Askov American. [volume] (Askov, Pine County, Minn.) 1914-current, 1915-08-26


OwSeans after setting the Twirle,
Twins on tho right track, expecting Il
snsnd two weeks I'm old Mexico befor,
Fsturning TO New York.
40 the train raced along through for
ssts Of cacti and acres OF centur!
Daants. Poe re-read the following In
1swnation with much interest.
Catorce, point OF departure for
The mining town OF the same name
= the adjacent hills, The sta
lion ID about one mile from the
SoOthills, where the train begins.
ROai do Catorce, about IA XII.
lOms. from the railway station, 10
poised on the slope Of q precip-
ttous mountain D.043 feet above
- level, In the center Of one OF
The richest silver-producing re-
gions In tho world.
No wheeled vehicle was ever seen
b the narrow. precipitous streets
q the town. and good hotels ara
Just - scarce. The only maison 10
that OF Senior Rafael Saleido.
The region roundabout Ia fairly
bursting with mineral wealth, and
ehare are many mines. Catorce
(fpurteen)) derives It's name from
il infamous outlaws who once In
tested that region.
The putf.eyed conductor. an obsequi-
Inn Mexican with sun-shrunk skin,
lkCpped beside the American traveller
Dnd asked In English:
Well. senior. have you made UP
eOar mind TO leave us at Catorce?"
+ believe So" answered Poe. "You
NY you can recommend 1t because II
INIT t0urist-ridden2''
Yes. You will ind few English
spsaking people there. II Ia quite a
Wild place. You will sleep In hole,
and have difficulty In getting anything
% 10 eat!"
Sounds tempting! I've an old
hiand. q mining engineer: l believe
hs's up here pulling silver out OF the
earth somewhere. think I'll stop off,
Z you'll be good enough to wise this
hck0t 10 Mexico City"
A minute later the dusty train camo
b . stop at little adobe village con.
sisting Of a hollow square OF baked
mud houses glaring In tho sun: scat.
tartng OK MANNED. ragged natives run
Ming along beside the train. begging
ptteoualy In high-pitched voices. "Un
cdntisaime. senior. un centlssimel"
and = handful OF native women with
large. shapely. Smallnecked water
e0ttlcs OF pottery, catching scalding
water from the wastepipe OF the high
shouldered steam engine.
Poo stepped down and beckoned to
twisty. frog.faced fellow standing
beside group OF nasth-eaten burros
IN the caked earth station platform.
"CarEador-Catorc cried the
Euide messenger. taking the suit case
fr0m tho travellers hand. and pointing
- tho trail twisting UP the mountain
- Real do Catorce
Tbs tourist noddsd his head. and
mounted scrubby little sand horse
shich boy with = guitar and black
nan glasses brought from cool black
stable near by.
Hall an hour later gay little Gle OF
sufros was winding through the foot
hills Mp the trail ~ the mining town,
saaded by Poe on one horse, ave-
bot Spanish sword jangling at the
dds OF his saddle: behind came the
AAck-spectacled boy astrido patient
surro. his long legs dangling to the
ErOand at either sido Of tho animal,
ID guitar swung on q say ribbon aid.
NJ ACROSS his thin high shoulders;
aext : pleasantfaced old woman cit.
dng sidewise on braided iibef pad
strapped to 4 wahhly.legged burro:
sAe woman carried = large natural lin
m umbrella. and famed herself SLOW.
b With = palm leaf. Behind came 1
1o<an burros carrying casks. packages.
No travellers suit case and load OF
somhreros; all being urged ahead by
~ little guide walking along. frog.
nGged. shouting .Buhrrrooool" and
-0tsuuuhis at tho stupid little sand
antmAls.
The dusty caravan mounted the
sleep trail at monotonous pace.
ssOppinG only once for q drink OF wa
- 030t0H - WNyhAdC OGHAbNAGk AhAtA"
~ the resting place of q weary trav-
sfar who never reached Real do Ca.
AnrcA
~ they scrambled over tho pebbly
Nd. the burro boy pushed his black
ehssss high on his forehead. and
lannfnr back on his little mount
snsnmed . drowsy Spanish tune.
- dropped back beside the boy. and
Uatched him play, A the boy I'm
sAsa. the banker smiled his apprecia-
~. and leaning over. touched . ring
- The boys finger. asking In Span.
N:
Where did you get that?'
TAs boy glanced at II with con-
seioua pride. and flashed the white
$3.50 la tho sun. At hrst he was re-
lnskant to reply. then he said quickly
Il Ais native tongue:
~An American gave II me for quick
yx1a down the mountain"
.Whenf. asked the traveller. idly
aspscting the cheap imitation dia.
monA
Last night Tho boz swung tho
gulens hack 10 IT. plaza across his
1sn)a1rs. SLIPPED o. the burro in