The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1916-03-26

li' MA butDtStS. Inc OU1CldI Wis.
Villa. called Luz. gave Il luncheon for
us at her house in Chihuahua city. u
was a large. square. high ceilinged
house with az inner court. The 0en-
cral had borrowed II from some
exilcd enemy.
We strolled UP the front walk be.
tween gun racks holding two dozen
rifles ready for action and name by
as many. of the Generals. personal
b~odyguard. Tho first thing that greeted
us inside the door was a life size pic
ture of the lord and master Of tho
domicile. II was Mrs. Villas favorito
picture of her war l,rd.
The official Mrs. Villa greeted Ms
cordially. She is "A plain. mild man
ncred wonan with black hair and blue
eyes. A GROVE of beggars swarmed I'm
front Of the house. She sent q soldier
out to them to distribute aims. A poor,
wretched, hobbling hulk Of a man In q
soldiers uniform with o Villa button
on his coat she had escorted to the cool
shade Of the veranda. where he could
rest while the servants brought him
food and drink. Her charities in the
city were endless.
We waited in a pale blue and gold
drawing room that might have been
lifted from a French chateau. except
for the artificial flowers scattered
everywhere. outside the garden was
IA wilderness of roses carpeted with
purple %violeis. but they were spurned
in favor of pink pa per daisies and pale
blue orchids.
Il met my General when I vas a
young girl in the mountains" aid our
hostess with a smile. He il a great
warrior. lie IL the savior of his
country"
From a member Of the household We
heard that the General had met her
In the little mountain village Of San
Andreas when he was a bandit, that
nc had taken her to u dance and had
dftcrward carried her away behind
nm on his horse. BE that as II may.
she is n Of his most ardent and
loyal supporters. She wore black and
many icweS OF all ColOrs in heavy
gold settings. These too were undoubt-
cdly '~hoivowed." \ platinum and
diamond wrist watch clasped around
her wrist looked as II 1t had just left
T%iffany's. Somebody had made an un-
willing loan.
The conspicuous person at the
luncheon was little Elias. a tike Of a
boy given TO the General and his
wife along with an automobile. some
horses, IA lot Of bric-a-brac and other
%pIundor. Elias was the Car Of the
Villa household. He reached about
10 your knee and his eyes looked like
two black beads set in a fine case OF
summer tan. He wore "A uniform that
was an exact reproduction of the Villa
dress uniform and when YOU met him
he clicked his tiny boots together and
sdlutcd exactly like a toy automaton
soldier. AT table he ate interninable
bananas. pounding on the table in
high rage when the attendant was
slow in executing his orders.
At a table adjoining sat four Of
the sixteen boys Gen. villa was edu.
eating in "A military school near Los
Angeles. They were home for a vacs-
ton and Mrs. Villa was motherlng
them. They were devoted to her and
Elias. anticipating their every wish.
Later we went in a BORROWED" au.
tomobile. "A stunning big Pierce-Arrow
OF the latest design. - The new villa
the General was building on the first
piece of land he ever owned in Mexico.
II was IN the outskirts Of one Of the
poorest sections Of Chihuahua, sur.
' Rounded 10y the adobe huts II poems.
, lie called II Villa Luz after his wife.
IL "as made mp Of fifty odd rooms,
with stables for his favorite horses,
garages. school rooms and secret
s,airways. ON the roof 800 soldiers
could he accommodated.
Nothing was left to the Imagination
IN the way Of decoration. II there was
= pansy painted ON the wall /, was the
SIZE OF a dinner plate. | have heard
that the enemy has borrowed Villa
Luz ana l. using IT L. stable horses.
lis chatelaine ana little Elias are ex-
i..' n Havana, where the General sent
them with his brother for safe keep
NIX. Before she occupied villa Luz
'h" rcNerseS If the bandit leader had
begun. Never have I received more
lavish hospitality than in the home
of l'ancho Villa.
Leaving chihuahua We passed q
troop Of machine gun men. The guns
wer" mounted on mules. Sammy al
most wept al sight of them and would
have deserted but We feared the worst
and locked him IN a stateroom until
We were out ~ the danger zone. With
out his Spanish We might have beer
backed up against some convenient
adobe wall and shot at sunrise. In
Tact, II We called IN the bandit chief
to-day the chances would al, he in
'aNur Of the adobe wall. His ia a case
o' a powerfully personality. n great
dynamic force, gone wrong.