Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1890-11-22


n rs NOT improbable that during the
1E present century many Representatives Of
the human race have been frequently
mistaken for devils-so many that enum-
S0E GRAFTON 10 impossible-but only q few
mortals hsve had the honor and pleasure OF
having their respective identities COMPOUNDED
with those Of gods. There il nothing really
difficult in the impersonation OF that gentle.
man who Is known TO the hippant as "oid
Scratch" but il il no easy thing
to move along in your regular everyday
manner and be hailed as the iong-looked-for
Messiah. Such an experience has only been
vouchsafed to few people in all this world
history, and there 10 perhaps but one OF these
alive 70 tell the interesting story. There NAV
be two, but the name aud post office address of
the much-advertised Indian Messiah Is at pres
ent unknown.
The distinguished individual referred to is
Mr.. Hinton Rowan Helper, author Of that
gigantic scheme known az the American
railway. and his experience, never before pub
iished was certainly remarkable. Record OF
the AFFAIR was unearthed by a STAR reporter,
the story being told in q document forwarded
PRESIDENT Harrison by Mr. Helper in support Of
his claim to distinction in connection with the
railway project
The narrative. in Mr.. Helpers own words, is
as follows:
One OF the never to- forgotten and truly
oewilderlng adventures of my FIRST tourney
seross the continent OF South America from
Montevlueo on the Atlantic to Calhao on the
racine, IN lS7l-72, occurred in central Bolivia,
WITHIN Few hours after my entrance among
one OF the many subtribes OF Quichua Indians in
.na' Andean republic, where a dearly cherished
put ridiculously absurd tradition is current
mi rt,la II T.. Il
very properly destroyed by the Spanisrds
nearly four centuries ago, and which should
IL one may speak the truth right out have been
speedily followed by the total determination
OF the vile and worthless aborigines them
seiVes) Is soon to be re-established in per-
petuity among all the autochthonous inhabIt-
snts OF Peru, Ecuador, Bolivia and Chilli
suPERsTITroUs TRADITION.
10 its half-witted and culpably credulous
listeners that superstitious tradition afirms
that e new and sudden and decisive revolution
Is TO be effected in single day between the
rising and the setting Of the sun throughout
the whole west coast Of South America; that
every conquest thus far achieved by the
Spaniards, there and whereabouts is at ance to
be as completely nullified and obliterated as il
nothing OF the kind had ever occurred. and,
furthermore, that this mighty change for the
petter as they say, is to be brought about SOLELY
through the irresistible wisdom and proves Of
heavenly and most adorable being in the form
OF an elderly white man with snow-white hair
and blue eyes, though not Of Spanish blood.
through the particular section Of Bolivia Of
wnichi am now speaking only two white men, not
Spanish nor of Spanish descent Zone Frencb-
man. the other a Germany. had ever preceded
me; but as both Of them were comparatiyely
young and short, with dark hair and hazel
eyes, neither was so fortunate, or rather un-
fortunate, as to be mistaken for a Messiah
reference tn he lss,so
unsuspectins protector of the Pan-Ameri-
can rallwa., whose stature, hair, ewes.
ana seeming age Qhough he was then in fact
only In his forty-fr year, but because of his
cotton-resembiIng hair easily mistaken for a
sexagenarian) answered WELL in every outward
appearance at least, to all the requirements of
the unprecedented and counterfeit prophecy.
THE IMruLsIvE DIVINITY STUDENT.
One OF their most hopeful and gushing stu
dents of divinity. who was evidently afflicted
with lively and ego,istical ambition to be-
come the first beholder and proclaimer Of the
promised savior, was q barefooted and bare
legged fellow OF about twenty-five years Of age.
whose sacerdotal vestments consisted of ouly
hree articles-a coarse hat plated of
barley straw. chintz shirt checked in
PINK and white squares and pair of
piue denim overalls that reached less than
three inches below the knees; all of winch
seemed to have been worn several months
without having ever been subjected to any
process OF washing or cleaning.
MISTAKEN FOR THE MESSIAH.
He it was. this Quichua candidate for holy
orders, who also mounted on mule back. but
without saddle and using only rope bride,
met me in the public path; for roads in that
rough region are as yet unknown EVERY
body who travels there Mt all travels on mule
back. the entire surface Of both the eastern nd
western cordllierras being so precipitous and so
destitute OF safe and easy footing that horses
worry and chafe and fret themselves to death.
while vehicles, of whatever fashion or kind.
are almost as much out of place and useless as
they would be in midocean.
Quickly and abruptly stopping right in front
OF ne. causing my own mule to halt the afore-
mentioned sprig OF QuIchua saintliness stared
me fu-l In the face with distended eyes and
with profoundly amazed and reverential
mien. Then, hastily dismountng he fell on
his knees before me, threw up both of his
hands toward heaven, uttered several brief
and spasmodic EXPLANATIONS in his own
vernacul ar-which could not comprehend
neryously arose, remounted his beast. and
with the greatest possible speed, dashed back
toward hTs native village, six miles away where
he excItedly announced TO his people-as iguo-
rant and degraded and good for nothing as
himself-that their long promised redeemer.
whom he had but just met two leagues distant
was coming and that they should all Join him
al once IN gong out to greet and adore the
gracious god who would SO soon, in accordance
with the declarations OF their inspired propb-
ets, remove from them the Spanish woke and
restore TO all the Qulchuas, as likewise to All
the inferior tribes affiliated with them, the mild