Las Vegas optic., 1914-03-26


valuable time. They were walking
with the president in the Chapultepec
grounds when the American charge
daffaires drove by. The president
recognized his car. and remembering
that there was something that he
wanted to talk to the American rep
resentative about, srsnalled him to
stop O'shaughnessy alighted, joined
the official group and was preparing
to continue his drive when the presi-
dent asked him to get into his car
with him. The two drove off together,
leaving Ministers Banquet, Alcocer
and other councillors OF the president
staring after the car. Half an hour
later Huerta set O'Shaughnessy down
near his own car and resumed the in
terrupted cabinet meeting.
1t is not uncommon for the presi-
dent to summon his ministers to a
meeting during the middle Of the
night and cabinet meetings, or what
would pass for cabinet meetings, have
taken place in cafes.
Huerta does not indulge in physical
exercise as means Of recreation. He.
derives his recreation in talking as
tronomy with any one who can inter-
est him In the subject and the man
who does must be an expert-or in
dining with his intimate friends. The
time he retires appears matter of in
difference, as does his arising in the
morning. Usually he is up early.
The lightest kind OF breakfast, coffee
and rolls, he gets as soon as he is
awake. A little work, If he thinks Of
anything to do. and then almost every
morning walk up and down on the
sidewalk in front of his house in the
district known as San Rafael. After
that more breakfast and then lot
of work. He may go to the Chapul-
tepec woods or the national palace
but it is just as likely he win do his
mornings work at his home, summon
ing to him there all who may have
business with him. without much
routine, and with executive mastery
showing all he can onto his subordi-
mates, he ploughs through the days
work until z or O'Clock, when he is
ready for dinner
Dinner may be in his own home or
in that of one of his friends Huerta's
ideas Of democracy do not prevent
him from dining where he pleases-
very likely in one of the public res
taurants. There is one central res
taurant that has received the greatest
part Of his patronage Here the en-
trance Of the president accompanied
by one or two of his aides, perhaps
a personal friend or two and possibly
a member Of his family, has long since
ceased to be a novelty. In the days
Of Porfirio Diaz the visiting of pub
lie dining place was something Of a
state ceremony. His coming and his
going was carefully staged and those
privileged to witness it were reckoned |
among the fortunate. To the music
of the national hymn he entered and
retired while all others stood. A res
laurant keeper would have felt him
self justified in raising the prices on |
his menus if Diaz had happened to
drop in.'
But Huerta is conducting a demo
ratio regime. He likes to dine IN
,ublic and he does not like formalities.
He marches in with no apparent con-
,ern, selects table and orders his
Inner. The orchestra does not in
errupt the piece 1t is playing merely
the president is entering and |
he other diners. grown accustomed
o being co-patrons with the presi-
lent, do little more than crane their
lecks to see who it is dining tonight
With Huerta.
1