Wichita eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1886-1890, 1890-03-14

cudgei, raised foam, rinsed it, and beat It
again and again, we looking on and sadly
| wandering if there would be anything left OF
| the goods when they got through. Five min
utes in the sun dried tie articles, and then
with = stick mangled it, giving US back our
| linen soft, white and wholesome. During
| the washing they talked and laughed among
| themselves. their soft, sweet voices being as
| music to ears familiar with the harsher voices
Of the English speaking race. 1t Is a contln-
| ual delight TO hear the natives OF these coun-
tries talk. as 1t Is to note the excessive clvlhty
of even the humblest amongst them.
On we go again, and soon Ell Corpus nigh
~ heaven kissing hill, comes into view. IL
is one of the oldest and oldest towns In Cen
trail America, and We look upon 1t with spe-
cial interest, for We are TO rest there aay
| or two. Tomorrow we viii eat our break
fast amidst the coffee bushes and the lemon
trees. We go in fancy to our distant homes,
and the tropc sun shines down on TWO trav-
elers moving across the plains of Cholafaca,
upon which sudden hush has fallen. Pra9-
entity we are awakened from our reverles Dy
the shout OF a courier His naked skin gistens
as ne rushes after U.s. We stop. he hands
Us telegram. 1t is from the president 1t
reads thus:
l give to you my congratulations for your happy
ingress TO the country, aud desire fo- you and
your companion the greatest prosperity L nave
received with pleasure your affcctionate saiudo.
and you have me at your disposition
BoGRAN.
Then we fall to discussing this practical
dictator of Honduras, as the free born Ameri-
can is apt TO do.
Bogran is a born diplomatic. should judge.
No man could steer more gracefully and
safely along the troubled waters OF Central
America than this courtly president. Less
than five years ago the brilliant Barrlos or
Guatemala issued his famous decree pro-
claiming himself general-in-chief and su-
prenle dictator of the five republics. Backed
by his Guatemalian army OF 4u,oVO men ne
demanded submission to his ambitions and
threatened the destruction OF the states II his
wishes We're not promptly obeyed That was
a critical period in the history OF the country.
For eight days after the issuance of the de-
cree there was silence, and no one knew
what the next move would be- Finally
the several congresses met in secret and
boldly defied the autocrat of Guatemala
all but Honduras. Bogran sided with the
risen star, and for his submission was de-
clared second in command. Costa Rica and
Nicaragua on the south, and San Salvador
on tie north, proposed resisting the dlsrup-
ton of their autonomy and called together
their scattered forces. 1t was a loyal uphold
ing of state pride against long odds. Inc
Spanish-Americans are hero worShlpers.
The boldness and bravery of Barrios won
their admiration, and thousands OF the ma
tives preferred following SO brilliant leader,
right or wrong, to fighting for principle I'M
der weaker men. Nearly all the intelligent
residents believe today that had Barrlos
lived he would have swept through the coHn-
try like whirlwind. But it was not to be.
He started on his mission Of subjugation with
$1,000 men. and WIS met on the frontier OF
San Salvador by the defiant army OF that
peppery little republic
The first fight, the battle of Chalchupa, fol-
lowed. and Barrios was slain. he saw his
beloved son shot down, and reckleSsly dashed
his horse through the leaden hail to secure
the body of his boy. A bullet pierced his
heart and he fell from his charger dead. 1t
was the end of all. With Barrios gone every
thing was lost; the army would fight no
more and San Salvador won the day. Gen.
Zaldivar, president of the little republic, was
in command, and satisfied with the glory of
killing the dreaded chief, returned to his cap
ital expecting to be greeted as conquering
hero. But the people were incensed. They
believed he should have followed up his ad-
vantage by pushing on and taking posses
sion of Guatenala city.
They therefore deposed him, and he is to-
day wanderer from home. Bogran, how
ever, adroitly managed to hold his own. AL
though second in command of q lost cause, he
became at once 6 convert to the new order
of things and boldly proclaimed the autonomy
of Honduras. He pacified conflicting forces,
assumed a sudden friendship for San Saliva
dor. Costa RIGA and Nicaragua and today
maintains his supremacy. 1t required, of
course, the incest diplomacy, but the people.
while satisfied, are not blind, and regarding
him as insncere have ncknamed him ''Gallo
Galianan-neither cool, nor hen. They i'm
prove on the Frenchman's wit by declaring
there are three sexes-men, women and Bo-
kTans.