Mexico Missouri message. (Mexico, Audrain County, Mo.) 1899-1918, 1914-07-16

into a room. throwing open the outer
doors and shutters to let them see the
view from the window.
Here is a little balcony" he said.
stepping outside. where you can sit
and look down on the plaza. We have
the band and music when the weather
Is flne. and you can watch the pretty
girls from here. But you have been In
Mexico-you know all that!" And he
gave Phil rogulsh dig.
"Bien. my frien'. am glad to meet
you" He held out his hand in wei
come and De Lancey gave his In re-
turn. my name" he continued, us
Juan de Dios Brachamonte y Escalon;
but with these Americans that does
not go. az you say. so in general they
call me Don Juan.
There is something about that
name-I do not know-thst makes the
college boys laugh. Perhaps It is that
poet, Byron, who wrote so scandalous.
ly about US Spaniards, but certainly
he knew nothing of our language. for
he rhymes Don Juan with new one and
true one!' Still. read part of that
poem and it is. in places. very interest
ing-yes. very interesting-but Don
Joo-anr Hah!"
He threw up his hand in despair and
De Lancey broke into jollying laugh.
Well, Don Juan" he cried. I'm glad
to meet you. My name Is Philip De
Lancey and my pardner here is fr.
HAnlrar ~,
Juan de Dios! But certainly man so
devoutly named could never descend
to reading much of Don Jooan!"
"Ah, no." protested Don Juan, roll
ing his dark eyes and smiling rakishly,
mot moch-only the most interesting
passages!"
He saluted and disappeared in a roar
of laughter. and De Lancey turned
triumphantly on his companion, self
satisfied spile upon his lips.
Aha" he said; you see? That's
what five dollars worth of booze will
do in opening up the way. Here's our
old friend Don Juan willing, nay, anx-
ious, to help us all he can-he sees I'm
a live wire and wants to keep me
around. Pretty soon well get him
feeling good and he'll tell us all he
knows. Don't you never try to make
me sign the pledge again. brother
few shots just gets my intellect
to working right and I'm crafty as
a fox
Did you notice that coup I made
asking him IL he was Spaniard?
There's nothing in the world makes a
Spaniard so mad as to take him for a
Mexican-on the other hand, nothing
makes him your friend for life like
recognizing him for a ue-blooded
Castilian. Now maybe our old friend
Don Juan has got few drops OF Moor
ish blood in his veins--to put 1t po-
litely. but" he raised his tenor voice
and improvised-
Jest because my hair is curly
OATS no reason to call me 'shine!'"
NO" agreed Bud, feeling cautiously
of the walls, land Jest because you're
happy is no reason for singing SO
loud. neither. These here partitions
are made of inch boards, covered with
paper-do you get that? Well. then.
considering who's probably listening,
II strikes me that Mr.. Brachamonte is
the real thing in Spanish gentleman;
and I've heard that all genuwine Span
iards have their hair curly. Jest like
a-huh?"
But De Lancey, made suddenly
aware of his indiscretion, was making
all kinds of exaggerated signs for ST.
lence. and Bud stopped with a slow.
goodnatured smile.
"S-s-st!" Kissed De Lancey, touching
his finger to his lips; don't say it.
somebody might hear you'll"
"All right" agreed Bud: "and don't
you say it, either. I hate to knock,
Phil" he added. but sometimes /
think the old man was right when he
said you talk too much"
"Psst!" chided De Lancey, shaking
his finger like Mexican. T1ptoeing
softly over to Bud, he whispered In his
ear: "S-s-st. l can hear the Teller In
the next room-shaving himself"
Laughing heartily at this joke. they
went down stairs for supper.