The Republican journal., 1897-10-28

in the latter country, and those recently
set on foot to assist the rebellion in Cuba I;
Walker and all his predecessors and sue
cessors was their own amusement, glory
and pecuniary profit, by re-enacting the
role of the original Spanish conqueror,
slightly modified by the changed condi-
lions of three or four countries. For more
than two years Walker and his inpecunious
crew managed to sustain themselves in
Central America, and were finally expell-
ed only by the union of all the little Re-
publcs against him. Finally Walker was
captured in Honduras, tried by court
martial and sentenced to be shot; and the
sentence was carried into effect at Truxil-
10, (Honduras,) Sept. u, 1861 when its
victim was only 36 years of age
The Central American soldier is unique
in many respects, among the armies of the
earth. In Costa Rica the rank and file
are mere boys, dressed in jackets and
trousers of blue duck, wearing caps, but
without shoes or stockings and armed
with modern breech- loading rifles with
bayonets attached. The officers wear a
much be- trimmed and brass buttoned uni
form of blue cloth and seem to outnumber
the privates. The city is policed almost
wholly by boys, who wear blue uniforms
and ungainly caps, like those used in the
Dutch army. These adolescent otficiates
are organized militarily, with First
Commandante, a Second Communicate,
six sergeants, and eighty gend' armes-
each provided with a small club of hard
wood and silver button which indicates
his official capacity. They do not appear
to have anything to do beyond whistling
the alert every half hour all night as
they patrol the sleeping city, and offering
tive the oracion del serene, Ave Maria
Purissima; for this is a remarkably we'll
ordered community, where crime and vi
olence are almost unknown. Every Sun
day morning at II o clock the troops are
put through all their PAGES and manpu-
vres in front of the Government Palace,
view them from the balcony and citizens
crowd the streets. There are more men
in the band than there are ooy-soldiers in
the company. The former sit in row
against the barrack wall and play waltzes
from memory with all their might; while
the boys execute a variety of evolutions
which smack of many foreign countries,
with a dash of native originality thrown
in. Even on dress parade the privates
are bare footed; the officers are booted
and there are almost as many boots as
bare feet. In the field the Central Amer
lean soldiers have no tents, that luxury be-
ing confined to the superior officers, and
few of them have any blankets beyond
the greasy zerapes, which are worn by
day in lieu of coats when the air is chilly.
When in barrrcks they lie down at night
on the cobble- stones of the courtyard.
The barrels of their rifles are kept bright
after the French fashion, instead of be-
ing Drowned. A piece of paper pasted at
the butt of each gun contains the name
and number of the private to whom it be-
longs-and woe unto him who happens to
lose the paper. Though hardly one
soldier in hundred can read, they get
used to the form of their name in written
characters, like kindergarten object
lesson. As arms are very valuable in Cos
ia Rica to sell or lose one is serious of
Tense, made punishable by hogging. 1t is
said that the late Captain Soto, who was
in command here during the presidency
of his brother, used to order out the
whole regiment whenever gun was ''lost,
strayed or stolen;'' and if the real culprit
could not be discovered, had them all
strung up by the thumbs and one by one
severely whipped. Aside from that class
of females known the world over as
''camp followers the Costa Rican gov
eminent, like the Mexican, permits linn
tied number of married women to accom-
pany each regiment, to cook and wash for
the soldiers.
These are regularly enrolled as solda-
deras female soldiers), and are said to
bear the long marches and fatigues of
camp life even better than the men. For
that matter, nearly every one of the sol
diers has follower" regardless of gov
ernmental or priestly permission, who
shares his hard fortunes with the faith
fitness of dog. His pay is only % cents
a day, and on that they both exist. AS
there is no regular ration system, the
cuisine consists of whatever these women
can manage to pick up. They are the
uncommissioned purveyors and commits
sariators of the army, performing all me
NAL services and enduring their full share
of danger and hardship, with no hope of
reward beyond the condescending favor,
and frequently the abuse, of their self
elected lords and masters. When ON the
march they head the column, riding on