The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1915-11-21
MASTFRLY STORIES OF AMERICAN RANCH LIFE ::

INV wash
she was just different. And old San
tiago that had walked from Chile to
Dakota he fell in love with her at
first blink in the same fashion. You
take a man that will walk 5000 miles
and can play the fiddle, and when he
does fall in love he does it perfectly
outrageous.
"On the other hand, that girl took
some shine to Santiago. She was
very modest about it, but ketched
her slippin' an eye his way more'n
once, and one time when he spoke
to her she mixed up the package she
was fixin'.
by this time the minister, he had
shook hands with me.
"'Now just make yourself at
home, Mr.. Saunders he says. And
anything we can do for you we will
$50, fndin' Santiago still busy
talking to the snow girl, / picks me
out as juicy and snappy little peach
OF a brunette as the place afforded
and she and me had supper together.
THAT girl had lots of fun fiirtin'
with me. It's proper to encourage
the young, so encouraged her in it.
Finally she remarked what a
strange-lookin' Teller Santiago was,
but how interesting!
YES l says, that young felleS
has got little private history OF his
own that's all to his credit. Besides
that, he can play the fiddle SO as to
make you love yourself to death
"'Oh! Can he" says the girl. i
wish / could hear him play
"'Wcll, you SHALL l says. Just
excuse ME for minute
$50 then l went down to Johnny
on-the-Spot's Fluid grocery store
and L asked Johnny for the loan OF
his fiddle. When l told Johnny I
was goin' to take it to Presbyterian
testivity he used unkind words
some of 'em scarcely fit to print.
Johnny, he didn't like no kind of
a church, and first off he wasn't goin'
to let me have the fiddle. l had to
argue with him with one thumb in
the back of his neck, and l left him
rubbing the spot and wishing me
things that. if they happened to me,
would be hard luck
$50 then sashays back to the
bazaar with the fiddle under my arm
and l told the minister that if he
didn't object my young friend would
give us some music. Then / told
Santiago to cache the Ghost Dance
music and give US something human
that the girls could understand.
They had a piano in the place, for
a tall lady with carpenter-shaving
curls and face too old for her age
was goin' to sing Where Is the Lit
tie Gipsy's Home? and other
sprightly coquettish pieces when sup
per was finished.
Everybody clapped when the min
lister made his announcement that
the young friend now present would
kindly crafty the audience by play
ing on the violin. Then there was
some difficulty about music, but my
little brunette, she says to me: Come
along and we scampered off to her
house and come back with an armful
of the stuff. Then there was some
talk about who was to play the piano.
Everybody seemed to think that Ora
was the proper person. 1t turned
out that Ora was the snow girl.
"She walked right up to the piano
without any excuse about her fingers
bcin' hoarse or havin' cramps in her
teet or anything like that and simp-
ly asked Santiago if he could fiddle
from piano music. He led her to be-
lieve he would make the effort, any
how. So Ora treated the worries
nice for a little running start, and
then old Santiago up with his bow
and played for his life.
That was one noble piece of
music. I don't recall the name of it
now, but it sure was loaded with
beef. Everybody hollered for more
when they quit, and l reckon the two
of 'em worked away for a full half
hour.
Then Santiago, who always had
good sense. smelled the fact that
some of the young parties would like
to dance, and slid out of playin' any
more real nice and graceful, Spanish
fashion.
Ora got up from the piano, and
my little brunette grabbed a holt Of
me for the first waltz, which the min
lister was yankin' out in good shape.
Me and my little brunette we
danced together most of the even
ing, although the rest of the girls was
always Hatterin' me by sayin' it
wasn't fair, and that she was mean
thing, and the like of that.
81 kinder noticed that Santiago
and the snow girl was together most
Of the time.
"When the music ended Santiago
raised her hand, Spanish fashion, and