The Lakeland evening telegram., 1917-04-16
An Episode
OF Mexico
BY F. A. Mitchell

lhe presidency Of niaz of the
republic of Mexico 1 went there with =
sl'Tk of goods aud opened a stora in
the state Of Durango For awhile did
yer! We'll Mexico had long been at
peace with herself. foreign capitaI ha6
come in to develop the country. and If
looked as though her prosperity would
continue.
lie first wreck of my homes WAS tho
revolution that displaced Diaz and
paced Madero at the head Of the Mexi-
can government. But this was nothing
TO the accession of Huerta and the tur-
moll during his administration and fall
The Mexican people, especially those
VINO supported lIueua. believing that
lhelr troubles came largely from the re-
iuSal OF the United States government
TO recognize him as president of Mexico.
turned more bitter than ever against
Americans
L had made number of friends
among MeXicans and was permitted to
continue my business without molcsta-
ton This WAS all very well So long
as | remained in the location of nv
nome and business But | was fond
of Sketehins. and intended as soon as
| could get out of Mexico with nv
capital To 20 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 line landscapes there.
One evening after sketching during
the day | went to house devoted to
the entertainment of strangers to pass
the night. The place corresponded to
the old American tavern of former
days II was not especially clean, and
the persons it contained were of low
grade.
About 10 o'clock at night l was sit
ting in the dining room reading a news
paper. | had gone there for the pur-
pose, since lamp swung over the ia.
BILE gave the only light that enabled me
to read comfortably. l was seated d.
rectly under II. 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
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 it. 1t was not very dis
tinct, but sufficiently SO for me to dis
tinguish 1t as the shadow of man.
The head covering was plainly a SOM
brerO. The owner and shoulders came
next The left arm was lowered, and
since the shadow OF the right arm was
simply lump l surmised that ii was
raised and pointed in my direction.
1t required only fraction Of sec
ond for me to see in this shadow what
is called in art a foreshortened arm.
| believed also that the hand contained
weapon. That it was n pistol and
not a knife was evident, since il, too,
was foreshortened. Had it been a
knife it would have been held in a diff
ferent grip, which would have produc-
ed shadow. l would have seen some
evidence of a blade. In short, man
was standing in a passage behind me
and about to shoot me. Expecting to
be Immediately killed, | was paralyzed.
| had not even the power to duck un-
der the table Naturally my eyes were
glued to the evidence Of my danger.
Suddenly | saw an increase of the
area of the shadow. On either side,
lust below the shoulders, protuber'
ance appeared momentarily, then merg-
ed into the main bulk The right arm
was lowered and hung at an angle with
the body. Now | could see that 1t was
an arm and there was shadow oil
what it was plain was pistol barrel.
When we are in danger our faculties
become greatly sharpened | question
il they do not become rather instinct
| 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
| do now? | always carried a revolver
on my sketching tours, but 1t was al
my hip, under my coat. lf l turned
now TO defend myself while my enc
mys weapon was lowered | might be
TOO late. whereas if | sat still, pre-
tending TO be ignorant of what was go
ing on behind me, ! might be saved
This consideration flashed through
INV brain within a fraction of a sec
ond | had scarcely conceded it when
I saw the shadow of the arm drawn
mn 70 its former position. Evidently
the man who had been interrupted was
intending to proceed as before the In
terruption.
Then there was a commouon III 'ne
outline of the shadow. ! judged II u
EXPRESS a struggle between two per
sons The right arm shadow appeared
and was grasped near the wrist by
hand
Now was my time to act mad'
four moves nstantaneously-l drew
INV pistol | rose. turned. and | GOV
cred my enemy.
A Mexican stood before me strug
Cling with a woman. who maintained
firm grip of his right wrist NJ my
movement both stood still.
..Dron that weapon." | said