The Republican journal., 1896-10-29

condemned men We're led to them. They
took their funeral seats as gracefully and
cheerfully as if they were the boxes of an
opera Not face paled, apparently, not
a nerve quiyered, and half smile linger-
ed upon the lips of each. As they sat
awaiting death, Gen. Delgado noticed
that his nearest companion--a gallant Of
ticer not yet % years old-moved restless
ly on his coffin lid, and said to him: Are
you afraid, campadre?' The young fell
low laughed outright at the question and
promptly answered, NO.
This, continued Delgodo, lis some
thing we all have to go through: some
soon, some late, but it comes to all
And he gave a smile of encouragement to
his fellow prisoners. Meanwhile the sol
diers were loading their rifles and the
sunlight glistened on the polished barrels
Delgado called in low voice to the officer
in charge of the men and asked if he
would permit the firing squad to advance
five PAGES nearer This would bring them
TO within few feet and there would be
no missing. He asked also not to be
I blndfolded, and to have the privilege of
giving the word. The officer acceded and
the men came slowly forward The con-
demned were then asked if they had any
thing to say. Gen. Delgado, with Won
derful GOODNESS and his own inimitable
GiUnItU and q h,af
the few spectators; and then addressing
| the firing squad, said: i will ask YOU,
gentlemen, not to hit me in the face, but
INCORPORATING with quick gesture to
spot above the heart. Then i'll clear
tone he spoke the word, Are you
ready" The air was filled with the per-
fume of flowers just opened by the morn
ing sun. The whistle of paroQuet and
the 'cawn of some brilliant plumage
birds We're heard. The rifles were pointed
directly at the four men. Each could
look into the muzzle of the instruments
OF death, No eyes We're bandaged, no
arms tied. Over each barrel the black
eyes OF a Hondurian soldier looked along
( its shining surface into the eyes of the
calm officers sitting upon their cotfins
When they heard their leaders question,
each promptly replied that he was ready
Then came from Delgado's firm lips his
last word Fire. There was no rafting
only one sharp, singing report; and the
four men, for half a minute remaining in
an upright position, as if still unhurt,
rolled over limp and bloody-dead. The
| soldiers had obeyed Delgado's request, for
/ three balls had pierced his heart
Whatever the Central American S fail
ings may be, cowardice is certainly not
one of them. The insurrectionary ten
dency is born in the blood and bred in the
! bone. 1t is customary in this part of the
world TO speak OF man as "a good revo-
lutionist," just as we would speak of
some one as a good musician, or a good
ball player. 1t is a recognized calling,
and the children grow up fighters; even
those who have lived abroad, and should
have learned better, begin to plot and
scheme for somebody's overthrow as
soon as they breath their native air again.
An illustration of this Hondurian trait
was furnished in the last revolution. A
young native of great promise and MANY
requirements, the only son of wealthy
parents, who had just taken two degrees
from Columbia College, was killed with
rife in his hands the third day after his
ing of this case, Mr.. Richard Harding
Davis says: she would probably have
submitted cheertully to any imposition of
the law in New York, and would have
taken 1t quite as d matter Of course had
he been arrested and fine been imposed
for playing golf on Sunday, or for riding
bicycle at night without lighted lam D !:
but as soon as this graduate of Columbia
smelled the powder floating over his ma
tive land, he loaded his life and sat out
all day on the front porch of his house,
taking chance shots at the revolutionists
on the hlllslde-until chance shot end
ed him and his brilliant career forever.
The pity of it is that SO much good ener-
gy should be wasted in obtaining such
poor results; for nothing better ever seems
to follow these revolutions. There is
only new form of dictatorship, which
varies only in the extent Of it's revenge
and in the punshments it metes out to
its late opponents; but which must be, if
it remains in power, a dictatorship and
an autocracy."
The standing army of Honduras is 3 900
men but every man between the ages of IS
and 30 is soldier and compelled to drill in
his native village every Sunday morning.
This brings the troops available up to 49,.