Evening star., 1897-01-02

dispatch recalling me that the Washing
ton folks might send. For four years L
kept moving from one place to another,
and never once in that whole time did a
single blessed dispatch or letter from the
states ever catch up with me-
When the four years Were ended. my
own political party came into power again.
and the new President happened to be an
old friend of mine. so ne kept me in office
another four years. and about the end of
that time / resigned of my own accord.
I had a bang-up time exploring the country
while | was keeping ahead of the mail and
all the messengers. for | had no work to
do. and living was so cheap that 1 didn't
spend any money to speak of.
w hen l was free TO return to my post
of duty | had four years of back salary
to draw. and, though it only made s12,0
all told. II made me one of the richest men
in Central America, barring. of course the
presidents of the different republics
The president of Zarguela was as good
fellow as you need to meet, provided of
course. that he didn't feel any call to shoot
YOU lie and i were thick as thieves
The other ministers were a pretty swell
lot. esp @Cially the Europeans They used to
come to the palace dressed up in gorgeous
uniforms. and as first they looked down on
me because / used to wear blue flannel
shlrt and trousers. and nothing else except
boots and a necktie. You see our govern
ment didn't furnish any uniform for it's
diplomatic officers, / Just adopted the
hanneI chirts and trousers for comfort
anu gave OUT Inat tney We're the regula-
tlCn UNIFORM Tor United States minister
The other ministers used to put on a
heap OF style same they do on this side
OF the Atlantic. and l could see that 1t
bcred the president, who was a rough SOL
der, who had risen from the ranks Ha
liked my free and easy style and before T
nad oeen IN office month had more in
ncence with him than the whole diplomatic
gang put together / taught him to play
POKER. taking care that the balance of vim
nings should always be on his side and 7
used 10 spend the greater part of nv even
ngS IN his private room with nohody nras
ent nut Just we two and bottle of genuine
old Kentucky whisky that / innorted For
diplomatic purposes.
This President Don Viliar Villar had
been in Office five years when I mada his
acquaintance. That was something vary
Unusual in Central America where presi-
dent Is generally turned out or assassinated
Mlthln TWO years after he goes into office
This particular president however had
shot so many of his opponents the day
after his Inauguration that there was no
body VINO was in position to raise a revo-
luton AGAINST him Then. again. he had
governed the country so remarkably well
that he was everlastinely popular
People had got used to living a quiet
NE. without a semi-monthly insurrection
and Biennial revolution. They found it
paid good deal better than the old Way
OF managing things. and if there had been
a free election any time while / was in
ZargUela Don Villar Villar would have
been reelected by unanimous vote. OF
course there wasn't any election. for he
Gldnt hold with any such foolishness but
L lust mention the thing to show how gen
uinely popular he was
one night the president seemed to be in
curiouSky low spirits. and after bit i got
him JnN.ll me what was the matter I'll
,eI you the whole story said he. for
know you Will sympath!ze with me-
have been president now going for five
years and there are pretty near 10000
In the treasury. Now, IL has always been
the practice for the president to be turned
out by a revolution Just soon as the
treasury got full enough to make it worth
while for him to carry it off TO Paris and
live like a Christian. So far as / can fird
out. not one Of my predecessors ever car
ried OF more than 100000. but here am
with $aD,pD IN my possession and no posi-
ble way OF getting out OF the presidency
and leaving this beasty country for good
And all
DO you really, mean to say said I.
that you want to he turned out?'
:" OF course I do said he. When I
took the job OF governing this country 1
tNpecteI 10 be turned out IN two years and
10 BE- able 20 go to Paris like a gentleman.
But here ] have been for nearly five years
and there ail't a blessed general in the
Whole army who dreams of heading a revo-
luton
why not have an election and have
yourself counted out?' said 1. I've had con-
siderable experience in practical politics in
New York. and II you give me the countin &
OF tue votes, / can have you defeated by an
overwhelming majority, no matter If there
isn't single vote cast against YOU
Thank you, kindly said the president,
but there never has been an election in
this republic. and l don't want TO disturb
peoples minds by introducing any such
Useless and dangerous ceremony.
Then why don't you resign? said /.
You've got vice president. haven't your
II you resign he will come into Office, and
naturally he Will be glad to have you CO.
You cont know what you're saying
replied the president. Nobody ever heard
OF a president who resigned. II / were TO
do such thing l should be disgraced for
ever People would say that / am either a
coward or a lunatic. Besides, the vice
president. though he IS a middling good fell
low. and has always been friendly to me-
isn't the sort Of man TO undertake a trou-
blesome job unless he can see his way to
make money out of II. He would rather
live quietly on his small salary than take
my place with an empty treasury. No, Don
smith! 1 haven't an enterprising enemy in