Henderson daily dispatch. (Henderson, N.C.) 1914-1995, 1938-12-07
HENDERSON, IN c. DAILY DISPATCH WEDNESDAY DEcEMBE

CHAPTER 40

TIE BIG INTERNATIONAL Dali wa
being all the success that Hcus
toms society editors had predicted
Everybody" was there. Not lit
erally. because the University clul
could hold less than thousant
, people, and many couples had ap'
piled for tickets too late. But the
elite were there. And the elite had
paid $40 per couple, which IL
enough to insure excellent music
floor show, refreshments and trim
mingS.
Refreshments started early tr
the evening, when a picturesque
Mexican peon drove a burro cart
into the hall and began dispensing
drinks and tidbits.
"Aquamiel, dulces Mexicanas,
pecan candee-e-e-eS!" he chanted
He pretended to beat on his balky
burro, which was two boys in
clever costume. Dancers crowded
around to sample his delicious
punch and his candy.
Later some costumed Mexican
women came stolidly to the center
Of the dance floor, spread q great
tarpaulin, and from earthen crooks
which they had carried took
steaming hot tamales. They were
dainty tamale Of white chicken
meat. Tostados - crusty toasted
tortil1as-were served them. Guests
ate with their fingers only, and
amid much comment and laughter.
A live pig, once white but dyed
green, with a red and yellow rib
bon around its neck, darted across
che floor during one dance. Shrieks
and yells stopped the dance, and a
bow-legged Mexican clown dashed
in to catch his pig. With much
grunting and pantomine, ten min
utes Of hilarity reigned.
Such surprises as these popped
one after the other. Then, to every
body's delight, the president Of the
United States, and the president
Of Mexico, addressed the assembly
for three minutes each, not in tele-
grams as first planned, but over
long distance telephone, their
voices being amplified in the ball
room. my friends in Texas" Mr..
Roosevelt concluded, "when two
great nations can play together it
is, a significant thing. To the two
universities who have met in clean
sport and clean fellowship today,
and especially to the citizens of
our sister Republic to the south,
greetings and good wishes ALL"
Mister Worthington Gurley,
freshman, had been checking in
hats and coats earlier in the eve
ming, but he managed to keep tab
on some Of the ballroom fun, too.
He sensed that this was grand
ball, grandest he had ever seen. He
fixed the surprises, the stunts.
He had quickly concluded, there
fore, that whatever Peaches Pome-
roy had in mind would be another
stunt of some sort, probably haz-
ing stunt. She had wanted to get
rid Of him temporarily. But he
thought maybe the fun with the
coats would start when he was
gone, and he didn't want to miss
one bit of it.
So he took her so cents and pre-
tended to leave-but ACTUALLY he
just ducked around the hall corner
and crawled down under the shad-
ow of some potted palms.
He moved silently back to within
ten feet Of Peaches, where he had
a full view of the checking counter
and of the hats and wraps within.
and he crouched there in the semi
darkness to see what Peaches
would do.
Was she going to start switching
! the checks ahead of the sopho-
mores? He didn't know, but he
would dog-gonel sure see! Worth
ington sllickered, silently.
Somebody was singing again in
the big ballroom.
Tonight I'M the gay caballero,
Out for much pleasure-Hs hap
It was the Fiesta Song'' that
Don Romero had introduced. It
had a catchy swing. A gay Next
can tune. Don Romero had sung it
three times, and the orchestra had
picked up the melody. Pretty soon
everybody seemed to have the