The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1897-09-12

have got out of the hospital day or
have had free field, and could have
seized the presidency without any oppo-
sition.
According to their account, those four
men must have paid the doctor an av-
erage of 500 each in brides, and each
one thought that he was getting his
moneys worth and stealing a march on
his rivals. The doctor, being practical
man, took all the money that was of
fered him, and earned it honestly by
keeping the men in the hospital. When
ever one of the presidents complained
| that he was being kept in longer than
was necessary, the doctor would tell him
| that there were certain complications
| in his case that made it necessary for
him to remain in bed a short time long
| err, but at the same time he promised
| that under no circumstances would he
allow any one of his rivals to leave the
hospital in advance Of him.
Being Spanish-American, with ma
tive talent for lying in bed, and, feeling
sure that the doctor would keep his
word about not letting any of the other
men out of hospital too early, each pres
ident was middling well satisfied with
the way things shaped themselves. They
were all so sure of the presidency that
| they constantly bothered me to recog-
nize them then and there, but | always
put them off by saying that / had writ
ten home for instructions, and felt sure
that my government would direct me to
recognize the best man. Every one of
the four told me confidentially that he
was to be discharged three days before
any of the others, and that he expected
| to seize the presidency and shoot his
rivals the moment they came out OF the
hospital.
About six weeks after my dinner par
| ty I was walked up one morning by the
sound of rifles / heard what was clear
| ly volley fred somewhere near the
| hotel, followed by three or four single
shots. Then | heard the noise of heavy
| wooden shutters being closed in Il hurry,
and l knew that revolution, or a riot.
had broken out. l got up and dressed,
and was going out to see what was to
be seen, but l found the front door
locked and barred and was obliged to
hunt up the landlord and ask him for
| information. He hadn't much to tell
luton. and that DR.. Moreno had in
stalled himself in the presidential man
sion. and had placarded the town with
proclamations, saying that he had re-
solved to put an end to the era of revo-
lutons in Torrizonia, and to give the
people peace and security.
THE landlord said that the revolution
| had opened at precisely II o'clock in the
1 Ia -, Id Lxo,
sistance to Moreno, who had already re-
| ceived the submission of all the troops
| belonging to the four presidents. 1 was
a little astonished to hear the news, for
| the doctor was the last man in Tori
zonia whom / would have suspected of
taking part in politics. However, he
was very popular man, and 1 was, on
the whole, glad to remember that he had
all his rivals safe in the hospital, and
could threaten them with amputation of
the legs if they didn't submit to him
and withdraw their claims to the presi-
dency
| "'Have you heard said l to the land
lord, whether the new president has
made any arrangements with the presi-
dents in the hospitalT
Certainly he has, said the landlord.
Didn't you hear the rifle shots little
while ago?
| "'Of course l did, said L; but what
had that to do with the four presidentsT
"'Only this replied the landlord.
| Pres. Moreno discharged them from the
hospital at o'clock this morning, stood
them up against the front wall, and had
them shot five minutes after they were
discharged. You can trust the good doc
tor to make clean job of anything he
undertakes. He is great man, and he
will make the best president we have
ever had
| II called on Pres. Moreno that morn
ing, and congratulated him. Take him
by and large, as he was, far and away
the cleverest man / ever met in Central
| America, and he held on to his office
for nearly eight years before he was
| assassinated by the generalin-chief Of
| the army. l was sorry when he was
killed, for like a man who understands
practical politics, and while l don't deny
| that he must have disappointed the
| four presidents considerably, he did
what was the only thing for a practical
politician to do"