The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1896-09-03
PART I.
DcspysIehs - y sss 49,,


sDid see any lighting in Venezue-
t1a?" responded my brother, who had
Just returned from there, and about
whose safety we had been very anxious
during the last political revolution In
that country of political unrest.
swell, of a sort, i saw plenty. 1t was
fighting, but not war, as you would con-
strue the term in the Forty-second. III
could have had handful of your men
with me, I'd have made some of those
Venezuelans 81. up"
looked at his strong, upright form,
broad-shouldered and muscular, with a
sigh of regret. He would have been as
fine a soldier as any in the British army.
His whole heart and soul was in sol
diering, not for the amusements at
fached to the life, but purely from the
dove of it as profession.
Unfortunately, however, at the time
when he had to pass his competitive ex-
amintion he failed in some subjects
which must own seemed very inmate
rial to the making of a good officer.
/. who am far less fitted than he, OBJ
tained nv commission through q better
knowledge of the art of spelling, and
being more closely acquainted with the
historical phases through which my
country has passed in years gone by.
My brother being rejected as a serv-
ant In arms Of the queen followed the
example of1nany others, and Travelled.
America, both North and South, had
the greatest fascination for him, and he
happened to be up the country, when
one of the so-called revolutions broke
out
"Tell me about IT," said, as we set
tled down to a smoke over the fire after
dinner.
He watched the feathery blue rings
rise in the air and vanish, placed his feet
on the fender, and looked steadfastly at
the crimson glow.
/ fancied from his expression that he
was recalling something unpleasent /
waited in silence for him TO begin.
II had been travelling, as you know"
l,e said, at last, through many of the
South American States, and had very
good knowledge of Spanish. met with
q fair amount of adventure, but not un-
ill reached one of the small towns In
the interior of Venezuela did take up
arms. While staying there came
across some English miners, class you
find all over the world. There was
plenty of good sport, and got to know
some of the most influential inhabit-
ants. They are supposed to hate the
English, which they do collectively, but
their appreciation of the race is shown
by their anxiety to get them to join
any one party in scrimmage with an
other.
"They know an Englishman can be re-
HE'D upon, whereas their own leaders
cannot, though at times they will fight
like demons. The people of the district
were suspected, and rightly, of organiz-
ing a rising against the government. So
the latter thought it best to take the
job III their hands, and send a force to
qucll the idea. On hearing this, a call
to arms was made, and, to my surprise,
= deputation waited upon me to request
me TO lend my services, and take prom
snent position in the little army"
"Thnt just suited you." exclaimed.
"Yes. The opportunity of getting
some experience of real fighting was
too much for me, and consented!
'It didn't run to uniforms, but other
wisc the equipment of our force was
good.
''DrllIirg commenced, and in a few
days we were able to move our body Of
men about in quite respectable fash
Gr. Intelligence soon came that the
Invading forces were at hand.
"a river divided them from us, along
the banks of which set out with
rconnoitering party. From observa-
tion and intelligence discovered they