Semi-weekly herald., 1914-04-16

Indians. Other very brown women,
who had gone barefooted most of
their lives, were still barefooted at
the ball, for all the French shoes they
had found in the abandoned homes
lof the rich they discovered to be very
o'sfef gr's..o wear. But their bare feet
and out under the hens
Io1 d French gowns, which had
been part of the Durango loot, and
their heads were covered with chic
French bonnets, of very late mode,
which the rich danes of Durango had
not been able to carry away with
them, when the rebels entered the
town. Most of the gowns didn't meet
in the back, it is true, for soldiers
sweethearts in Mexico don't wear cor
sets, but everybody seemed greatly
pleased with the effects and good
time was had by all, especially when
in spirit of pleasantly, the guests
with the encouragement of the host
oCSdil tiiC IapcotttSo anu
curtains of the palace.
Every rebel leader in Durango lives
in an abandoned mansion; they drew
lots for them, after the first chiefs
had taken their pick. Pianos are the
source of greatest pleasure and self
playing piano that belonged to the
Widow Barbara Martinez del Dio,
whose mansion was seized by chief
who permitted her to occupy one room
of the place, is generally considered
the finest piece of loot in Durango.
But, even if your piano doesn't play
itself, you can play it, as best you
can. Passionately fond of music, as
all Mexicans are, the rebels in Duran
go give the highest social recognition
to three rebel officers who are able
to play few dance tunes. And, by
patient practising, some Of the rebels
who didn't know how to play piano
before the revolution, are learning
how to pick out tunes. Like true
leader, however, Calixto Contreras,
chief of the entire band, has set about
really to learn how to play. Among
the prisoners he took when he seized
the town was a brother of Ricardo
Castro, one of Mexico's greatest pi-
anists.
"Pll keep you out of Jail if you'll
promise not to run away and to come
to my headquarters whenever l send
for you, and give me music les
son." said Contreras, after summon
ing Castro before him. Castro made
bargain of it and, at last reports,
Contreras, who is a young man, was
progressing rapidly.
"I've always wanted to play pi-
ano, ever since was little mu-
chacho," he explained to a friend,
"but | never had chance. Now I've
got my opportunity and I'd be fool
not to take advantage of it. Castro
says Pm getting along splendidly.'
The teacher and his pupil have become
great friends and during his lesson
hour and practice times no. one dares
interrupt Contreras with affairs OF
government. A few of the rich folks
of Durango didn't run away during
the invasion. These persons have had
some alarming experiences. They are
idle rich no longer; they keep busy
lodging rebels on the streets. After
the rebels got control of the town
they fell into the custom Of pestering
with boots and stones, every "rich"
hperson who walked down the street in
collars and cuffs. "Curros," they
yelled, meaning "dudes." Now, If you
see a poorly dressed person walking
along the streets of Durango, you may
be almost certain that he is one Of
the rich men of the town. In the street
cars, the rich men ride in the sec
ond class cars and the rebels in the
first class; the rich ride alone, just
as they did before the revolution, and
the street car company takes great
er care in cleaning the second class
cars than it does the first class ones.
The rebels have moved scores OF
pianos and vast quantities Of house
furnishings, statues, paintings and
other loot to the nearby town of Cuen-
came, where Contreras' home is sit
uated. 1t was against the churches
that the rebels showed the greatest
spite. They ransacked these and pill
llaged the affairs. But this wasn't
sign, evidently, that they didn't be-
lieve in religion, for the rebels keep
the sacristans busy ringing the bells
for the saints day of some little
chief or to proclaim the news of some
rebel victory.
It's some fun, being a revolution
ist, when things go right.