Pullman herald. [volume] (Pullman, W.T. [Wash.]) 1888-1989, 1922-03-03
SAINT" WAS FED
'raVo r Found His Glass Eye a
Neal Ticket.
Mountain Mexicans Could Only Reason
That Possession Of Crystals De.
noted a Holy Man.


piazza at OaXaca, Mexico, ENJOYING the
reireshihg breeze that blew in from
the plains Of Militia and listening 70
the music Of the military band. NV
nearest companion ON the long bench
was an old mining man by the name
ol Foster Scurlock He had trnmped
'he bare, brown hills of Mexico from
gulf to ocean and in the course of his
Wahderlngs he had seen much of the
rougher side of life. AS we sat near
bright electric light | could see the
s!eam reflected in his right eye which
was of glass.
Were you ever over along the Pa
ciiicY' he asked Of me
| answered that l had been down
at Aianzanillo, near Colima.
i mean further up the coast above
San Bias, up through Sinaloa and
sonora. It's half-civilized in most
parts of the state of Colima. but take
1t further up and pretty well inland
and you can just about ride for DAYS
without seeing living soul.
Il was through there three years
ago. on the lookout for something to
turn up. Nothing bur long strips of
sand and endless ridges of mountains.
with here and there q little mesquite
brush thrown in for decoration. I'm
not much for luxuries. but | can stand
a good tree TO rest under at noon and
cool fresh spring TO water from.
ma iy...g
Whenever l would come to one Of
their villages. nne-tenths of them
would hide in the bushes or scoot off
like rabbits to the mountains. I've
stayed all night in one of their ricketv
nuts without seeing or hearing one of
them. In such state of affairs ii was
a serious matter to get anything to
eat.
one day in August l remember es-
pecially. | came in sight of a little
adobe hut with a clump of scrubby
trees around it, after riding all day
with nothing to eat or drink. woke
up my pony with dig in the ribs and
in less than five minutes | swung out
of the saddle and in at the front door.
My sudden appearance scared the
woman of the house, for she dropped
the rolling pin with which she was
preparing some corn for tortillas and
ran back to the other door. Then she
turned and stared evilly at me.
certainly didn't want to pick fuss
with her-I was too hungry-so, hat
in hand, l asked her politely If she
would sell me something to eat. At
first she pretended that she didn't
understand me, then after she wouldn't
talk, | sat around so long that to git
rid of me she finally grunted little.
Then l up and asked her again for
something to eat.
"She swore up and down that she
didn't have thing in the house
" turned and walked toward the
door as if to leave, she following at
my heels. Suddenly l turned and,
grabbing my right eye-this glass one
| crammed it into her hand, yelling
like mad, Keep that till l get some
thing to eat! Well, sir, she dropped
plumb down on her knees as if she
had been shot, and then, carefully lay
ing my eye on the floor she crossed
herself repeatedly, saying in penitSnt
voice 'Santo milo! Santo moir (My
Saint My SANITY l knew then that
her saint would be fed.
"A few minutes later q couple of
gameIike roOsters had been killed and
picked and were well on their way to
the kettle.
This supper was q grand success.
| The Mexican woman and her children
stood with saucer eyes and watched
the holy one eat. The guest of honor
did not need to be urged to help him
self nor did he have any complaints
to register After the meal was over
the remains Of the repast were care
fully packed in my yawning saddle
bags and live rooster tied on behind
for good measure. =
"If you ever travel in those parts,
my friend. looking for cement deposits
containing coarse gold, be sure to take
plenty of food and a good, reliable
glass eye"
He rose and shook himself like
bear, then with hearty "Adios,
senior" he ambled away across the
pIaza.-George F. Paul in the New
York Evening Post.