The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1937-10-29

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tain road in his tin can on wheels
was in the dumps-no doubt about
that-becauSe he had just begun
his vacation.
For weeks the guide-who was
as Mexican as the scenery about
him in spite of the Gaelic name
endowed by touring ancestors -
had been saving his wages and
tips for a two-week junket at La
Mesa.
He paid beforehand for cabin
and meals. But he needed money
to entertain feminine vacation,
ists-buy them soft drinks, horse.
back rides, souvenirs, and the like.
And why didn't he have any-not
one single tiny peseta?
Because on the eve Of his de-
parture, he had been inveigled
into a dice game by fellow guides
and had been parted from almost
everything, including his sunny
disposition.
Only the fact that he had al.
ready paid for the board and lodg-
ing part Of his vacation forced
him to continue his plans.
SPIRITS RISE
But Pedro was very young and
the day was very fine and as he
manipulated his little car over the
narrow, twisting, turning, with
ing single car road that climbs
1900 feet into the sky, his spirits
rose until the echoes of his
whistling played tag in the noun
tain valleys.
He could hear the pebbles on
the auto trail dance away from
his slow rolling tires. He could
feel q crackle in his ears as the
altitude increased.
His heart was as light as the
atmosphere by the time he reached
the top where the rustic buildings
Of La Mesa snuggled on the little
mountain plateau.
Pip! His heart fell again.
For he saw Carmenita, leaning,
arm in arm with a male figure,
against the log fence which keeps
La Mesa vacationistS from plung"
ing down through the clouds to
the city below.
Carmenita! He hadn't known
she would be here-the only girl
Of all those he knew on whom he
really wanted to make an impress
sion.
And what impression could he
make without coin in his pocket
upon the 16-year-old daughter Of
one of the officers Of Mexico'S
Northern Military Zone?
Pedro managed to check in, to
finA his cabin, and to get ready
for dinner without Carmenita get
ting into his way or out of his
thoughts. The meeting at the
long family" dinner table was,
Of course, inevitable.
Pedro! I didn't know you were
herel" she exclaimed accusingly.
"Oh-er-I-"
Fortunately his words were in
terrupted by the beaming resort
manager who sought to gain the
attention of the diners. He held
his great black sombrero in one
hand-a slip Of white paper in
the other.
WINS PRIZE
cit gives me great pleasure, he
doomed, ito announce that the
winner Of this weeks guest prize
of twenty-five pesos presented by
the management of La Mesa is"
he paused to look again at the
slip of paper -" senor Pedro
O'Hara!"
There was a burst Of applause
but not so great as the burst
Ct Pedro's heart.
"Goody! Goody!" shouted Car
menita clapping as loud as the
rest.
"Yippee! Wheee! Caramba"
Petro was evulting as he made his
way to the managers side. But
not out loud, Of course.
Twenty-Five pesos! That would
carry him through his vacation
with glory. Gosh! He was glad
to be alive and to be at La Mesa
and to have Carmenita there, too.
"You must let me hire the
horses and we will ride tomorrow
morning." he whispered to the girl
when he returned with the crisp
paper bills in his hand.
Love to-if my mother will al
low it," she answered promptly.
Her mother did allow it-for
modern mothers in Mexico are
much like modern ones in the
United States, and young Next
cans are allowed an amount Of
freedom which Scandalizes grand
parents.
It was a wonderful ride over
mountain trails - right straight
through Paradise, as far as Pedro
was concerned. Carmenita chat
tered about so many interesting
things-including her new puppy
down at the fort.
ooh, I wish he were here!" she
sighed.
''I'n go get him." the boy Of
fered impetuously.
"Oh, I wouldn't think of it. It's
q 10-mile drive-down the noun
tain and ALL" she protested.
But Pedro insisted, and after
lunch he started. His enthusiasm
waned a little after Carmenita
was out of sight and the long
crawl down the mountain in first