We were introduced in turn to Senor and Senora
Alvardo, Senor Gonzales, Senorita Reyes, and the player, Senora
Barrios.
It was a peculiar situation, and for want of something better to
say I commented on the curious character of the music we had
overheard as we entered.
The senora smiled, and was about to speak when a servant entered,
bearing a tray full of little cups with a steaming liquid, and in
a silver dish some curious, round, brown, disc-like buttons,
about an inch in diameter and perhaps a quarter of an inch thick.
Torreon motioned frantically to the servant to withdraw, but
Kennedy was too quick for him. Interposing himself between
Torreon and the servant, he made way for her to enter.
"You were speaking of the music," replied Senora Mendez to me in
rich, full tones. "Yes, it is very curious. It is a song of the
Kiowa Indians of New Mexico which Senora Barrios has endeavoured
to set to music so that it can be rendered on the piano. Senora
Barrios and myself fled from Vespuccia to Mexico at the start of
our revolution, and when the Mexican government ordered us to
leave on account of our political activity we merely crossed the
line to the United States, in New Mexico. It was there that we
ran across this very curious discovery. The monotonous beat of
that melody you heard is supposed to represent the beating of the
tom-toms of the Indians during their mescal rites.
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