The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1891-01-03
TAKEN FOR A MESSIAH.
SINGULAR EXPERIENCE OF AN AMERl-
CAN IN BOLIVIA.
Simrletons Welcome White
Man from the United States as Their
Redeemer-People Who Are Looking
for Deliverance from Heaven.

Man from the United States as Their
Redeemer-People Who Are Looking
for Deliyerance from Heaven.
1t is no easy thing to move along in your
regular every day manner and be hailed as
the long looked for Messiah. Such an ex-
perience has only been vouchsafed to few
people in all this worlds history, and there
is perhaps but one Of these alive to tell the
interesting story. The distinguished indi-
vidual referred to is Mr.. Hinton Rowan
Helper, author of that gigantic scheme
known as the Pan-American railway, and
his experience, never before published, was
certainly remarkable. The narrative, IN
Mr.. HELPERS own words, is as follows:
One of the ver-to-be-forgotten and
truly bewildering adventures OF my hrst
Journey across the continent OF South
America from Montevideo on the Atlantic
to Callao on the Pacific, in 1S71-2, occurred
in central Bolivia, within few hours al
ter nv entrance among one OF the many
sub-tribes of Quichua Indians in that An
dream republic, where a dearly cherished
hut ridiculously absurd tradition IS cur
rent that the ancient rule of the lncas Is
soon to be re-established in perpetuity
among all-the autochthonous inhabitants
of Peru, Ecuador, Bolivia and Chill.
This mighty change for the better, as
they say, is TO be brought about solely
through the irresistible wisdom and Prov
ess 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 Bo-
livia, of which 1 am now speaking, only
two white men, not Spanish or OF Spanish
descent Zone a Frenchman, the other Ger
mani, had ever preceded me; but as both
of them were comparatively young and
short, with dark hair and hazel eyes. nel-
Their was so fortunate, or rather untortu-
nate. as to be mistaken for a messiah. Not
so with reference to the materialistlc and
unsuspecting protector of the Pan Amerl-
| can railway, whose stature, hair eyes and
| seeming age Though he was then in fact
only in his 4lst year, but because Of his
! cotton resembling hair easily mistaken for
! a sexagenarian) answered well. in every
outward appearance at least. 10 all the re
! auirements of the copper colored and coun-
| terleit prophecy.
THE DIPULsIvE DIVINITY STUDENT.
One of the most hopeful and gushing
! students Of divinity, who was evidently al
/ ficted with lively and egotistical ambi-
| ton TO become the FIRST behoiier and pro-
claimer of the promised savior, was a
| barefooted and barelegged fellow about =!
years of age, whose sacerdOtal vestmentS
| consisted Of only three articles-a coarse
hat plated of barley straw, chintz shirt
! checked in pink and white squares and a
| pair of blue denim Overalls that reached
less than three inches below the knees; all
of which seemed to have been worn sew
eral months without having ever been sub
/ iected to any process of washing or clean
ing.
He it was, this Quichua candidate fol
holy orders, who, also mounted on mule
back, but without a saddle and using only
a rope bride, met me in the public path
for roads in that rough region are as yet
unknown.
Quickly aud abruptly stopping right IN
front of me, causing my own mule to halt
the aforementioned spTig Of Quichua saint
| illness stared me full in the face with dis
tended eyes and with a profoundly amazed
and reverential mien. Then, hastily dis
| mounting. he fell on his knees before me
threw up both of his hands toward heaven
uttered several brief and spasmodic eXcla
nations in his own vernGcular-whlch
could not mprchend-nervously arose
remounted his beast. and with the great
est possible speed, dashed back toward hi
| native village, six miles away.
He excitedly announced 70 his people
as ignorant and degraded and good fc
| nothing as himsclf-that their long prom
| bnr ha hal hIT- 81 ma
two leagues distant, was coming and tha
they should all join him at once in goins
out to greet and adore the gracious gOI
who would so soon, in accordance with til
declarations of their inspired prophets, re
move from them the Spanish yoke and re
store to all the QuichUas, as likewise to al
the inferior tribes affiliated with them, tn
mild and benefcent government of TIL
/ lncas.
FOLLOWING THEIR LEADER.