The patriot. [volume] (Indiana, Pa.) 1914-1955, 1917-06-30
An Episode
OF Mexico
By F. A. Mitchell

During the presidency Of DiaZ or the
republic OF Mexico I went there with
stock Of goods and opened a store In
the state Of Durango. For awhile I did
very well. Mexico had long been at
peace with herself, foreign capital had
come in to develop the country, and it
looked as though her prosperity would
continue.
The first wreck Of my hopes was the
revolution that displaced Diaz and
placed Madero at the head Of the Mexi-
can government. But this was nothing
to the accession of Huerta and the tur-
mon during his administration and fall.
The Mexican people, especially those
who ST.. ported Huerta, believing that,
their troubles came largely from the re-
fusal of the United States government
to reco.aize him as president Of Mexico,
turned more bitter than ever against
Americans.
I had made a number Of friends
among Mexicans and was permitted to
continue my business without molesta-
tion. This was all very well so long
as / remained in the location Of my
home and business. But l vas fond
Of sketching, and intended as soon as
I could get out Of Mexico with my
capital to go north and study art. The
Sierra Madre mountains are not far
from my home, and desired to take as
many sketches as possible away with
me Of the fine landscapes there
One evening after sketching during
the day / went to a house devoted to
the entertainment Of strangers to pass
the night. The place corresponded to
the old American tavern Of former
days. 1t was not especially clean, and
the persons it contained were of low
grade.
About 10 o'clock at night / was sit
ting in the dining room reading news
paper. had gone there for the pur-
pose, since a lamp swung over the Ia
BILE gave the only light that enabled me
to read comfortably. was seated di-
rectly under it, with my back to an
open door, when, hearing faint creak
of floor board in my rear, / raised my
eyes from my paper. They lighted on
a shadow cast on wall before me. The
shadow was not cast by the light over
my head, but by one back of the object
that produced 1t. 1t was not very dis
tInct, but sufficiently SO for me to dis
tinguish it as the shadow Of a man.
The head covering was plainly SOM
brero. The owner and shoulders came
next. The left arm was lowered, and
since the shadow Of the right arm was
simply a lump l surmised that it was
raised and pointed in my direction.
1t required only fraction Of a sec
ond for me to see in this shadow what
is called in art a foreshortened arm.
I believed also that the hand contained
a weapon That it was a pistol and
not knife was evident, since it, too,
was foreshortened. Had it been a
knife it would have been held in diff
ferent grip, which would have produc-
ed a shadow. I would have seen some
evidence Of a blade. In short, a man
was standing in a passage behind me
and about to shoot me. Expecting to
be Immediately killed, was paralyzed.
I had not even the power to duck un-
der the table. Naturally my eyes We're
glued to the evidence Of my danger.
Suddenly I saw an increase of the
area Of the shadow. On either side,
just below the shoulders, a protuber-
ance appeared momentarily. then merg-
edIinto the main bulk The right arm
was lowered and hung at an angle with
the body. Now could see that it was
an arm and there was a shadow Of
what it was plain was a pistol barrel.
When we are in danger our faculties
become greatly sharpened. / question
il they do not become rather instinct.
I reasoned out the change is this wise
Some one had come up behind the man
who was about to kill me and thrown
a pair of arms about him. What should
I do now? / always carried a revolver
on my sketching tours, but it was at
my hip, under my coat. If turned
now to defend myself while my enc
my's weapon was lowered I might be
too late, whereas if l sat still, pre-
tending to be ignorant Of what was go
ing on behind me, might be saved.
This consideration flashed through