Evening star., 1898-05-28
A JOKE ON THE MExICANS

when we were down in Mexican waters.
. few years ago." said a naval officer, "one
OF the yeomen aboard our ship was reck-
less. daredevil sort of chap named Launt,
an Ohio man, who had seen and done
everything, and was remarkably well edu-
Gated. too. Men of his sort often enlist
in our naval service after going at a some
what tumultuous clip ashore, and they
generally pan out well. Among other
schemes that this man Launt had tried
before coming to us as a bluejacket, from
which he was quickly rated to the position
Of chief petty officer, was that of getting
a commission in the United States army
from the ranks. He passed his examina-
tions and would have got his commission
but for his penchant for going on occa-
sional heavy sprees. We found him
crack man for landing parties, and there
were several of us aft to whom he could
give points on the handling of men in bat
TALON drill.
When We reached Acapulcho, the chief
port on the west coast of Mexico, there
were assembled there nearly 5000 troops,
that were being drilled and equipped in
readiness to take the field against the
forces Of one of the republics on Mexico's
southern border which had recently been
giving our neighbor republic a lot, of back
talk. Launt went ashore one afternoon
with couple of the machinists. The three
men went somewhat heavily against the
mescal that is purveyed as a liquid re-
freshment down in that country. Mescai
will make an ordinarily level-headed man
do more crazy things in given space OF
time than any other kind of coffin varnish
l ever tasted or heard of. When they were
pretty well fixed with mescal Launt and
his two chief petty officer companions took
walk over to the big gray fort on the
Acapulco promontory. where the soldiers
were Quartered. and where, by the way.
there has been confined for more than a
quarter of q century an American sailor
whom the Mexican authorities declared
guilty of murder. The soldiers were all
out on the parade ground drilling in the
slouchy style that seems to characterize
swarthy troops in low latitudes. Most of
the troops were barefooted and uniformed
In dirty white linen, and they surely pre-
sented queer spectacle of inefficency and
impotence. The officers We're begilded and
besashed up to the mines, and they looked
not and uncomfortable in the terrific sun
shine of the parade ground where the tenn
perature couldn't have been much less than
13O degrees. Launt and his two chums
stood by and watched the languorous move
ments of the troops for awhile. There was
a big brigade of them. Then Launt stea-
died himself and walked over to the COM
mand1ng general. In his white uniform,
and with the commanding way he had of
carrying himself. Launt probably looked to
the commanding general like one of the
commissioned officers of our ship. Launt
saluted the general deferentially and yet
Spanish with the Mexican commander The
Mexican troops presented an admirable ap-
pearance. They were soldierly looking men
alert, groomed, puissant 1t must be a
pleasure to drill such a fine body of men,
and SO on. This is the line Of talk that our
yeoman gave the Mexican commander.
who was monstrously well pleased with
the amiabe criticism and smiled all over.
Perhaps finally said the Mexican gen.
eral, 'senor the commandant would honor
us by himself putting the troops through
few movements"
receive the honor in the spirit of
gratltude and with an appreciation Of its
hospitality, said Launt the yeoman-a man
who had been a bluejacket but a few months
before. mind you-and he forthwith began
to assemble the Mexican brigade and to
put 1t through the swellest movements he
knew, and he knew them all. The Mexi-
can tactics were at that time identical
with those of the United States army
and so Launt was quite at home The
troops reused themselves from their lassi-
tude and became alert out of pride when
they saw they were being drilled by the
American, and the snappy way they hop
ped about that big parade ground was a
caution. After handling them like a vet
eran at quick time Launt, who had forced
himself to the steadiness of a rock be-
gan to drill the brigade ON the double
with the Mexican general and his staff
looking on approvingly. For fifteen min
utes the yeoman had those sweltering
Mexican troops galloping about the parade
5A'uii' iihC 81 iitAHy hdISdTOOS, ana Wnen
he finally gave the command to halt they
were ready to drop.
Admirable, admirable- said Launt to
the Mexican general. L don't see how
they can be beaten Then, with profuse
thanks for the hospitality of the Mexican
commander. and an apology for being un-
able, on account of duty aboard his Ship
to accompany the commander to his quar-
ters for refreshments. Launt rejoined his
two chief petty officer companions who
were a little distance away, on the verge
Of apoplexy from laughter. Several of the
officers of our ship. including the skipper
and myself, had seen the whole business
from the gate of the fort. The skipper had
not lnterfered, because he feared that IL
the Mexican commander was made aware
of how he was being done his humilia-
ton and wrath would be too great
'Launt and the two machinists had to
pass us in going out the gate. The yeo-
man had a villainous grin on his counte-
nance, and the skipper couldn't help but
smile in reply.
Launt. you're Internal ruffan,'
said the old skipper. Go off to the ship'
But the yeoman wasn't punished for his
deviltry."