Rock Island daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1886-1893, 1891-05-06


and Chill, fighting then on the side of
the Peruvians when their country was
invaded. That war ended he was lost
sight OF until the Gaitan revolution in
Colombia in 1884 and 1885. 1t lis probable
that he took part in some of the attempt
ed rebelllons against Barrios in Guate-
mala, but have no information of this
KIND No one knows nor in all probable
lty will any one ever know where Senior
Garcia lived between the wars in which
he served or what he did to support
himself. He simply appeared when
there was work for him and disappeared
when it was done.
1t does not need that should attempt
here to unravel the political snarl out of
which grew. the revolution led by
Galtan. 1t is sufficient for my story
that when Gen. Mateus marched down
the valley of the Magdalena to meet
Gen. Reyes from the coast one of the
regiments of Loyal Cauca," was under
the command of Col. Jose Maria Sanchez,
Col. Sanchez-a grim, grizzled veteran
was wonderfully altered since the days
when he and Rafael Cordoba passed
Calamar on their way home from Paris
And yet as he walked that first evening
along the bank behind the line of sand
bags protecting the troops which filled
the little town from the bullets of the
Gaitaneros on the island across the
river, and listened to the bugles as they
rang out the soft, sweet music of the
''Buenas Noches"-"good night''-call
his thoughts went back for over forty
years. The sentries, with their steady
march up and down their posts; the
great guns, not yet in position, but living
ready for the carriages; the line of sand
bags; the dying fires of the men; the
very houses which stood ghost like nm.
der the pail of the faint :. vanished
away.
He saw in memory on the bank be-
fore him the spectral figures of two
young men walking side by side, the
arm of one thrown affectionately around
the shoulders of the other He seemed
to hear gay, fresh young voice, and he
could almost distinguish the words of
hope, of confidence in brilliant future,
of love for home and country
He took his seat on a sandbag and
mechanically took from his sachel a gold
flint and steel, with which he lighted
cigar. He remembered, as he looked
at 1t with its yellow case for the tape.
the day Rafael had bought it for him
when they were in Paris, when he had
laughingly promised to keep it all his
life. He remembered, too, how he had
locked it away with bitter thoughts in
In hoo ~ q.
ward, when time had mercifully softened
the grief and shame, had found it and
once more put it in his pocket. He re-
membered how his father, before he died,
had broken the silence and sent his love
to Rafael if Pope ever met him. He
thought of that good old mans sorrow
and of his sweet sisters broken life. He
thought, too, of his friend, for Col.
Sanchez was now able to think of him as
friend, and he wondered what had be-
come of him. Was he still alive, and
where? What a pitiful story it all wasl
He had long ago made up his mind that
Rafael's desertion had been the result of
some overmastering panic which its VIC
tim had been utterly unable to conquer;
but even then, the pity of it. the pity
of it!
A figure of an old man with white
hair, wearing an officers sword, stepped
out of the shadow and halted. "Col.
Sanchez"
The colonel looked up and responded
briefly.
Pardon me, colonel" SAID the stran-
ger quietly; but am anxious to serve
with your regiment as a volunteer.
have applied to Gen. Reyes and | have
his permission, provided l can obtain
yours My name is Jose Garcia"
Jose Garcia?' repeated Col. Sanchez
slowly.
eyes Possibly you may have heard
of the name by which am called, The
White ColonelP"
The White Colonelr" repeated Col
Sanchez, springing to his feet. ''Are
you
Senior Garcia bowed.
"But, senior, cannot allow one SO dis
tinguished, so well known, to serve I'M
der me. 1t is | that should be glad to
obey you"
No, colonel, pardon me. Gen. Ma
teus and Gen. Reyes have been most
kind, and each has offered me staff
position. But would prefer greatly to
serve with your regiment if may"
"Of course. The honor you do me is
TOO great for me to refuse, although
cannot think to what l am indebted for
It. The captain of one of my companies
is sick, and if you will condescend to
accept"
THE very thing of all others l would
like broke in Senior Garcia eagerly.
May report in the morning."
Certainly. In the mean time may l
cot offer you cigar"
Senior Garcia took the cigar, but when
he attempted to strike a light with the
flint and steel his companion extended
to him his hands shook badly, and Col.
Sanchez was forced to offer his lighted
cigar to him. The two men then saluted,
and Senior Garcia walked away