The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1898-03-13

dent of Guatemala. An hour before
I Lad seen this same Oscar collin
ger watching a game III the bill
Hard room of the Hotel Germania. He
was the only stranger in the room, but
it was not that fact alone that drew
my attention toward him. His unusual,
light, magnificent physique and clean,
sharply defined features made him
stand out in bold relief in a room
filed with swarthy, thick-set Span
iards.
The Jefe Pohtico told me-" said one
Of the billiard players, that President
Barrios has received three warnings
that an attempt will be made to as
sassinate him tonight"
AS well tonight as any other time"
Chfmed in another; its bound to come
sooner or later. Caramba, Does Bar
rios think the people will let him drain
the country of it's last real? He cannot
take his money with him into the next
world. For that muchas gracias. L,
myself, would like to see his infer"
"Sh!" came in warning whispers.
One of the director generals entered
the room and walked through, in the
midst of a tell-tale silence
door. Zollinger walked away from the
biliard-table and picked up a book. ap-
parently taking no interest in the con-
versation, that was resumed the mo-
ment the director general disappeared.
he kept his eyes glued on the book; but
1 noticed that he did not once turn a
page.
You should have been In the theater
the owner of a coffee plantation in
Quezaltenango, you could have seen
how popular the President is. The
house was packed. When the premiere
danseuse came out in the last act they
threw across her skirts the Guate-
malan flag. The people shouted them
selves hoarse. Then they threw a pic
ture of Senior Mckinley and every one
applauded. especially the Americans
The third time she came out seven
letters appeared. Kisses and groans
came from all parts of the house
Why? The letters spelled Bar
RIOS The poor little dancer thought
at first they were kissing at her. The
Kisses mingled with maledictions on
Barrios grew louder and the manager
rang down the curtain.
That night Barrios probably
thought of the last time the name
'Barrios' appeared on the curtain of
the opera-house and how differently
il was received. It would be strange If
with him, as with his uncle, that thea.
ter incident should be the beginning of
the end
AS with the uncle?" queried a
newly arrived American.
Looking back in the light of sue
ceadtrg events 7 I'm sure that despite
4 81 Cd
listened more intently to my eXplana-
ton than the American.
president Barrios is the nephew of
q former President of Guatemala,
Justo Rufino Barrios. Rufino BarriOs
ruled Guatemala with an iron hand.
He was a handsome man, quick to
think and act, bold and determined
The second year of his presidency he
happened to visit Quezaltenango.
Among those who assembled to do
homage to the President were the pu-
pills of the Convent of the Sacred
Heart. One of them attracted the
Presidents notice. She was Francesca
Aparicio, half Spanish, half Indian, but
remarkably beautiful 1 shall marry
that girl exclaimed the President
And forthwith he sent word to her
father, Senior Juan Aparicio. demand
ing the hand of his daughter in mar
She is too young insisted the
father.
1.-TWO years from to-day replied
the President, after moment
thought, shall marry Francesca.
Her brother Juan, who was pres
ent, insisted that even then she would
be too young-barely Is years Old
Juan was promptly arrested and cast
into prison, but shortly released.
TT was explained that he had been
arrested on account of a mistaken sus-
picion, but it was currently believed
that the arrest was the result Of the
anger of President Barrios at the OPP