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

was appointed Amelicah ~,
Torrizonia, which, as you piop'o''
know, was at that time an independent
Central American republic, though sinee
then it has been annexed by one ol us
ueiphbors. There was only one town ID
Torrizonia of any size, and that was the
capital and principal seaport. Inc gov,
eminent sent ME out in frlgate, ana
when we arrived at Porto Nuevo, ana
was on the point of going ashore, the
captain, who was particularly soou
fellow. said he'd lie at anchor for rev
DAYS. so as to be ready in case should
need any protection. You see there
was most generally revolution III
progress in Torrizonia, and the captain,
being thoughtful man, calculated that
in case l should be accidentally shot he
could lombard the town and make
big reputation at nome for energYA and
patriotism.
81 was put ashore in one of the frig-
ate's boats, and after l had convinced
an Indian custom house officer, who
didn't wear shoes, and who couldn't
read my passport, that l wasn't danger
GUS, l gave my trunks to couple OF
porters and walked up to the hotel.
There was only one hotel in the place,
and that was kept by a man who had
been a waiter at San Francisco hotel,
and spoke English pretty near as well
as or you. 1t was small hotel, and
/ had it all to myself, except for the
barroom, where part of the Torrizonian
army was always drinking itself crazy
I had "a fairish sort Of dinner, and after
had started in to smoke, the landlord
came in and talked with me in sociable
sort of way, though he was careful not
to sit down in the presence of great
man like myself.
II had told the landlord that was the
new American minister, and | asked
him if the president was in town, for |
wanted to present myself to the presi-
dent as soon as possible, and to get to
work, providing there should be any
work for minister to do.
Pres. Amone is here, said the land
lord, but the other presidents are in
different parts of the country
How many presidents does this coun-
try require? said /. The United States
is a middling big country but we con-
trive to get along with one president at
a time"
There are four of them just now,
SIR replied the landlord, but Of course
they'll be thinned out considerably when
they get to fighting. There's Pres. Al
monte, whose term expired six months
ago, but who is holding on to office till
he can collect some more taxes. He's
oil ho IN,
grounds of the presidential mansion, and
he'll make a good fight for it before he's
turned out.
Then there's Gea Garcia, who was
elected president at the last election, but
has never been able to get the presi-
Dental mansion. He's got about 1900
men with him, and he's in camp about
five miles from here.
"'Then, there's Pres. Alvarez, who
was vice-president under Almonte, and
considers that he ought to have been
elected in place Of Garcia. He is sup
posed to have 1000 men in his camp,
which is, say, 10 miles north of here.
".Pres. Del Vale has about the same
number of men with him, and he's
somewhere to the south of us, though
can't say precisely where. He was the
senior officer of the army, and he set
up as president because he said that
neither of the three other presidents
were justified in starting revolutions,
and that it was his duty as a patriot to
punish them. Most people here think
that old Almonte, having all the artil-
lery with him, has the best right to the
l,,< l. Inu = hoI
thing will end, when once the fighting
gets fairly started
Now this news didn't suit me at all.
You see had to present my credentials
to the president of Torrizonia before
could act as minister and earn my sal
airy. But how was / to know which of
the four rascals was the genuine and
only president? Moreover, it was a tick
lish business for me to select a president
and stick to him. By SO doing, recog-
nized his government and became, so
to speak, responsible for him.
Sat last / was inclined to recognize
Almonte, who was within handy reach,
and who had certainly been president
up to the time of the last election, what
ever might be the legality Of his present
position. But, then, in case called on
Almonte, and presented my papers
should be treating the chap who had
been elected president with gross injus-
tice. There would have been no use in
writing to Washington for instructions,
for the mail for the United States left
Torrizonia only once in two months,
and it had left the day before l arrived.
! saw / should have to act on my own
responsibility, and i didn't like it at all.
'You see that l couldn't afford to
spend three or four months waiting for
the presidents to thin one another out,
for my salary didn't become due until
! had been regularly received by the
lawful president. OF course, being o
practical man, 1 knew that any one Of
the presidents would be mighty glad to
be recognized by me, and that if l should
set them bidding against one another,
and agree to recognize the highest bid
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