Evening Republican, Volume 17, Number 290, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 5 December 1913 — MEXICAN HOTEL AT FRESCO [ARTICLE]

MEXICAN HOTEL AT FRESCO

American Tourist Shown to a “Room” in Corn Patch by Dignified Host. Chicago.— A tourist who was tramping over Mexico last year was "put up” for a night at a lazy, rickety little shack that was called a hotel. It was in the country, in the northern part of Nuevo Leon state. ' “At the hotel,” the tourist said, “the old stage joke about stopping on the outside was no joke at all. Very much travel worn, I arrived late in the afternoon. There were only two rooms in the ‘posada,’ meaning in Mexico—‘the hotel’—a large room, which served as lobby, office and dining room, and a much smaller side room, which was kitchen anveverything else connected with the hostelry. ”1 did not find out until after I had paid, a little matter that was demanded in advance with such a flourish of courtesy that I could not hesitate. I spent several perturbed momepts, off and on, wondering where I was to sleep. However, there were three other ‘guests,’ Mexicans, who did not appear to be worrying, so I tried to be patient. Supper, an affair of lots of pepper and little food, was ‘served’ by the proprietor’s wife. Shortly after nightfall the proprietor, with much bowing and gesturing, and ‘Senor Americanoing’ signified to me that he would take pleasure in assisting me to my room. I followed him—out of the hotel and into a small corn patch behind the building. “In a corn row, at a point where the overhanging top blades were thick enpugh to furnish a canopy that was at least dew-proof, my landlord halted and pointed to an old blanket which had been spread in the hollow between the rows, and, bowing and senoring some more, commended me to the care of the saints and departed. "That was my room. l There was an old frayed mat for & pillow and a dilapidated bihnket for covering. "Did I call up the office and kick on the room?dld-noL The earth was dry and warm and, having been recently hoed, was not hard, and being dead tired I turned in at once and bad a dandy sleep.” < —■