MY WOODLAND INTIMATES 



" Two years." 



" Bonte, then she will grow no more! Was 

 there ever before such a wonderful little beast. 

 But whence comes she, may I ask? " 



" From Mexico." 



" Mexico? That is very far away, is it not? 

 Beyond the seas perhaps. Near where the Holy 

 Father dwells, it may be. And she has walked 

 all the way from your village to-day? B'en qa 

 cest i' creyable. Ces cheres p'tites pattes-la. 

 C'est i creyable!" 



Then turning to his friends, who were still en- 

 grossed in home matters and pilgrimage interests, 

 he eagerly drew their attention to the little 

 Chihuahuan, and as rapidly as his halting speech 

 would allow made known to them the situation. 



" But pepere is old and no longer hears well," 

 said a pleasant-faced young woman, drawing 

 near. " No doubt he has misunderstood madame. 

 It surely is not possible that the little beast has 

 her growth." 



The old man's triumphant importance when I 

 corroborated all his statements (with the excep- 

 tion of the one regarding the geographical situa- 

 tion of Mexico) was really delightful to wit- 

 ness. I have no doubt that he has risen in im- 



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