The Ely miner., 1929-06-21

One night In an Acapulco cantina
had heard n d;lshing Mexican off
Ger give toast to the -tilorious Ar
rellanos-the gul,less OF Cuerna-
vacar" :" Curenavaca? Then she had
left the city? That sent me back 10
the plantation of Pasqual. where
resumed my work In the fields.
The knowledge that she was near
gave me consolation. yet | never won
dered why she had come. nor had ]
ever gone to Cuernavaca TO see her.
My mind could not conceive of my
| looking upon her again. ! was deal
and she loved me; surely that was
sufficient, for coming back TO life
would be no gain. Ah-the years ]
lived In those few monthsl
One day In April the Acapulco
road suddenly filed with people. They
Travelled afoot. on the back of bur-
ros. mules. horses, and even oxen
in wagons, in carts, in great, high
wheeled prairie schooners" that held
score or more. and in every con-
ceivable manner than man will travel
bound. all, for Cuernavaca
A wagon. filed with half-drunken
soldiers and drawn by two lean
mules, stopped.
"Ai, viejo-old one!" they yelled.
"Come on; we go TO Cuernavaca.
where the generals review the troops
before we march upon the cityi Ride
with usi"
shook my head; whereupon. after
some boisterous consultation, four Of
them descended from the wagon.
| climbed the fence, took me by the
arms-half dragging. half carrying
me toward the wagon-Iaughing gaily
all the while. They deposited me.
as they would have a bag of coffee.
into the hay-lin1l equipage and
thrust a hottie into my hands Drink
viejo-this is Cuernavaca's greatest
dayI"
drank. II was tequilla, the fiery
poison that the Mexican peon con-
! siders drink. II put flame into my
blood; the years fell away from me.
and l waved my hat at passers-by,
half-delirious fervor.
So we came to Cuernavaca, where
the streets were lined with people
and where holiday spirit filled the
air. gained the impression from
what | heard that the menacing cloud
of imperialism, which had lowered
over the land for three years. was
gradually passing away, and the
| bright sun of freedom had begun to
shine again. The Empire had failed
the emperor had lostl
From afar came family TO Us the
sound of cheering: ripple of ap-
| plause swept over the waiting crowd,
punctuated by sharp cries of Viva
| Viva JuareZl Viva EscObedo!"
AS the carriage, drawn by a pair
| of magnificent black horses and con-
tanning two generals in gorgeous uni
form came into view, booming voice
roared at my ear: ''Viya La Senior
| ita -
Now | looked-and saw La Anita
and her aunti Their backs 70 the
driver, they faced the Mexican gen.
erals. and, although she smiled at the
multitude, I thought her lovely face
was very pale. All the old love came
back to me. burning me again like a
flame. filling my empty soul with new
resolve.
A hat-a wide-brimmed, high
crowned sombrero-hurled doubtless
h. inln Of drin
sailed gracefully through the air and
struck one of the nervous, high-strung
/ horses hitched to the glittering car
riage He squealed, reared, plunged.
| filed his mate with his own fear. and
the two-beyond control of the driver
and maddened by their own increas-
ing terror-dashed away. plungins
wildly, the frail equipage lurchine
| like a tiny dOry in storm.
She was in danger, La Anita might
be killed. | took no thought Of con-
sequences; my life-and the spending
of it-was hers. AS they sped by
/ launched my body at the racing
horses-reaching blindly. My fingers
touched a strap-clutching the great
| ring that forms the end of a Mexican
bit found its way-by good fortune
| into my other hand, and, thanking
God for the good strength that He
had given me, held-and held-as
the pounding hoofs beat ne down.
One of the horses fell, and before
he could find his feet again the crowd
closed in. She was safe then, she
was unhurt; and as the myriad faces
above me wayered and were lost in
| the sea of blackness-and came back
again-my heart sang, because she
| was safe, she was unhurt-
Now saw her, she was coming to
ward me. and 4 was afraid | tried
to arise and failed, so ! lay, waiting
She bent over me, fear and anxiety
in the deep amber eys. Ah-what a
| glorious being she wasi If | might
| die with my eyes on that exquisite
| face-that's all asked; just to look
upon her while | died. to carry that
| picture away with me, to hold for
ever.
"How brave a thing, senior! !" she
said, and the music of her voice was
softly soothing. Are you-hurt?
| tried to smile. "No." | said
searching her face in eager hunger
At the sound of my voice shadow
Of fear crossed her face. rested one
brief instant in her eyes. She touched
| her throat with slim fingers, as If to
stife a cry. Monsieur" she whis-
pered. in the tone of awe that one
| might use in speaking TO ghost.
I raised my hands toward her. AS
you are no longer helpless. Anita mia,
nor in the power of the French. may
| tell you that | love you?"
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