The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1917-06-18
Bereaved
A Drama of Mexico
BY F. A. mitchell

s
Ever since the revolution in Mexico
that deposed Porfirio Diaz that coun
try has been i'm state of ferment and
has kept the people of the United States
In fever Of anxiety. During the rule
Of President Huerta |. being Of al
inquiring disposition. concluded TO e
down there and see for myself whal
kind Of people the Mexicans are.
Passing over the border line of Tex
as, l entered rural Mexico and move,
on southwark, intending to visit the
capital There were then the Hucrta
the Carranza and the Villa factions. all
struggling for the upper hand. The
frightful condition of the country did
not prevent the people from enjoying
such amusements as they could get.
stopped one evening for the night in a
little cluster Of houses-it could not
be dignified by the name of town-and.
hearing that dance was to be given
in the dining room of the tavern
where l put up, | was curious TO see
how people could make merry while
their country was In state of anarchy
When the dancing began | took q
chair on the veranda where | could
look through an open window upon the
dancers. The effect was heightened by
the picturesque costumes of both the
IN hn mi
ers came from the country round about
being made up Of all sorts of persons,
from the hacendado, or farmer. to the
soldier. who made his living by fight
Ing for some one Of the factions strug
Cling for the supremacy. Not only was
the soldier present. but his wife and
his daughters, for an army In Mexico
is accompanied by the families of the
soldiers.
was much interested in watching
these people. Among the better grade
l noticed a young couple who, it was
evident, were lovers. The man was q
handsome fellow dressed in the cos.
tp@e 81 q bacenda19. c0pR9seA q
on each leg, where a soldiers stripe is
usually placed; fancy waistcoat and
a short Jacket, also having profusion
Of buttons. The girl wore the Mexi-
can skirt Of many colors. the Mexican
bodice and the jacket decorated with
gold braid.
could not help contrasting the hap
piness beamlng in the faces of these
two young people with the cloud that
hung over their country. They danced
every dance together. While l was
watching them man came up behind
me, and l felt that he was looking
over my shoulder. l moved aside not
to obstruct his view and at the same
time turned my head to have a look at
him.
judged that he was connected with
one of the various armies or bands
which were sucking the lifeblood Of
Mexico. A more villainous face l new
er saw on man. His eyes were fol
lowing the couple that interested me,
and as he watched his frown deep
ened. He stood only few minutes
looking at them. then went away.
at the end Of each dance y number
of the dancers came out ON to the We
randa to be refreshed by the cooler air
outside. During one of these inter
walls a sharp report suddenly sounded
ut the other end Of the veranda. l saw
those who were inside start for the
exit nearest to the point from which
the sound came, and those on the
veranda turned and hurried in that
I. too, arose and went to see
what had happened.
A crowd had gathered about some.
thing or some one, but l could not see
beyond the onloOkers. When finally
succeeded in doing so l saw lying on
the floor the young man l had been
observing within, while the girl with
whom he had danced was kneeling be-
side him moaning piteously. He had
been shot and was dying
Within half an hour the dance had
been resumed, and judging by the gay
ETY., one would not have suspected that
'AAS AAS VA ohe VI INC Coupduy Qau Deen
just snuffed out. l turned away from
the scene. went as far from it as
could and waited for the house to be,
come quiet that l might so to bed
l did not get away from the place
the next day. l had come to Mexico
from curiosity, and I did not like to
move on without learning more of the
a part of which l had wit
messed. | inquired who had done the
shooting and was informed that
man who belonged to Villa force in
the neighborhood was the culprit. The
young farmer who was killed was an
advocate Of Huerta. This is all the
information l could elicit, but | in.
ferred much more. l believed that the
murderer coveted the girl who had
given her heart to the farmer.
| lounged at the tavern during the
day, uncertain as to just when would
move on southwark. During the after.
noon, while strolling among the houses
that composed the place. met the man
who had looked in at the window at
the dancers. knew him to be the
murderer and was surprised to see
him still near the scene of his coward
ly act But l was destined TO still