him. partly that he might feast h
eyes on her graceful figure and part
to observe where she went. She sto
ped at an adobe house with thatche
roof in the center Of small yard
which chickens and vegetables az
lowers grew indiscriminately.
The knowledge that Rosa Puen
was not one of the higher class Me.
cans. while it brought shadow
disappointment. did not deter Burt
from following up an affair which
should have dropped at once Wht
he went to sleep that night hespasst
from consciousness to Slumber with
tumble of Rosa Puente and 9th
varieties of roses, adobe houses chic
ems and such articles running al
l.