The Hartford herald. [volume] (Hartford, Ky.) 1875-1926, 1914-05-27
Strange Scenes Contin-
uaIIy Witnessed.
NIGHT INCIDENTS OF PLAZA
Peon Carries In His Eyes
Look OF Mongrel Who
Expects Kick.
A VIVID DESCRIPTION GIVEN


on the plaza.
Vera Cruz is trying to pretend
that it is enjoying itself.
On two sides Of the square hotels
in front OF which we dring lemon
ade. The walters who love US with
their lips and hate US in their hearts.
are Frustrated with grief because
there is no ice. Being members of
stern and heroic race. We continue
10 drink the warm. sickish stuff.
On a third side Of the plaza the
cathedral. One OF its bells is silent
shattered by a cannon shot from
the feet when the city fell. In the
tower four sentries stand. looking
down into the plaza. A NTH man
flashes messages to the fleet and the
outposts. All around the signal
lights are flashing Shafts Of light
from the searchlights streak the
sky.
On the fourth side of the plaza is
the Constitution where troops are
,7rTart,srrrii- RI He fEeEo- guard ss
in poems who are drunken ON vino.
They think they are going to die.
Tomorrow, sober, they will be re-
leased and fed. Already they are
learning that to be arrested by the
Americans is not half bad.
In the stand in the middle Of the
plaza soldier band is playing.
When il strikes up The Star-Span-
gled Banner" we rise. our soldiers
and officers very stiff and erect. An
American planter who has lived in
Mexico twenty years, says: BY,
that listens good
But the Mexicans sit Sowing at
their little tables and group OF
British naval officers from the Es-
sex remain seated. No discourtesy
j. meant. To stand at such time
might be interpreted as taking
sides"
Not so a group Of French marines
I'm top-heavy white helmets. They
rise TO their feet and bare their
heads. They are short, stocky men,
and they look efficient, for all their
ill-ftting clothes; but on their
sweating faces is all almost sickly
pallOr that contrasts curiously with
the rudy complexion of the Ameri-
cans
The band strikes up a lively rag
time tune. Two soldiers. khaki-clad,
slither over the tagged floor of the
plaza A rifle is slung from the
shoulder Of one OF them.
Even the MeXicans are compelled
10 smile glumly at their antics.
Very difficult to place are the wo-
men at the tables. \ few are wives
81 officers Others are expatriates.
Even the young among them seem
old. They are oyer-dressed. Their
faces are strained. Perhaps it's the
heat One imagines they are tired,
and that their gaiety is artificial and
forced
The crowds Al the tables thin
The women have gone to bed to toss
through sleepless hours in sitting
rooms For in Mexico no woman OF
virtue may 20 abroad without escort
at any hour. and not at all after 9
o'clock
Come then. pretty and smiling
scnoritas Of the underworld Come
100, sinking from alleys, the crea-
lures Of the Mexican night, To search
FOR scraps among the tables and in
the cutters Gaunt they are, and
very timid.
Taps has long since sounded. The
uagpics ia the plaza no longer chat
ter. All around the lights are wink
Ing from hill and ship and steeple.
They are telling the story OF the
night that there Is order in the
city. and the federals are keeping a
respectful distance from the out
posts and alls well.
And so. finally. We go TO our beds.
! was having breakfast on the
sidewalks OF the plaza when boy
stole roll from my plate. He eX-
pected instant death. So when /
spared his life and let him eat the
roll he explained TO me In dumb
show that his father, too. was hun
CRY,
The waiter whose English was
better than my Spanish, would have
driven him away.
Why are they hungry" ! asked.
They were prisoners. senor," the
waiter said. "The sailors of the