Courier Democrat., 1916-09-14

,iH '.oWd would not stand for being
bothered by the row
Tne next day was clearing, with oc-
casional heavy dashin- showers, just
to keep Us interested. The country be-
gan more to open UP. We passed
many grass SavaunahS dotted With
palms and IL t.~e something like our
locust. Herds OF cate, .cd there. The
river narrowed am occame swiftcr
Along in the early ,orenoon we reach
ed No,3"r shores in which the trap
rock drScenelc,! sheer beneath the sur
fav" "t the .ttcr. Directly ahead of
u> rose Il mountain like Il cone of
ve.'Hre. We 2lided around the base
OF 1t and SO came to CUrgona, situated
on Il high bluff beyond This we had
decided upon as the end of our river
journey. TO be sure we had bargain
cd for Cruces, six miles beyond, but
rs the majority of our chips compan-
ions had decided on that route we
thought the Gargona trail might be
less crowded. So we bcacled our boat
and En!oaded our effects and set forth
to lind accommodation for the pres
ent and mules for the inmcdate flu
| turp.
At fist there seemed slight chance
ut getting either. The place was
crowded beyond its capacity. The Ho-
| tel t'Uncaisc. Il shed and tent sort Of
! continuation with a muddy natural
floor, was jammed. The few native
huts were crowded. Many we saw
S,Iy
| possible amid their effects out in the
| open. Some we talked with said they
| had been there for over Il week. un-
| able to move because of lack of trans
| portation. They reported much fever,
and, in fact. we saw one poor shaking
wretch. wistfu! eyed as IL sick dog,
braced against a tree all alone. The
| spirit was drained out of him. and ali
| he wanted was to get back
While we We're discussing what to
do next our muslin clad eX-padrone.
who had been paid and shaken by the
| hand some time since. approached
smoking Il longer cigar than ever.
This fIc waved at us in Il most debo-
nair and friendly manner.
Bread on the WATER commented
Talbot after a short conversation. "IIe
says we have treated him like broth
eli ana a true comrade in arms, which
means that 1 did. You fellows, con-
| found your spiteful souls, wanted to
throw him overheard q dozen times.
And now he says to follow him and
| he'll get US Il place to stay
r
remarked skeptically aside to Johnny
You conn.," begged the padrone,
with a flash Of teeth.
We came bearing Cur household
goods, because we could nowhere see
any one to bear them for us. At that
we had to leave the heaviest pieces on
the beach. Talbot insisted on Juggling
his huge bundle of newspapers
"They may come in handy he an
swered us vaguely. well, they're
mine, and this is my back" he coun-
tered to Johnny's and my impatence
with such foolshness.
The padrone led up through town to
the outskirts. There we came to a
substantial low house OF several rooms,
| -.
The earth in front had been beaten so
hard that even the downpour of yes
tcrday had not appreciably softened it.
10 our summons appeared Il very suave
and courteous figure, that, it appeared,
of the alcalde of the place
"My fr'cn'," explained the padrone
in English, for our benefit, they good
|
place estay"
The alcalde, a portly gentleman with
| side whiSkers and Il great deal Of dig
nifty, bowed.
My house is all yours" said he.
Thus, although arriving late. we stop
ped at the best quarters in the town.
| The sense of obligation to any one but
our boa tman was considerably relieved
when next day we paid what we owed
for our lodging. Also, had it not been
| for Talbot and Johnny, | am sure
1ank and l would have taken to the
| jungle. There seemed to be required
so much bowing, smiling. punctilious-
ness and elaborate complimcnting that
in Il short time fclt myScIf in the pre-
| y
monkey shaking tie bars of his cage
with all four hands and gibbering in
the face of some benign and infinitely
superior professor. l fairly ached be-
hind the ears trying to look sufficiently
alert and bland and intelligent. Yanl
sat stolid, chewed tobacco and spat out
of the window, which also went far
| toward stampcding me. Talbot and
Johnny, however. seemed right at
home. They capped the old gentle
mans most elaborate and involved
speeches, they talked at length and
pompously about nothing at all. their
smiles We're rare and sad and linger-
ing-not bit like my imbecile though
well meant grinning-and they seemed
to be able to stick it out until judg
ment day. Not until Isheard their pri-
vate language after it was all over
did l realize they were not enjoying
the occasion thoroughly.
At dusk millions Of firefies came