The Detroit times. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1903-1920, 1914-05-06

i shake this time Most or them are
very disconnected because they ar
rived in Vera Cruz three days after
the battle. TOO late for any war'cor'
responding,
Here YOU are at the Plazas Every
Mexican city-or town has, In It's very
center. a square park, criss-crossed
/ by gravel walks, and centered by
| bandstand. which is called The Plaza.
Here. in the late afternoon and early
evening. the Mexicans gather TO lis
ten 10 the town band. II Is the Gus
tom for the senOritas, accompanied
] by their chaperones, TO walk in one
direction about the park, and for the
lads to walk In the other and 20 ilirt,
with their eyes, as they pass. They're
doing il now. You find the Plaza full
OF Mexicans The band is playing.
IT'S a band from the Florida The
tune is one OF the latest hits In New
York. The Mexican senoritas like IL.
They can hirt 70 the tune OF Its APP
pie Blossom Time in Normandy just
as well as TO the music OF Carmen
Now you're IN the very heart OF
Vera Cruz, and IL will keep your eyes
busy 70 catch all the sights. Sit
down AT cafe table. under the por.
tails or porches. that line the Plaza.
I'm the cathedral spire across the
park there sits among the bells Il
Jackie in white, his feet dangling in
space. Jackies have been on guard
up there ever since in the battle
three days ago, they toppled six Mex
lean sharpshooters out OF the place.
on the top Of another building facing
the park, stands marine with a flag
in each hand, wig wagging messages
over the roofs OF the town TO the
ships in the harbor Here goes
huge marine, in blue, perched on the
seat Of a tiny sprinkling cart, drawn
by tiny burro.
THE nayy's on the water wagon,
someone yells Three cheers FOR
tire wine ness The marine whacks
the burro. gives a boot and his rattly
water wagon spFinkies wobbiy
stream along the Plaza asphalt
On another side OF the Plaza 90
marines stand patiently AT attention
while famous war artist Sketches
them. group OF curious civilians
surround the artists easel, and, IRON
time TO time he yells. Get out OF my
There's n yell in another part OF
the Plaza and a company OF khaki
clad lIfanttymen swing 4sintoH the
aHhareS fh6tr6 7Pny BOYS. part ~
tf~ s.iau2ands who have arrived only'
today TO relieve the navy of thea duty
OF policing the city. Soldiers ride by,
singly and In pairs, on rangy, NANCY,
Mexican ponies which they have
picked up goodness only knows
where There's a quarrel at a table
near you Two shoe.shining boys are
demanding 50-centevos for shining
the shoes and riding leggings of a
couple OF infantrymen and the latter
think the price Is too high. The in
fantrymen can't talk Spanish and the
only English word the dusky little
shoe-shiners know is meester,
These American soldiers may have
conquered Vera Cruz, but they can +
conquer the bootblacks, so the In
fantrymen pay their 50-cent pieces
and depart, calling the barefooted
boys "greaser robbers"
An army aeroplane circles over the
town. but within two days Vera Cruz
has become accustomed to the sight
and only few persons crane their
necks TO see it,
BY this time evening IS falling.
The tropic sunshine has disappeared;
cool breeze is blowing in from the
Mexican gulf Three thousand per
sons or more hll the Plaza soldiers,
blue Jackets, white marines. white
clad men and women, brown Mexican
beauties In white and browner Next
can men in sombreros. The electric
trees OF the Plaza. The wig-wag men
on the roof are using blinking cleo
trio lights now, instead OF their flags.
On balcony stands q little Mexican
girl waving her arms in imitation OF
the wig.wag men. IT'S a trick she has
learned since the gringoes came. It's
almost bedtime for her. and for
grown folks, too, because the city is
under martial law and taps sound at
3 o'clock.
Soon the streets vii; be deserted
and the houses dark. The only foot
falls on the pavements will be those
on guard, or OF belated newspaper
working their way
from sentry to sentry down TO the
cable Office.
Out in the sand hills In a circle
miles beyond the town, American
soldier boys are keeping their yfgils.
Uncle Sam is really on the firing line.
--
The last grandson OF Prince Potem-
kin, favorite of Empress Catherine or
L IN HfanAunrnI In