Wichita eagle., 1888-03-08
SNIDER'S ROMANCE.

The sight of John Hay on the streets tho
other day recalls a tragic romance.
Charley Snider had lived the life Of a veri-
| table Bohemian in Europe for half dozen
| years. Over the byways and about the I'M
| sought corners of the old lands he had
| tramped and travelled, and his TAR away
! home in Cincinnati had grown moro dim
and distant to him as the days went on
The fascination Of the careless, half reck-
| less and lotus eating existence he was leading
| had gathered its charms about him, and he
1 dreamed his pleasant life away among the
| surroundings of the great cities or in the
| quietude of some seldom frequented country
! town
One year-nsver mind how long ago it is
| since that time-Charley had gone down to
| Spain. He had hazy half idea that he
! would learn the Spanish language, and to do
| it quickly he settled down in little interior
, village where no American had ever before
| resided.
The New Years holidays were approach.
| ing, and some Of the old home feeling was
touching close to his heart as the joyous sea-
son drew near.
The last night Of the old year found him
duh and lonely, and for the first time since
his arrival in Spain he strolled out toward
neishbertng village and into one Of the little
resorts where the maids and matrons and
their masculine friends were enjoying a fam
dango.
Charley had never seen much of the black
eyed daughters of old Moorish Spain, and as
he was young fellow with an eye for the
beautiful, and an athletic, broad shouldered,
blonde faced stranger, he enjoyed himself
among the dancers, despite his ignorance of
the language. There was one olive colored
beauty who sunk deep into Charleys affec-
tions, and as the night grew late he babe her
lingering farewell and started of on his six
mile walk to the little hotel where be lived.
He strsllcd along the road leisurely and in
wayside cabaret noticed two men who had
scowled little at him while he was making
pantenins love to the wide eyed senorita
And Charley laughed to himself quietly as he
pushed ahead through the cleaning moon
light and watched his shadow along the dinty
road
Behind him, after awhile, he heard the
sound Of quickly coming feet. Looking back
he saw two figures whom he thought re-
semhled the men he had seen in the cabaret
and . sudden sense Of Poril came over him.
he had his revolver with him, and his hand
dropped instinctively upon it as he FASTENED
his footsteps. Glanosns behind him he
realized that tho mon we're closing up toward
him and that he could no: easily escape them
by continuing on tho road
He turned in amsng the shadows cast by
an orange grove on the side of the way, and
determined to wait and see if they would
pass him unnoticed. As he stopped the men
started on run toward him, and be could
see the bright moonlight glisteninz on the
two long knives they carried.
He knew that if they got near enough TO
him they could sling their knives into his
heart with as sure precision as though they
stood beside him, and 80 be called out to
them to stop.
1t was in English that hs shouted, and the
bright barrel Of his revolver leaped I'D to en-
force his command. But tho men sped on.
and Charley know that tho time for action
had come
Ee aimed at the largest one Of tho two,
blazed away and the man sank BY the road
side. The other leaped over his fallen COM
rade and swung his long knife in the air, but
another shot from the Eusty revolver sent
him staggering into the grove
TheA Charley ran. He ran as be had
pace until he was in the shelter Of his own
room. When he got there he began to con-
slider his position.
There was no American consul within
many miles of him, and his chances of escape
across the country were not worth consider
ing.
II the law did not touch him the friends of
the injured men would surely not let him
60 uAscathed.
Gen. Dan Sickles was minister to Spain
and hstls John Hay was secretary. Charley
sat down and wrote the general truthful
account OF the affair, mailed it, and as soon
as daylight broke, hurried out and went
direct to the governor Of the town.
he explained tho circumstances to him as
well as he could and asked to be protected
until an Investigation would be had. The
governor locked him up and an hour after
ward word came in that the two men were
dead. Before nosn had arrived there was q
bowling mob around the little stone prison,
and they shrieked out for the life Of the
cursed stranger.
How the governor placated them Charley
never knew, but the cries faded out finally
and then for thrse days Charley saw no ono
but the silent jailsr, who served him with
food and whe came and went without word
to satisfy his curiosity.
On the fourth day John Hay reached the
little village. lie had known Charley Snider
in the days when John led jolly bachelor
and half student life while secretary Of lega-
ton at Paris, and he had hurried down to
save his friend
To wait for the slow process Of the Spanish !
court would entail months Of dreary impris- |
onnent upon Charley, even if the final re-
suits should b an aeqnitsal
How to get hin cut and away was tho |
question John bay had to consider, and he |
met it with a premptness that relieved Char
ley Of anxiety and painful trouble.
AT midnight, four days after Mr.. Hays |
arrival, Charley stood on the threshold of |
the prison and the silent jsiler was behind |
him. Two horses, one for his guide snd the |
other for himself, stood awaiting him, and in |
five minutes they were galloping away with |
their faces turned toward the British flag
that floats over the ramparts of Gibraltar.
They reached there in safety, and Charley
hurried over to the African coast and lost
himself to civilization for many months after
bis trip to Spain had cost him more than
he had anticipated, and he never learned the
Spanish language. He is on the other side of
the ocean yet, stil leads his old Bohemian
life, and would risk something to this day for
another fandango with that half Moorish
York GraphiA
To what extent the Germanizst,on Of
commenced exactly
years ago, has been crowned
with success is evident from the relative
numbers Of the German and French popu-
lations in the city Of Metz At the cleo
ton Of aldermen last year the German
voters were in . decisive majority. At