The Mustang Mail. (Mustang, Okla.), Vol. 1, No. 26, Ed. 1 Friday, August 22, 1902 Page: 3 of 8
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4
♦-1
By SEWARD W. HOPKINS,
Author of "Jack Robbins of America." "Ill th#
China Sea." "Twi
Maw all," * Oi
Charge.'
llentlemen of
a Falsa
Etc.
Capyrlght, 1835. by IIobkrt Bonmbb's Sosb.
CHAPTER III.
Maubikeck, when we had started
from the Garden, had directed the
driver to a certain well-known hotel
much frequented by show people, and
1 knew where we were being taken.
"But what is this Maligni's hold on
the signorina?" I asked. "Where does
he get his authority over her?"
Nita shuddered and crouched closer
to the stalwart frame of Maubikeck.
"He is my master by my father's
will," she sa*d in a voice that was
touching in its plaintive sweetness.
"And your father was a performer
like yourself, was he not, signorina.'
1 said.
••Yes— I will tell you about his
death when we reach my rooms.
One thing was certain: No matter
how severe, harsh or tyrannical
Maligni might be, he certainly was
not niggardly in regard to Nita's com-
fort. Number 112 was but the first
of a suite of four rooms, one of which
was a parlor, one a cozy little dress-
ing-room, and the other two, bed-
rooms. one for Nita and one for the
old hag who served her.
She stepped rather wearily, I
thought, and sank into a chair be-
tween Maubikeck and me, resting her
head in her hands, as if she felt pain
in the temples.
1 had taken my card from my card-
case and handed it to her.
"Signorina," I said, "I have become
interested in the mystery that seems
to surround you, and beg you will
allow me to assist you and Maubikeck
In your efforts to unravel it. That will
tell you who I am."
"Well, Signor Wilberton," she said,
twirling the card in her hand, "I sin-
cerely thank you. 1 am greatly un-
nerved by what has occurred, and can-
not understand it. My life is in dan-
ger, and alone I am unable to combat
my unknown enemy."
"Now, see here," I said, assuming
the autnority of a detective. 1 saw
something to-night which will be of
material interest and aid to us in this
matter, but to get at it right, I must
know all about your life."
Nita passed her hand over her brow,
and. after a moment spent in thought,
began: 1 remember little about my
mother. She was, as 1 can see her
now, an ordinary woman—of course,
an Italian. She died when 1 was,
perhaps, seven years of age. Then my
father took me to Madame De Long s
school, and placed me there as a
regular boarding scholar. Madame De
Long's school is in Albany. My life
there was very pleasant, I took con
siderable interest in my lessons, and
advanced rapidly. When 1 was four-
teen. 1 was suddenly called from Ma
dame De Long's to a hotel in I tica.
1 remember it well. It stood near the
railroad, and I believe they called it
Baggs Hotel. Barnum was in Utica
on that day, and, as you know, my
father was Barnum's princ ipal trapeze
performer.
"On this day, my father had grown
dizzy and had fallen from Ills trapeze,
and had sustained injuries which, the
surgeon in attendance said, must
cause his death. 1 was taKcn at once
to my father's room. I reached there
just one hour before he died. Malign!
was with him when I arrived, and
my father signified a desire for ns
to approach together. My father
spoke to Maligni in a tongue 1 did
not understand. I have heard the
same language since, but cannot recall
enough of what was said at that time
to translate or to understand. Then
my father put my hand in Maligni's
and told me in our own language that
he was going to die, and henceforth
I was Maligni's. Maligni would take
his place and would take care of me.
I remember that 1 sobbed a great deal
and kissed my father, and that a sur ^
peon came ami other men. and then .,
my tather died. Maligni attended to
everything, and had my father's body ;
taken to Italy for burial. He took ni«
there also. 1 never went back to I
Madame De Long's. Maligni Informed
me that under the terms of the con
tract by which he took me, I was to ;
fill the place of my father and become ;
an actress on the trapeze. Oh, th«*
shame of it nearly killed me! I wept i
and pleaded with him, but all to no
purpose. He was not to be moved
by my tears or my prayers, and in
the house at which we lived he had ;
one room fitted up as a training room.
Here I was compelled to go through
the severest kind of physical training j
to perfect myself for the trapeze At (
first 1 refused to wear the tights, and
was severely flogged. Maligni is a
cruel man. and would kill rather than
be thwarted. Well, you do not need !
to be told the details of my hard life, j
Suffice to say that after nearly four
years of severe training. I am before
the public in a role that 1 hate and
despise. But what can 1 do? Maligni
is mv absolute master. If I ran away
from him. he would capture me and
"The two attendants a:e called San
cho and Dam bo."
"Describe them," I said.
"Danibo has curly hair. His eyes
are small like a snake's, and gleam
and glitter all the time. His hair is
not ong, but his mustache is very long
and has straight waxed ends."
"Ha!" I said. "Dambo is the man
we want. He is the fellow who set
fire to the ropes."
"Danibo!" Nita murmured, "I can
hardly believe it. Did you see him do
it, Signor Wilberton?"
"I saw him tire the second rope,
after which he disappeared in the
crowd and I could not catch him. We
will see to Mr. Dam bo later. •Signor-
ina, now think hard for a Tew minutes.
I am going to ask you a strange ques-
tion."
She looked at me with a patient
smile on her weary countenance.
"You may ask it," she sai 1.
"Has anything that you can recall
in your life—any incident, any word,
any look, any act, seemed to indicate
that you were not Barlotti s daugh-
ter?"
"Signor Wilberton!" she gasped.
"Maubikeck!" The cry was liko that
of a frightened child, and Maubikeck
drew nearer to her, and placed one
of his giant arms around her.
"You understand," I continued,
"that I don't suggest tnis as being
true, but simply ask the question. You
have none of the characteristic fea-
tures of the Italian race. I should
judge you to be either English or
American. Now, can you think of any
incident at the bedside of your
father—"
"Stay!" she cried. "Let me think.
At my father's bedside—no. 1 was so
confused and frightened and sorrow
ful that 1 scarcely saw. No, there
could be nothing. My father gave me
to Maligni, and the box—"
"Box!" I said, interrupting her.
"You said nothing about a box be-
fore."
"It was a red tin box," she said,
"locked with a little brass padlock.
My father gave it to Maligni. and said
something in the tongue I have since
learned was Sardinian. I asked Mali-
gni once what the box contained, and
lie said it contained the contract be-
tween him and my father."
"1 would give much to gain posses-
sion of that box," 1 said. "Do you
know where Maligni keeps it?"
"No. I have never seen it since the
day my father died."
Just then there was a great tramp-
ing of feet in the hall, which stopped
at the door opposite. I opened the
door of Nita's room and peeped out.
There were three men there—Maligni.
with his face all hidden in bandages,
my old friend. Doctor Dlnsmore, and
Major Simmons. The doctor and the
major went inside with • Maligni, hut
remained or.l> a few minutes. When
I heard them come out, 1 said:
"Signorina. you have already had
too much excitement to-night, and you
need rest. The first thing to be done
is to find Dambo, which 1 shall set
about as soon as I have my burned
hands attended to."
"Oh. you are too generous and |
kind," she said. "You are suffering j
on my account. It is too bad."
"It is nothing," I said. Now we will |
see the doctor and have our burns I
dressed. Come, Maubikeck."
He followed me out and I hurried ,
after my :,Mends. I caught them at ,
"It is I—Maubikeck!" was the re-
ply: and the voice in which it was
uttered was so full of excitement that,
unmindful of my scant attire, I sprang
to the door to admit my visitor. His
face was working with passion, and
with a stride he was In my room.
"They've gone!" he roared. "Gone!"
"Gone!" 1 echoed. "Who's gone?"
"Signorina Harlot ti. Maligni. the old
woman, Dambo, and all the rest!" he
said, panting with excitement. "I went
to their hotel a while ago. and the
clerk told me that Maligni and his
people—that meant Nita and the hag
—left before daylight, and left no in-
formation as to where they were go-
ing. They've gone—they've gone!
That devil Maligni has taken her
away—her my love—my Nita!''
As he ejaculated these words, the
lion-tamer strode back and forth ic
my room. There was a pathos in his
grief and rage that touched me ever-
more than my own disappointment-
did.
"But," I said, reassuringly, "they
cannot escape us. We will go to
yyrnes, Superintendent of Police, and
he will catch them for us. Maligni
OR,
IE KI1C1I Of 10ITE CHO.
A ROMANCE OF THE RIVIERA.
fly ST. GEO HUE RATI I DORSE,
Auflor of
Spidtr'i
\h Pavlin$ of V'ir York" %>Th$
• Mat c aprice," •tc.,tU.
Copyright. Ufr) Strret and Smith. New York.
( IIAI'TI K Mil. Continued )
Merrick would have been l<4n in
imazement could be have seen his
>ld and simple friend. Jones, great
hearted Jones, who broke the bank at
Monte Carlo because of the deep do
ostation he felt toward the world
wide sin of gambling, which he hoped
o stop through radical homeopathic
reatment—Jones, who had appeared
cannot leave New York without" b^ng «' utterly suilclcss and h.mc t w ith
Merrick, gave evidence of having
detected."
"Maligni can!" replied Maubikeck.
"Maligni could wriggle out of hell,
and Satan himself could not prevent
him."
I hastily dressed, and Maubikeck
and I made our way as quickly as pos-
sible to police headquarters and told
our story. Superintendent Byrnes at
once sent out orders to his men to
make a thorough search lor the party.
Leaving the superintendent, a sud-
den thought rushed upon me—a recol-
lection of what th" major tolj me
about the druggist Tortoni. I hastily
told something of this to Maubikeck,
and knowing about where the store
was located, we hurried there. Wo
found it easily, and rushed in. A
woman stood behind the4 counter.
"1 want to see the druggist, Tortoni,
at once," I said, imperatively.
"He is gone away," she said in
broken English. "He is gone to Eu-
rope."
"When did he go?" 1 asked in am-
azement.
"Yesterday he sailed," was the re-
ply.
Believing this to be a lie. I turned
to Maubikeck and raid:
"It is thicker than we supposed.
There are many engaged in the
a.Tair."
From Tortonl's drug store we went
to the hotel where Maligni and Niia
had been stopping.
There they told me just what they
had told Maubikeck.
"Have you any objections to open-
ing the rooms?" I asked.
The clerk smiled.
"No," he replied. "Here is the key
to 111. and this to 112. You may go
up if you want to."
We mounted the stairs and entered
number 112. It was bare of every-
thing save the hotel furniture. .lust
as we were leaving, I happened to
I see a bit of folded paper on the floor.
1 picked it up. Heading it. I handed
| it to Maubikeck. As he read it, his
j face grew pale and he uttered a ierce
curse under ti is breath. This is what
was written on the paper in a pretty,
feminine hand:
"Maubikeck! Maubikeck! He is
taking me away—I do r.ot know
where! He is in a frightful temper.
Home secret affiliation with the
French government.
Stranger things than this have hap
jened and Yankee detectives have
ere now won fortune In foreign parts.
The men who kept near Jones
seemed both ready and willing to
>bey his slightest wish, whether it
meant to watch over the booty he
had forced the swollen bank to dis
gorge at the call of his grand system.
!>r to guard the president of the re-
public from evil designs- these men
were like himself, members of the
Paris secret police, accustomed to
peril in all its guises, and only ach
ing for a chance to strike the con
spiracy a knockout blow between the
eyes.
Matters were not so bacl, then,
after all
If the royalists could gather quite
a force in the endeavor to carry out
their plans, the president was not
wholly unprotected while he had
these brave men to call upon.
Jones was curiously affected while
in the presence of the other.
He could not account for his feel-
ings at the time, but as opportunity
arose he cast many a side glance at
the president.
The fact of the matter was that
the first gentleman of France seemed
to have such a happy faculty for dis
guising not only his face, but his
voice as well, that Jones was puzzled
to account for his identity.
Why, an actor could hardly have
done better.
Really, the distinguished gentle-
man who shone so brightly in the pe-
culiar sphere where fortune had
placed him might have also made
a name in the annals of the stage,
if his present effort were any crite-
rion to his ability.
Little guessed the majority of those
good people who sauntered about the
gardens, chatting of the remarkable
scene so recently witnessed, and the
' t® a snrewd Yankee tourist in
great iuc k.
Count Leon believed he had the
magazine in condition for exploding,
the train well laid, and that the slow
match had already been Ignited.
The very boldness of his stroke
would paralize all fair France When
the news reached Paris that the presi-
dent had been kidnaped and that a
Duke of Orleans was already over the
border at the head of an army, the old
royalist spirit that had been slumber-
ing so long would burst from its con-
finement, and the whole country rise
up to welcome its king.
It happened before—It will some
day come again, though not without
civil war.
Glancing around the scene of action
the count saw that all seemed well.
His men were within easy call, and
near by the figure of President Car
not could be distinctly seen as he chat-
ted with the two gentlemanly aides
who were to serve as his body guard
Constance was leaning over a wall,
with the mystical view of the harbor
before her, and some one close by,
speaking in soft, lover-like tones.
The count's teeth made an ugly
sound as he recognized Merrick this
man was forever crossing his path
and had done so since first they met
in the Transvaal
Well knowing what he did, Villebois
could well afford to laugh in a cynical
fashion.
He knew, being a reader of human
nature, just how matters stood, and
that the girl loved Mark; but to a man
of his calculating nature this did not
stand out as a terrifying obstacle to
the ultimate success of his suit
According to his way of thinking as
a Frenchman, there were more ways
than one to win a capricious woman's
consent to marriage.
Merrick may nave apparently won
the second heat, but there was anoth
er to decide the race and Merrick
was a doomed man. since he carried
a secret upon his person that the count
had sworn to possess.
Let the lovers, therefore, bill and
coo while the opportunity remained
let them feast their eyes upon the
beautiful and quaint harbor where the
gleaming of lights told of the numer
ous yachts at anchor little they
dreamed, poor fools, deep in the In
toxication of their fluttering love, that
this night, aye, this very hour, per
haps, would see them prisoners on
board the steam yacht that bore away
the unhappy president of France, and
that ere the cruise ended the one
would be a bride, the other a slave ol
some desert tribe.
When it comes right down to
schemes that are dark and dramatic
the modern playwright need only con-
sult the flies of Parisian papers for
tragedies that have actually occurred
upon the sacred soil of France, where
truth is always stranger than thdwild
j est dream of fiction. Other nations
i are not in the same class when a com
| parison is made.
So that this anticipated coup, where
I by such mighty things were to be ac
! < omplished, was. after all. a very nat
i ural development, according to the
uncertain future of Monte Carlo, that j ii^ht a Frenchman had.
the door of the hotel
"Ah. Wilberton!" exclaimed Major
Simmons, when 1 hailed him and Doc-
tor Dinsmore. "I have been looking
for you! How is the girl?"
"Nita is all right," I replied. "How
is Maligni"
"Maligni is more frightened than
hurt," said Doctor Dinsmore. "The
bullet was evidently intended for his i
brain, but missed it - mai!>. 1! will
be well in a few days."
Here I presented the lion tamer to
my two friends.
"You are not through your work for
to-night, doctor," I said. "Maubi
keek's hands are badly burned, ami
mine In less degree. They must he ;
attended to."
We got into the carriage that Man
bikeck had used to bring us to the j
hotel, and Doctor Dinsmore. at Maubi
k's request, gave the coachman the
address of his office. We were soon j
there.
ing
j I must 1
rk,
more
erely
was, of course, first
by the piysieians
busy I sai down near
Maublk
burned than 1
taken care of
While they were
the major.
"Well," he said. In a low voice that
Maubikeck could not hear, "what do
you think of it all. anyway?
"1 am more than ever convinced
that our original suspicions were cor
.ect," 1 replied "It appears that Just
before Barlotti died, he gave the girl
to Maligni. and also gave him a red
tin box which was locked with a brass
padlock. At the same time he spoke
to Maligni In the Sardinian dialect
which Nita did not understand, and
Maligni was apparently very much ex
cited and surprised at what he said
Later. Nita asked Maligni what was
in the box, and he told her it con
talned the contract under which her
father had worked. '
Then l explained tin4 system under
which the trapeze acrobat had worked.
and repeated Nita's story
Jor's benefit.
"I agree with you he
or t<
bring me back to my degrading life
What ran I do?" | 1 ",at 1
Nlla panned here, ns If Rlie wa i""'."'1 I"1' hi «
weary. I had taken a Mimll note.hook Onr eonvcrsntlon « .
from my pocket, and WM Jotting down i 1 lis polo'
ma-
"that
j Itu-
or he will kill me Follow
find mo and rescue me from Ma-
ligni! 1 love you, Maubik- k. anc'
only you! NITA."
(To be continued.)
HE DISLIKED GEORGE ELIOT.
Autocratic Ways of Famous Authoress
Made an Enemy.
When George Eliot was still Mil s
Evans, and before she had begun to
write novels, she used to frequent an
old book shop on the Strand, where
she left a very unfavorable impression
on one young man who was at that
time an assistant in John Chapman
shop. His description of her is that
of a remarkably ugly young woman
of universal knowledge, whose delight
It was to use the Soeratie method in
conversation, but without the HJocratic
benevcjler.ee of intention. The result
was that the young men at the din in -
table (the shop had a boarding hous
for its employes and guests) who
heedlessly hazarded an opinion, were
very soon made to feel not only that
they knew not ling of the subject un-
der discussion, out that tie > ki.ew
very little indeed of anything. Nov
a young nian does not relish boiu?
badgered and made a fool of b> a
pretty woman, but it is Intolerable t<
be sat upon by an ugly one at least
such was the feeling of our informant
and one consequence of this treat
nicut was that in after years, when
Miss Evans had become George Eliot
one man could never persuade him
self to read "Adam Bede," or to ad
mlt that the author was other t ian a
very Intolerant person and an Intol-
erable Intellectual prig Harpers
Weekly.
Lest *Ve Forqet.
It Is a good thing to preserve all 1m
portant historic sites and relics which
■ an still be identified or are still in
existence. We have been far too neg
lectful of sue i things Through popu-
lar and official carelessness and some
times through sheer vandalism. mari>
•t it °
interruptr
all the lmportnat points of her stor>
Still, there was notbin- In it thai he 1
Th<
lajor and I walk
precious <
< ver ami
tmpo sibh
The lost
that still
have h<
t?n
have
>st f<
he Ic
It
in their very midst stalked the ele
incuts of a sensation far more tragic
than a mere run upon the bank, or j
any scene connected with that mem
orable event.
It is often so in real life.
Perhaps when Merrick learned th<
news, if he ever did, he would com
prebend certain things in connection j
with the run upon the heathen bank, |
ami suspicions might well arise re
warding the philanthropical motives 1
influencing Jones.
But the time for dreaming and re-
flection was gone, while the hour for
action had swung Into line Jones
L'ave the president the benefit of his
experience in such matters, and just
as the two gentlemen who acted as
a special body guard came up again,
eyeing him suspiciously the while,
our good friend saw the curtain ring
up on the last act of the strange
drama.
C II A PT I II XIV.
Count Leon Sees a Great Light.
Strange sounds, issuing from a ket-
tle just before it commences to boll,
give warning that the conjuring of the
evil spirit within has begun.
So in the case of the Monte Carlo
onspiracy, as the fated moment drew
near when the plot of the eager royal-
ists approached the crisis, there was
an uneasy movement that could be de
tected in certain circles, as though
those who were connected with the
grand game experienced a nervous
electricity that always appears when
the fate of a tremendous project is in
suspense.
Count Leon was like a grand mar
sbll.
It was the crisis of his life
Should success follow his master
stroke, he could count upon great hon-
ors under the new emperor of the
French.
What dream could be more exten-
sive than this, covering as it did
wealth, honor and love0
No doubt some men would have be
come ' rattled" because of the multi-
plicity of the duties thrust upon tie in
Not so Villebois.
His long life in African wilds,
where dangers In the most astcMiIshing
and unexpected guise waylaid him at
every turn, had eminently fitted this
man for just such a situation.
If he failed it would be through no
• . ,f : • - ' '
which he was in utter ignorance had
Such as JoncH, for instance
At a signal from the count the grand j
climax would be reached.
Why did he hesitate?
There was an exhilaration In the
very thought that such power rested j
in his hands lie experienced the keen j
est of satisfaction in feeding that a
peculiar combination of clrcuin j
stances, leading up to this dramatic ;
crisis, had for the moment made him j
the arbiter of a nation's destiny.
Really, this thought was enough to
puff an ordinary man up with more or
less vanity, and Count Leon might be
excused for delaying that signal in j
order to enjoy his triumph the more I
While Villebois stood there, gnaw !
ing his military mustache in a fierce !
way. as he watched Merrick making \
love t<> Little Miss Millions, some nm
glided up to his side and purred in
his ear.
Turning, be was met by a low, sll
very laugh
It was the witch of Monte Carlo,
the captivating Olgavit* h, who tapped
ills arm with her fan and betrayed
merriment at sight of the ugly frown
marking his brow.
"Ah, mon ami. why knit your brows
because these turtle doves coo? You
and I are old campaigners In the
' ourts c f love, and we know how
fragile are these vows when dreum
stances go the wrong way Before a
fortnight she will be your bride, and
perhaps monsieur will deign yield to
my humble powers of fascination, if
all goes well."
I She uttered this last sentence in
such a peculiar tone that the count
shrugged his shoulders.
You are always like Doubting
Thomas princess, skeptical, until the
end has been accomplished Even
now, when the birds are in the trap
and my finger Is upon the key that
will explode the mine, you breathe in
my ear the word "perhaps
' And von are ho sanguine things
have gone as you wished in the des
ert at least your determination hn
been able to whip them into line, so
'hat you believe* yourself next to in
vulnerable, forgetting that in Frame
'here are underground forces that
overturn th* best laid plans- for« • s of
which voii never hear in the Air. an
celved In the brain of the gentler
sex. and which would never have ap-
pealed to their own superior under-
standing.
"We are not in France, mamselle,"
he said, slowly.
"Nevertheless the same conditions
prevail, and you will admit the best
part of the republic is here," indicat-
ing with a nod the figure of the presi-
dent.
You have been studying the situa-
tion. princess—1 know it when you
speak of mysterious underground cur-
rents. for it is not like you to give a
needless alarm. It is well that you
have decided to tell me your Impres-
sion before I press the key that brings
about the revolution. Once that has
opened ar.d I defy mortal man to ^lose
it. Now. in the name of our sacred
cause. I adjure you to speak ami tell
me all."
"Because you represent our royal
master I consent, for anything that
endangers the success of our cause
must put his future in peril. Yes, I
have been keenly observing, and have
made a discovery that gives me un-
easiness."
"A discovery- somthing that may
threaten the success of our cause—
M use me. princess, but. knowing how
complete our arrangements have been,
I cannot see how defc at could come
from any quarter. We are prepared,
if necessary, to bid defiance to the
whole standing army of Monaco, iC
they attempt to thwart our game."
She smiled contemptuously.
Evidently this amazing declaration
on his part did not count for a great
deal In her estimation.
"You might do that alone without
much danger, mon anil. But it was
not from this grand army of Monaco's
prince that 1 feared trouble."
"Ah! go on." In- said, eagerly, anx-
ious to know what astonishing thing
die had learned, and for the first
time feeling a peculiar creeping sensa-
tion akin to alarm pass over his
frame.
"There are strangers here."
"Many of them."
"To me they are not all unfami-
liar."
"Princess, it does not surprise me,
sin< e you know almost every one ot
consequence."
She made a grimancc, together with
a gesture that Bernhardt might have
envied; it represented what she
meant it for so exceedingly well.
"Some I chance to know who are
undesirable acquaintances for a lady
diplomat."
"For instance "
"Well, one of these men who so sol-
emnly walked off this evening with
Monsieur Jones' winnings at the game
I believe was the police inspector of
Paris who plac ed me in charge of the
colonel, and gave me to understand
I was at present an exile from the
capital."
The count's eyebrows went up ex-
pressively as he caught the full im-
port of this intelligence.
Mon Dicu; that Is not an acci-
dent," he muttered.
She saw he was uneasy already-—
the strain upon his mind was tro
mendous, and one more straw might
prove too much even for bis superb
nerve.
"I was so surprised at such a sight
I looked with deeper interest at his
companions, and, while 1 cannot ex-
actly place them, I feel certain every
man of the quartet belongs to the se-
cret service of !• ranee."
The count did not look quite so
puffed up as he had a few minutes
befon when he believed as certain
:ig he lived that the whole future ot
the republic lay in tin hollow of his
liana.
To conspirators against the govern-
ment the nani of tin secret police
must ever be a menace, since they
worked in the dark, and no man knew
what the outcome would be until it
was flashed before him and a hand
upon his shoulder signified arrest*
(To be continued.)
Human Pack Horses in Mexico.
A striking feature of these roads is
the number of human "beasts of bur-
den you meet The roads are so bad
that there is very considerable risk iti
conveying goods of any kind—risk
both to th« goods ami the pack mule
that < arric-s them: consequently large
numbers oi Indians make a living by
carrying. The Mexican Indian carries
his load on his back, slung by a broad
leather belt across the forehead. Thus
all his limbs are perfectly free, and he
carries a long, light stick, like an al-
penstock to stead> himself in going
down steep places or In crossing
streams. The men will, in good
weather. « arry a load from 100 to lOl1
pounds over the worst of roads, for a
distance of twenty to twenty-five
miles a day They wt ar no clothing
except a pair of cotton breeches rolled
half way up the thighs and a pair of
leather sandals on the feet, and each
man carries a blanket to roll himself
up In at night. They eat no meat
their only food being posol (boiled
maize ground and mixed with sugar,
then rolled Into a ball and carried
timi • Th they hr« a!v into ft bowl
if water, mix
F n< > of thin
dome?
II to the consist-
and drink, and
ists of this posol
wer of endurance
in • i s woi i i •
lb
)ked h< r
the slightest ra>
tery In hand
"Now, slgnorlno I
you a qu« lion: Yo
ways In the care of !
ts It not?"
•'Not <jiic, bin t'A
f light on the mys-
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The Mustang Mail. (Mustang, Okla.), Vol. 1, No. 26, Ed. 1 Friday, August 22, 1902, newspaper, August 22, 1902; (https://gateway.okhistory.org/ark:/67531/metadc162382/m1/3/: accessed April 24, 2024), The Gateway to Oklahoma History, https://gateway.okhistory.org; crediting Oklahoma Historical Society.