The Wilmington morning star., 1944-01-05

cdtlOn CndC Lney ulIelueu 10 uIlVe
the 600 plus miles in to the city
that day. AS for herself, she'd
planned a slow trip and now she
assuredly would take it slowly. She
wanted that leaping black sedan
far ahead of her.
Again he scenery oegan 10 lure
Mallory. Although the vegetation
remained sparse and desert-like on
rocky land, undressing, the
Sierra Madres made up for it..
They travelled at her right, max
ing an endless chain of beauty.
Travellers, with their burros, of
course, were out again today.
They kept far to the edge of
the pavement, trained by the days
of heavy tourist travel. Sometimes
there was a lone traveller, more
often couple of men, or a man
and his little boy Occasionally an
entire family, the woman in bril-
liant skirts, trotted along briskly.
Always the woman carried, be-
sides the baby strapped across her
back, loaded jugs and baskets.
Even the burros were laden.
They supported high stacks of
wood, miniature mountains of it,
or perhaps many, many sheaves
of corn. Mallory wondered h W
they possibly managed to stand
up beneath those loads on their
tiny feet. They were like fat wom-
en-. miserable il too-small patent
pumps. She marveled, too, at their
ability to stop dead still and wait
while their owners. motionless also,
stared at her with huge brown
eyes, their faces impassive.
Seldom, very seldom, did NAL
lory see smile, and that usually
came from a youngster. They were
the ones who responded to h r
friendly waves; the grownups
seemed disiaterested entirely. Lat
er, she was to learn that the ma
jority of these people had the stern
Indian blood rather than the more
jovial Spanish.
She did not stop Tor lunch. In
Monterrey she had bought box
lunch. Chicken sandwiches, to-
mato, some fruit and some de-
licious chocolate cookies. While
eating she slowed to about 20 miles
an hour so she would not miss
any of the sights. She was seeing
more little homes now, places with
straw roofs. In the dusk of the
previous evening she had missed
them. In a dirt-beaten yard she
saw something that looked like a
flat wheelbarrow. A baby was sit
ting in it, having a bath, a gig
Cling, squirming, soap splashed,
coffeetoned baby, with hair black
as tar.
Women swept their houses, even
their yards, with crude brooms
made of twigs and straw. There
was much visiting, much shouting.
She saw -wo nieca orci'cst'~ 10
hearsing for the evening in a tiny
saloon. A guitar and, ludicrously,
a very American saxophone. These
saloons = cantinas - were every
where, small, with few bottles, but
with many glossy, bright-lettered
signs.
On a sudden impulse Mallory
stopped at one of the little can.
tinas and went in. There were nc
customers-not during the siesta
hour - but countless members Of
the family made the small cafe
seem crowded Fou~ cb1Sra~ s'4'r
in corner with couple of pup
pies. Al older child sat in chair
| bouncing a haEv on oor knee. The
mother was cooking In back of a
low partition. A man and a boy,
obviously another son. were back
of the bar, both leaning on their
elbows.
Mallory's entrance produced a
deatn-like quiet, instantly Sol
lowed by excited jabbering. The
woman ran up back of the bar te
help greet the customer. The grl
rocking the baby. put it on the
floor and left it there. 1t criee
and kicked its legs with fury. Two
of the sleeping children awoke anc
stared. The dogs began to bark
Everyone was talking frenziedly
and smiling, talking to Mallory
among themselves. to Mallor,
again.
Her confused gaze swept over ;
chalked menu. Besides variou
Mexican dishes there was "bif
STICK" Beefsteak, she knew, blu
she didn't want that.
She wished Pope were along
she certainly needed an interpret
err. Then her aaze lighted rpol
one of the gawdy tin beer sign
that had enticed her in the frs
place. Memorizing operate aria
; had given her fair idea of vari
GUS language recommendations.
"Cerveza, she ordered. Success
fully, for the man putea bottle o
cold beer before her. And she wa
rewarded by EXPLANATIONS an,
chuckles, as if she had delivered
a speech in precise Spanish. How
, ever, when she left, she did no
flare so well. Words like ''cen