New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1885-06-21
ROGERS'S LUCK.

snoeAS; sa rmed ths malevoient arbters of destiny
70 syery iout and frown of Fortune he turned ms
nnaint whimsically alert countenance, lighted WIN
= brave and cheerful smile. From every tumDio on
ths slippery ways of enterprise he lifed himself
bthe bearing aiolt the OF a ms
II good blood does not whine any moro than ne
then little Rogers might have laid claim 70 what-
ever grace with that strain for no plant or
iamentaton ever escaped the plqcky little fellow
lie never objurgated the luck. He always found
some practical, perfectly matter-of-course reason
lar the failure of his ventures. and he no sooner
howcd to defeat in one instance than he rallied 10
renewed effort in some other direction.
Swayed by his natural bias, Rogers had elsctea
at first to tread the unstable paths Of journalism
Rut his critical turn was too imperative. his taste
Too exacting "Rogerss work is too finished" his
superior in office declared he edits copy out o. n
tnrnedv He went with the Independent American
Typographical and Atinospherical Survey which;
Il nav be remembered penetrated to the interior or
tbs proyincial possessions of q certain foreign
Power living on our borders. All the world renem-
hers how that expedition was headed on :, py
arbitration of the jealous home Government Next
q consulship was gotten for Rogers, by friends who
admired his gallant pertinacty. But his QniXotic
course in regard to family Oh american aa aS n.
In a war and Rogers was recalled. linen ne treu
the stage; but his determined production for
trayedy was at loggerheads with his comical,
bomely face and grOtesque outstanding hair; so
pne more avenue narrowed to the vanlshing-point
1t when bis resources were at their i9w west
with sury eying party under contract Tor Mexico.
No less exigent situation would have let him con-
sent to go away from hcme and Caroline Howard;
Int the lowest depths of his depleted scrip yearned
for the reported Astounding shekels of the Montezu-
man land and so, after many mutual pledge With
the lady Of his heart poor little Rogers tore himself
certain self-consciousness, and he rather planned
himself upon freedom from false pride and single.
meas of purpose, as exempneQ IN MS acceptauco VI
his not exalted position.
II remember he said to Strain. the chief of his
party looking through the arch of the Pierced
remember once " hen Richardson and were down
In Tulare County We ran across two OF our ola ola
no er 9ane Thes the
valedjctorians of their years. too DO you know,
/ never admired those young fellows half so much
a as whsn and nSey straw hats
How goes it = while they waited the word from
their boss. And now you're my boss, old fellow
dalnfnily; IA a mans man for a that The
question is, how will Queen Caroline take it, OF
aThe fact is-no' said Rogers, ruefplly; for
Strain moro or less distant relative OF
Caroline Howard, and the tone was significant:
IL told her should Join your party, but without
specifying my office. Oh. Carone's girl OF gold
She's superior to sach small prejudlces"
"Humph~ quoth Strain. her cousin.
OF all Rogerss impractical projects. this last one
was the worst. While they were getting their
bearings at San Cuaes all went emf well enough But
began. He was the wllingsst soul that ever lifted
hand but a frail physique was against him. and
labor that may be endured very tolerably under
northern sky becomes quite preposteronsly out OF
the question in troplc ATTITUDES here the labor Is
handicapped, too. by all the spny. briary
decorated withal. Alas. the notifications OF the
spirit bitter TO race giving servants to It's
servants the performance OF offices IKE kogerss IS
and 80, notwithstanding the unfailing considera-
ton of his comrades Rogers found himself
relegated too often to q menal status. Ii was not
sfr thafh e heU In
was that he endured so long. The party worked
their way across the Hacienda del Carrizal and the
valley of Rio Ruidoso. and camped in the sandy bod
Of ditch. under the sycamores and cottonwoods.
at Santa Catarna. And the very night they came.
Rogers. lying down exhausted for nap before
supper awokr raving with delirium, wherein vein
Of pat6os ran through the absurdities
SPoor devil y said one of the engineers coming
from an inspection of the patient. he must have
had pretty hard lines His very soul seems to be
ebbing out through hole that some girl pointed
cut In his boot Look here, Strain. do you suppose
know the sex is given 70 brutality, but that seems
TOO hard thing to beeve-oven of q woman"
Let us charitably sot it down to Rogerss fever"
Daid STRAIN dryly remembering perfectly well the
Wow, what are we to dot We can't take Rogers
sent back to the coast. This snap will go all the
harder for bis resistance. He ought to have been
In bed week ago.
Kelley @the company could have got peon for
three reals day, instead OF paying Rogers $50 .
month for dong the work much worse" -.
said Strain, sharply. 1Good night. No, III, not
trouble yoa to help me watch with Rogers III ash
None Of the party-except, perhaps, the frueally-
minded KelIey-slept much, full Of Rogers's
extremity. What with their haggard.. anxious
generalization, 1t was little marvel that Celso
Ruiz sunk his two-inch rowels INTO his horse. on
catching sight OF the strangers as he came vending
over at San Pasqual. The harder he rode, the more
determined and ferocons an retrospect appeared
these foreign faces Rogers himself was bh bar
dashed into the plazita among group of his mates
-herders poems, husbandmen scarcely less ignor-
ant than their beasts of the field Now Don Eulalio
Cordoba the kaciendado, OBLIGATED as his own
major-dOmo end he had been absent over night on
an errand TO one of his outlying sheep,camps.
aheld, lamaking. Donata and RudeciDda and
Ventura kitchenwomen. had stretched their young
mistresss license TO attend the wake of Donata's
cousins husbands aunts baby. In consequence 1t
was now two hours past the time at which that
young mistress usually took her morning chocolate
Kitchen. passed through the plasta, carrying the
lacquered tray, at the precise moment when Celso
called upon his crones to assist themselves like
Mexicans of valor, compatriots of the gallant
Earagoza. and extermnates these pestent gringos
who came bringing the demonie railroad to Santa
Catarina, to tear Tp the orchards and stampede al
the stock, and perhaps-qt sobe burst outright
and destroy the houses every one. Whereup0n
arose chorus of "Muren log gringosi Az,
brothers We Will 90 ana wipe tneu outl yam
anosp and Rita fed. shrieking inasmuch as the
tray forbade capping hand to her ears.
Gertrudes Cordoba sat upright on great green
wooden bedstead. massive as an Eastlake table and
took her chocolate.
q How now, Rltai Thou hast been crying again,
Yayai That thou shouldst pine for vaguero like
Celso-a great animal who can get drunk on even
chicha! Poh! Thou. my maid, and drawing wages,
jealous of peona--aud she pudgy. too, sayst thou
notf Come Rita, have some sprlt"
q bnt, senortfd mia, you mistake -
SAro not these tears for CelsoT demanded the
young girl. peremptory frown on her brow, but q
twinkle OF humor In her eye.
sM-pucs-que SON yes-but-"
1t is enoughl Master jeso goes to the mines at
Magstral tomorrow / warrant he rides not hence