The Press., 1914-03-11
My
 Reimbursement It Was Not the Kind
 That Was Expected :.
By E. A. MITCHEL

was sent out Dy tue uOuSS ny WnA(A I had been employed for ten years from the time was sixteen till l was twenty-six-to establish a branch of the business at the. capital of that country.
 For awhile was so busy getting a store, unpacking goods and attending to the various requirements of opening up a new business that the country, the people, their customs, manners, appearance, did not engage my atten- l tion, but when all was running smooth ly I began to take notice of what was going on about me. Being young and bachelor, it was natural that the ! first object to interest me was the
 senoritas.
 It has been said that the women o1 | tropical climates are attractive in ap- pearance: when very young, but their beauty soon fades and is replaced by extreme ugliness. But I found that those ofsMexfco differed much as they do in, other countries. Their beauty and its continuance depended largely on their sphere in life. Their long lashes dropping over their liquid brown eyes and their luxuriant hair were to me their chief attractions.
 The poor in Mexico are very poor, and the most prosperous, except in few instances, are not what we in the United States would call rich. In Mexico, as in other countries, there are ups and downs in families, some fnly int poverty.
 Directly opposite the house in which I lived dwelt a family which, from appearances, judged belonged to the latter class. Not long after I came to live near them 1 saw a piano moved out, then a handsome mahogany desk. These were followed by other articles, most of them of a very antique pat tern, in such regular succession that it excited my curiosity. I asked the lady with whom lodged about 1t and she replied:
 ''Oh, the Garcias! They have recent ly lost a great deal of money. For many years the family has owned stock in mines of this country, but since President Diaz has been deposed and our government has been unsta- ble their mines have not been worked. They have been gradually selling off valuable articles that have been in the family many years. Some of them, they claim, were brought over by one of the conquerors from whom they claim descent"
 The world may envy prosperous per sons during their prosperity, but it sympathizes with them when their prosperity passes away from them. l was at an age to pity this unfortunate family, and my heart went out to failed in business just as I was about to enter college and I felt obliged to go into business instead.
 Concia Garcia was typical beauty of the tropics. Her face was oval, her complexion olive, with a tinge of red in her cheeks, while she possessed the liquid eyes, long lashes and wealth of glossy hair of which I have spoken. On several occasions when she had not taken the precaution to draw her win dow curtains I saw her standing be-
 
 noticed that 1t swept the floor.
 I had the advantage of the young lady-so far as I knew-in observing her, while she knew nothing about me, for even if she had under ordinary circumstances taken an interest in young man opposite she now appeared absorbed in her troubles. Though I saw her go and come often from and to her home never saw her smile.
 One morning happened to start for my store just as Senorita Garcia left her house. She was unconscious of my presence on the street, though I saw no one else but her. I walked some distance behind her till, coming to the business part of the city, she entered a pawnshop. An impulse moved me to follow her inside. I was not led by a desire to pry into her affairs, but by an interest in her. She engaged the attention of the proprie- tor while I kept in the background. She produced a brooch with a hand some emerald setting and asked the shOpman if he would buy it or loan on it He said he would do whichever she preferred, offering to buy 1t for much better price than he would loan. The senO1ta, remarking despondently that she would never be able to re deem it. concluded to sell 1t.
 AS she left the shop she glanced at me. I fancied, to see if the sale had been observed by any one she knew. At all events, she showed no further interest in me. As soon as she had left the shop I stepped forward and asked the proprietor if he had any un- claimed antique jewelry for sale. He brought out, among other articles. the emerald hrooch. bought it. but was obliged to pay him double what it nad cost him. Why l bought it or what would do with it did not know. Per haps it was in obedience to the same kind of impulse that had induced me to follow Senorita Garcia into the shop.
 Now and again happened to leave my lodging house at the same time as the young lady left her home, but did not follow her again into a store till one day l saw her enter building from which hung sign, Manuel Cor coma, Dealer In Human Hair."
 Great heavens" I exclaimed, "is she going to sacrifice those splendid tresses?"
 Having delayed a few minutes, I en- tered a room in which there were cases filled with switches, wigs and other such articles. The senorita was there in the act of taking down her hair, the proprietor waiting to inspect t. Seeing me enter, she hesitated, and the proprietor led her into a rear room curtained from the other. But l could see between the curtains and hear the man bargaining for the hair. stopped the proceedings by stepping to the curtain and pulling it aside.
 "Senor,' I said, "I have caught glimpse of this lady's hair and would like to buy 1t. If you conclude to pur- chase it will take it of your hands