The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1914-06-06
Copyright. 1914, by Frank A. MunseyJ

(OOHLlHueQ lTOu EdSe -
it was an even break we'd let the
money talk Here's your quarter-and
IL | match you I'll become the Next
can citizen. All set? Let 'er go!"
He tipped the coin into the air and
caught 1t in his hand.
"Heads!" he called, without looking
at it. What you got?"
"Heads!" answered Bud, and Phil
chucked his money into the air again
and laughed as 1t dropped into his
palm.
Heads she Is again." he cried,
showing the Mexican eagle; Il never
did see the time when couldn't match
you, anyway. So now, old socks, you
can keep right on being Texan and
hating Mexicans like horny toads, and
I'll denounce the Eagle Tail the min
ute the time is up. And | won't go
near the Aragon outfit unless you're
with me-is that go? All right,
shake hands on it, pard! wouldn't
quarrel with you for anything"
Jaw, that's all right mumbled Bud,
rising and holding out his hand. 81
knowed you didn't mean nothing He
sat down again after that and gazed
drearily out the door.
Say, Bud began Phil, his eyes
sparkling with amusement, I've got
something to tell you about that dance
last night. II didn't put the crusher
on Mr.. Feliz Luna and Manuel del
Rey! Wow! sure wished you were
there to see me do it!
This Felix Luna is the son Of an
old sugar planter down in the hot coun-
try somewhere. He got run out by
the revoltosos and now he's up here
trying to make a winning with Gracia
Aragon-uniting two noble families,
and all that junk. Well, sir, of all the
conceited, swelled-up little squirts you
ever saw in your life he's the limit,
nd yet the old man kind of favors
Lin.
But this Manuel del Rey is the cap
tain of the rurales around here and a
genuine Mexican fire-eater-all buck
skin and fierce mustachios, and smells
like chilli peppers and garlic-and the
two of 'em were having it back and
forth as to who got the next dance
with Gracia.
We'll, you know how It is at Next
can dance-everybody is supposed to
be introduced to everybody else-and
when | saw those two young turkey.
cocks talking with their hands and
eyebrows and everybody else backing
off, stepped in close and looked at
the girl
And she's some girl, too, believe
/ me! The biggest brown ayes you ever
saw in your life, a complexion like
cream, and hair-well, there never
was such hair! She was tanning her
self real slow, and in the language Of
the fan that means: This don't inter
est me bit' So, just to show her
was wise, l pulled out my handker
chief and dropped 1t on the floor, anC
when she saw me she stopped and be
gan to count the ribs in her fan. Tha
was my cue-it meant she wanted t
speak with me-so l stepped up ant
| said:
| Excuse me, senorita, but Will,
the gentlemen falkland If the sonora
your mother, will permit-perhaps W,
can enjoy dance?
And say, Bud, you should have seel
the way she rose to it. The girl is
sport, believe me, and the idea of thos
two noyios chewing the rag while sh
sat out the dance didn't appeal to he
at all. So she gave me her hand an,
away we went, with all the old ladie
talking behind their fans and Manue
del Rey blowing up like volcano Ii
bunch of carambas or worse. Gee
it was great, and she could dance lik
queen.
But here's the interesting part O
it-what do you think she asked me
after we'd had our little laugh? Well
you don't need to get so grouchy abou
it-she asked about you!"
"Aw."
Yes, she did! So you see what 70,
get for throwing her down.
! What did she ask"
Well, she asked'-here he stoppe,
and laughed-"she asked if you were
cowboy"
Mo-" cried Bud, pleased in spite O
himself; what does she know anon
cowbo"s?"
"Oh, she's wise!" declared Phil
"shes been to school twice in Lo
Angeles and seen The wild west show
Yes, sir, she's just like an America,
girl and speaks English perfectly Sb,
Told me she didn't like the Mexican
men-they were too stuck on them
selves-and say, Bud, when I told he
you were a genuine Texas COWBOY
what do you think she said?"
wy, l don't know" answered Bud
smiling broadly in anticipation: "yha
did she say?"
"Sha cold cbota III.