The Colorado statesman., 1915-10-16
BY JOHN w. ROBERTS.
international News Service,

amigo! PaSe listed, you are well re-
ceived"
l had ridden up on my horse to a
little mud hut ON the Mexican side
of the Rio Grande, and as | arrived
i was met by four dogs, barking loud
ly, and the lord and master of the
place-a small Mexican of many smiles
and cleaning white teeth-who came
forward to greet me.
1T is very warm day, senor!
Come into this house, which is yours,
and permit me to unsaddle your horse
30 that he can feed on the bountiful
grass which God has given u.s."
My name is Roberts" / said, dis
mounting. Il am a newspaper man.
and / came up this way for a ride"
He stretched his hand in greeting.
Ramon Martinez, at your ORDERS
he smiled. While you are here
please consider me your most humble
servant"
unsaddled my pony, and threw the
saddle on the shady side of the adobe
hut. Ramon removed the bride, and
with an affectionate slap at the beasts
launches, drove him out to the grass
in the open prairie.
Won't he get away?" l asked.
mo, senior; he is hungry, therefore
he will spend all his time filling his
belly. Now, into my house, senior;
the heat is terrific here, and besides
you are just in time for the dinner
which my good wife is cooking"
The house" had, as thought, only
one room. In one corner, neatly rolled
against the wall, was some bedding
which also served as settees. A num-
ber of gaudy calendars decorated the
thick adobe walls. Beneath them was
large crucifix, under which a candle
was kept burning. At the other end
of the room sQuatted very pretty
girl, making tortillas over brazier.
She wiped her perspiring brow as we
entered, and smiled prettily when her
husband introduced me.
Host Is Amazed.
Ramon is terrible" she laughed
He should not have taken your good
taste by inviting you to partake of
such miserable meal. We have moth
ing but tortillas and frijoles and cof-
fee"
10 lueIc uO GILL. HtI
asked in surprise.
ooh, yes-and chilli"
''Sit down. amigo" Ramon said,
'and II may be so rude as to ask
you for a cigarette, we can smoke in
comfort while Amelia cooks dinner"
/ offered him my red case, from
which he took long, cork-tipped Gig
arctic
"Ah! Muy fno," he said, ae he
puffed eagerly. You must be a very
rich man"
No" laughed. Those only cost
twenty-five cents, gold. a box"
"Veinte-cinco centavos oro!" he
screamed in amazement. why, why,
that means twenty-five dollars of our
money" His astonishment was un-
limited.
What do you think of the warfare
across the river?" l asked him. rs 1t
true that you Mexicans intend to in
wade our country? What does all this
mean?"
The question seemed to amuse Ra-
mon immensely and he slapped his
knee and roared in laughter.
Il was just discussing with my wife
how foolish you Americans were to
believe such tales. Most of the war
fare going ON over there is caused by
the bad feeling between the Mexicans
living In your own country and the
American settlers. A lot of the Mex
leans, of course, are brigands. who
have been kicked out of the Carran-
zista army, and having nowhere else
to go, cross over into Texas and en-
rich themselves by gathering a small
band of paisanos and then raiding un-
protected ranches of your countrymen.
OF course they carry guns, and II
they are shot at, they return the fire,
but as for war between the two ma
tions-ah! 1t is very funny" and his
body shook again as he laughed.
More Foolishness.
What about the plan of San Diego"
/ asked. "in which all Mexicans are
invited to Join an army which is going
to invade the United States and cap
ture Texas?"
THAT is more foolishness which
should not be taken seriously. 1t is
the blind which these bandits leaders
use to take men into their bands. AS
far as plans go, mi senior. could not
you, or |, draw up elaborate procla-
nations in which we declared war
against the whole world? Does that
mean that we could capture the world
or make an efficient warfare? Ridic-
ulous!"
Dinner is served" Amelia. blush
ing furiously. interrupted our con
versation. She stood up and was wip-
ing the perspration from her face
with a clean white towel. Neat in ap-
pearance, round of figure. delicate
complexion and pretty white teeth