Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1895-02-08
ROMANCE OF A BEAT

ROMANCE OF A BEAT"
1t was Harding, fine specimen of
the Woodworking, versatile and travel
Jed newspaper man who cared little for
society or for anything but his profess
sion, who told this story to group Of
reporters the other night:
give years ago was working on a
New York newspaper. One afternoon
bust as set out from the Office to do
my routine assignment the managing
editor sent for me- He held yellow
cablegram in his hand, and as I entered
his room he glanced up from it and said:
Harding, am going to send you
to Honduras You leave i'll two hours.
'sHe explained that a new uprising
was imminent-an uprising that prom
Used to be a bloodier one than any ever
before experienced by that country of
constant revolutions I need give you
mo instruction. he said. You know
what news is. Go there and send it to
us. We want the situation just as you
find it.
1--WE got into Truxillo after doubling
Cape Honduras about the same hour in
the afternoon that we had left New
York several days before.
81 strolled out that afternoon in Or
der to get some idea of the situation and
Ito meet English speaking people to save
myself from feeling hopeless isolation.
81 suppose I watched the crowd for
an hour and had just started to return
Ito my hotel when woman's figure
came toward me along the street. Some
thing in the fine figure and graceful
carriage made me think that 1 had seen
her before, and l waited. I recognized
her as she came near me.
"'Is this Miss Villiers of New
York; I asked in surprise, extending
my hand She turned and held out her
hand frankly. 1T is she said, 'and
this is Stuart Harding. Iremember'you
very WELL What on earth are you do
ing here?'
L have just arrived, I said to her.
But what could have brought you
here?' Brought me here?' she laughed
lin surprise. why, this is my home.
81 did not know her very we'll in
New York, but she impressed me as
having great depth. She showed pref
erence for my society, but when she
turned those deep, unfathomable eyes
upon me it always gave me shifty,
uneasy feeling. She went in elegant
style, with good people and appeared to
have plenty of money.
"And now l had met Miss Villiers
again, and she was even more beautiful
than before. Ny pleasure at meeting an
old acquaintance in this foreign city
was reflected i'll her own happy face
II never see a New Yorker here she
told me as we walked along together.
'She was charming companion, and
II found that l had walked by her side
until we had almost left the city behind
JUS and stood in front of stately in
closure, with a residence sitting far
foliage. We had become confidential,
and her face was flushed with rich
glow.
{" Miss Villiers, said, wouldn't it
lbe advisable for you to go back to New
York awhile? have trustworthy in
formation that a terrible revolution is
Imminent Your life would be in dan
ger here
"She glanced up at me, startled. oh,
II think these rumors must be unfound-
led. she said hastily. The revolutions
are SO cruel In case there is one you
will help the government, of course?'
"She had placed her gloved hand on
my arm in her agitation and was bend
;ing eagerly forward.
! "'No,' I answered, for an instinct
told me that was saying just what she
desired me to say. No, will not The
government is too cruel. am with the
Irevolutionists-the people
"'Oh, can trust you, I know she
said half passionately, continued Hard
ing. "'I knew it from the first hour I
met you in New York. know it now.
II am so glad you are here Perhaps you
may help us. Perhaps you may advise
father.
eyes, there is to be revolution,
and bloody one, fear Father is the
leader. He has sore grievances, for he
has been thrown out Of power by re-
volt, and then he is the champion Of a
principle. just as soon as the plans ma
ture the insurrection will come
"She laid the whole plan of the up
rising before me. She trusted me i'm
;plicitly, even to giving me the names of
the leaders and the date when the out
break was expected to come.
"As I listened to her the conviction
grew in my mind that her father was
about TO stir up cruel aud causeless
rebellion no higher motives than those
OF revenge and power to be gained i'm
PEELED him onward. And yet she believ-
ed in tbe righteousness and justice of
his Cause with all her heart.
II went to my room and wrote out
the story. gave every detail, mention
ed every name I could remember and
made it Az picturesque as possible Hiss
VillieFs figured in it in very romantic
way. Igaye what she had told nae as near
word for word as I could recall it and
described her as the beautiful girl
whom many New Workers would re-
member. not as the daughter of revo-
: 1utionist, but as charming woman
just out of school.
"The next morning I fled it, with a
privats message to the managing editor
that it was to be used only on the eve
of the outbreak.
1.-THE day after sent my story call
ed OIL her She was expecting me. Hef
dress, her manner, betrayed it, and the
greeting received was even more cor
dial than that Of our first meeting.
"She became more and more conf
dental each time called, and it was
plain to mo that she was beginning to
regard nae as an ally.
SIT was the morning of the fourth
day after my arrival at Honduras that
found my fellow correspondents grouped
together grayely discussing some aues-
tion, seriousness marked on every face
GO There's Harding now exclaimed
Newton, who represented two papers.
walked up to them. Have you dis,
covered q angle germ of the alleged
. reyolutien?' asked, with the easy feel
{ ing which came from my knowledge