Imperial Valley press., 1937-03-14
N HAVE LIVED A THOUSAND YEARS"

brief lull came, to be overcome
with wild shouts as Orozco's men
poured into the Federals' flank,
engaging Tambarels artillery :.
going over and around it until
only the Feds in the city hall
and church held out. Juarez was
a flaming pit. By early afternoon
hundreds of wounded were crawl
ing for shelter which did not ex-
list. That night we mopped up, and
by noon next day the last of some
500 Feds holding the church and
city hall surrendered. In three
days, with a scant 1900 men, Villa
had taken a city defended by 35,-
OO0i
TOR three more days and nights
Villa gave attention to the
wounded, who lay where they had
fallen. All dead were Immediately
burned. The actual number killed
will never be known.
Villa was raised to the rank of
Coronel but his troops had
little to eat, and no pay for
months.
Our own pay had ceased. We'd
helped to take Juarez, but that
didn't help when our stomachs re-
volted against the food, and our
pockets hung loosely sadly
empty.
Captain Anderson and I went
into council.
VILLA" Anderson said, TAPS
that gun holster of his pretty
often when he talks to us. Have
you noticed? Does that mean any
thing to you?"
Yes, it does. In view of what
we've seen recently" I began to
member Villas gestures, uncon-
scious on his part, perhaps-but
nevertheless his distinctive man.
nerism. He was tired of seeing us
around. Why? He couldn't have
given a reason had he been asked.
The Pancho Villa we'd been work.
ing for was erratic, cruel, part of
his brain twisted.
Lets cross the bridge and for
get to come back" the captain
suggested. IF we can do it with
out too much argument with
American troops" We judged it
better to go up the Rio Grande,
rather than present our calling
cards at the bridge; we did not
relish publicity when jumping
ship on Madero's revolution.
A MAN grows restless, even in
~ a revolution. It didn't seem
worth while to play along with
Villa any longer; Captain Ander-
son felt as l did. We waited for
night, and crossed the Rio Grande
east of Ell Paso, without telling
Pancho where to forward our pay
balance. With us went a little
Mexican and American silver. We
came to Guadalupe, where Uncle
Sans troops were widely scat
tered, and stood on Texas soil.
I'm told that Diaz is in Paris"
Captain Anderson said. How
about us going over-Ive a
scheme to cook up with him.
There'd be some money in it,
maybe" He didn't go into details,
but whatever it was it looked too
visionary. I'd had some 20 years
of experience, and job with Diaz
didn't appeal.
Mexico was behind me. Twenty
years before I'd left it, slipping
from the convent, wandering into
San Pedro . finding the Bessie
B. My childhood in Guaymas
seemed to have been lived cons
before, in some distant past,
blurred almost beyond recogni-
tion yet I'd wanted to see the
old town again, and something
akin to homesickness struck me
hard. What did the old home hold
that I wanted? 1 didn't know. My
mother was gone; probably no
one still lived there who l cared
about. I tried to forget about the
strangely lonely boy who had left
without regret, and now felt
again yearning for China. Spike
would be there, the only man in
the world who gave damn. about
me.
You go on for Paris" l. said.