The Prince George's enquirer and southern Maryland advertiser., 1914-07-24

or state, Out very 6XcltlnS lOT lHe udu-
sells and most provocative to the Amer
leans.
After the promenade in the plaza
the mothers by common consent pre-
empted the upstairs reception-room.
gathering their precious charges In
close; while the Americans. after their
custom, foregathered in the lobby,
convenient to the bar. Hot argu-
ments about the revolution, and pre-
dictions of events to come served to
pass the early evening, with many
scornful glances at the Mexican DAN
dies who went so insolently up the
stairs. And then, as the refugees re-
tired to their apartments and the spirit
of adventure rose uppermost, Phil DE
! Lancey made q dash out into. the
| darkness and came back with a Mext-
can string band.
"A serenade, boys!' he announced,
as the musicians filed sheepishly into
the hotel. Our guests, the fair seno-
ritas, you know! Well make those
young Mexican dudes look like two
! spots before the war is over. Who's
game now for song beneath the win
dows? You know the old stand-bys-
I La Paloma' and 'Teresita Mia-and
YOU want to listen to me sing Me Gus
tan Todas' to Gracia the fairest of the
fair! Come on, fellows, out in the
plaza. and then listen to the old folks
cuss!"
They adjourned then, after a drink
| for courage, to the moonlight and the
plaza: and there, beneath the shut
tered windows and vacant balconies,
the guitars and violins took up La
Paloma," while Phil and few brave
spirits sang.
A silence followed their first at
third, and the comisario of police, a
mild creature owned and paid by the
company, came around and made a
few Intellectual protests.
But inside the company's conces-
sion, where by common consent the
militant rurales kept their hands off,
the Americans knew they were safe.
and they soon jollied the comisario
into taking a drink and departing.
Then De Lancey took up the burden,
and the string band, hired by the hour,
strummed on as If for eternity.
One by one the windows opened;
fretful fathers stepped out on the bal
cony and, bound by the custom and
convention of the country, thanked
them and bade them good night. But
the two windows behind which the
Senor Aragon and his family reposed
did not open and, though the dwin-
ding band stood directly under their
balcony, and all knew that his daugh-
| ter was the fairest of the fair, Don
Cipriano did not wish them good night.
Perhaps he recognized the leading
tenor-and the big voice Of Bud
Hooker, trying to still the riot-but,
however it was, he would not speak
to them, and De Lancey would not
quit
"Try 'em on American music!" he
cried, as everyone but Bud went away
in disgust, "the latest rag from Broad
wa-ay, New York Here, gimme that
| guitar, hombre, and listen to this
now!"
| He picked out clever bit of syn
copation and pitched his voice to a
heady twang:
Down In the garden where the red roses
| Oh my, long to go!
| Pluck me like flower. cuddle me an hour,
LOWE let me learn the Red Rose Ra-as!
There was some swing to that, and
it seemed to make an impression, for
lust as he was we'll started on the
chorus the Stats of one of the shut,
ters parted and patch of white shone
through the spaces. 1t was the ladies,
then, who were getting interested!
| Phil walled on:
"swee-eet honey-bee be sweet to mel
| My heart is free. but - the keyr'
And then, positively, he could see
that patch of white beat time. He
took heart of grace at that and sang
on to the end, and at suggestion OF
clapping in dumb-show he gave an en-,
core and ragged it over again.
'Ev'rybody's doin' it, doin' it, doin'
it!'" he began, as the shadow dance
ceased.
Honey, 1 declare, it's bear. it's a
bear, it's a bear!'" he continued
temptingly, and was well on his way
to further extravagancies when the
figure in white swiftly vanished and a
door slammed hard inside the house.
Several minutes later the form of
Don Juan appeared at the lower door,
and in no uncertain tones he requested
\ them to cease.
"The Senor Aragon informs me-" he
said, that your music annoys him.
We'll, let him come to the balcony
and say his 'buenas noches,'" an
swered Phil resentfully.
"The gentleman refuses to do that!"
responded Don Juan briefly.
Then let him go to bed!" replied
De Lancey, strumming a few synco-
pated chords; I'm singing to his
daughter"
At that Don Juan came down off the
porch in his slippers and they engaged
in protracted argument.
What, don't I get a word?" de,
manded Phil grievously, mot pleas
ant look from anybody? 'Swee-eet
uOH6y -D60, D6 sweet 10 me. uS
pleaded, turning pathetically to the
ladys balcony; and then, with sud-
den flourish, white handkerchief ap-
peared through the crack of the shut
ters and Gracia waved him good night.
Enough, Don Juan!" he cried, lay
ing down the guitar with thump;
this ends our evenings entertain
ment!"
After paying and thanking the stolid
musicians Phil joined Bud and the
pair adjourned to their room, where,
in the intervals of undressing, Phil
favored the occupants Of the adjoining
apartments with an aria from Beau
tiful Doll"
But for all such nights of romance
and music there is always a morning
afterward; and a fine tenor voice set
to ragtime never helped much in the
development of mine. Though Bud
had remained Loyalty by his friend in
his evening serenade he, for one, never
forgot for moment that they we're