Cheraw chronicle. [volume] (Cheraw, S.C.) 1896-2005, 1914-08-06
A COMMON LANGUAGE
BY =. n. MASON.


1 looked up from my gardening and
saw my next door neighbor- usually
the most aimiable Of women-literally
shaking with indignation. on her front
porch. while a COW was on the grass
plot below, contentedly munching the
last Of tho Gloire de Diton.
Mrs. Farleigh took a pot containing
q small. withered palm from the porch
rail, heaved 1t at the COW, and ex-
claimed: "Drat the beast!"
The pot broke innocently some way
from the COW. and the animal went
over to 1t and Examined the palm. It
was too dry for her taste, however.
She evidently preferred sweet, succu-
lent rose bushes.
"Shoo!" Mrs. Farleigh followed the
exclamation down the steps, shaking
her apron vigorously as she went. The
COW walked leisurely away, notwith-
standing the pieces Of broken flower
pot that my neighbor sent after it
"Ain't that the limit?"
had intended to keep out Of the
controversy, and had busted myself be-
hind hakea, but hakea forms a poor
shelter, and this last remark was eyi-
IDENTITY intended for me.
It's hard" l replied sympathetical
ly. or course l said just the wrong
thing. Anything l might have replied
would have been wrong to one in Mrs.
Farleigh's mood.
Hard! Hard!" she shouted in dis
gust. Il wasn't thinking of the COW g
digestion. It's my gIory-de-John rose
that worries me. I've tended it all
winter. like mother. and it was Just
coming into bloom. Them Mexicans
have no right to keep cows in a re-
spectable neighborhood"
The Mexican was a bette noir to the
netGhbors. He had arrived recently.
and bought four lots. On these he
was keeping half a dozen cows, and
running q small dairy farm. He seemed
TO be circumventing the city ordi-
nance, which prohibited one person
keeping more than one COW, by dis
tributing the ownership Of the animals
among his children. The bad feature
about the affair was that the family
were casual about letting the COWS
roam on the premises. They had
owned a large ranch in Mexico, before
the revolution. and did not understand
being confined to four city lots.
IT'S too bad. Why don't you 70
over and see them about it," l sug-
gested mischievously, for 1 knew the
Mexicans understood little or no Eng
lish.
WILL" Mrs. Farleigh said decided
Iy. Il have just cause for complaint" I"
You surely have" l agreed. Its
the proper thing to do"
Mrs. Farieigh trotted across the
street. her anger rising as she went,
and pushed the button beside the
MeXican's front door,
was bad enough to take up a point
OF vantage behind a large leptosper-
mum. to watch the burlesque, for
imagined my neighbor had not the
Spanish.
Inc Mexican woman appeared, and
my neighbor started the attack. Your
old COW has been and ct my glory-de-
John rose" Mrs. Farleigh shouted.
Gloria de Juan, senora!" the Mexi-
can woman exclaimed, in surprise.
Juan was her eldest son.
DE waun seniora nothing. Your
COW, COW. cow" each time she spoke
the word. Mrs. Farleigh pointed a fin
ger viciously at the offending animal,
which was contentedly Illuminating over
the flavor OF rose bushes near by,
your COW has been ct my glory-de-
John rose"
The Mexican woman was clearly
puzzled. La vaca gloria de Juan!
No, no. Ordena la vaca"
Cant you savvy English?" Mrs.
Farleigh asked Indignantly.
mo hablo ingles."
"You have no English, eh?" Mrs.
Farletgh resorted to pigeon English
Tapping the Mexican woman on the
chest with a finger. Mrs Farleigh de-
manded: You no savvy?"
mo sabe"
For the lands sake. And I've been
and left my housework to come over
here and give you bit OF my mind"
The humor of the situation dawned on
Mrs. Farleigh. She placed her hands
on her hips. and, with arms akimbo,
laughed uproariously.
The Mexican woman stared in aston
kpH