The San Francisco call., 1899-02-12

insisted that change or climate alone
could save him, the order came from
Guatemala giving him the right to re-
turn to his native land. From the mo-
ment the general heard the news he
began to recover, and we left lmmeoi-
ately for Guatemala.
I'VE were not long In Guatemala
when trouble began to brew. There
had been an uprising at some fincas
just beyond the city and General Ba-
rillas put my husband in prison with
out trial on the pretext that he was re-
sponSible in some way for the uprls-,
ing.
I'm Guatemala the will Of the Presi-
dent Is absolute. If he desires a man
put out Of his way he orders him shot.
The people of Guatemala do not say
man has been elected President. They
say he has come into power!
General Barrios was given the cell
set aside for prisoners of state. l was
allowed to send him his meals and to
see him for a few moments eacn oay'
SO / was sure that he could prove MS
innocence when tried and that all WouIo
be well. J.,
formed me that all the other prisoners
save General Barrios had been shot,
and that his turn had come.
"'when were they tried? asked.
"'Tried! Not at all. 1t was the Pres
ident's order
'T was nearly distracted. and my
worst fears were confirmed when, early
In the evening, / received note from
General Barrios, asking me to come
and say farewell. He was to be snor
at midnight.
IT went to the prison and told Cen
eral Barrios that meant to go to Pres
ident Barillas and plead for his LIE.
He commanded me not to do so, but
fO IN l.
ments 1 ran through the streets until
I reached the home of Mr.. Miner. the
American Consul.
Together we hurried to the house
of President Barillas. l implored him
on my knees, and the President, bid
ding me rise, informed me that Cen
eral Barrios was a free man. An hour
later the prison gates shut behind him.
''In that moment I realized what 1t
meant to be President of Guatemala.
On his aye or nay had depended my
husbands life.
"But 1 did not yet know what 1t
means to be the wife of President.
That came later. Before my husband
gained the Presidency there was the
usual revolution and all the horrors at
tending it. 1 had long since learned
that in those countries the life of a
man is valued IS little as that OF a
worthless cat. But whatever other I'M
perfections my husband had, during his
term Of power he certainly never wan
tonly took life.
1--WE entertained elaborately and fire.
Quently. The decorations and details
Of these affairs were always a pleasure
TO me- The beautiful tropical plants
and flowers lend themselves so grace
fully to decoration and the pine needles
with which the floors Of the courts and
corridors are strewn have the most deli
cate, subtle fragrance.
But, no matter what you do or how
hard you try to please, 1t is almost im-
possible to kindle real friendship or
gratitude in a native Guatemalan. Of
course there are exceptions, but such
is the rule A stab in the dark Is the
reward for kindness and protection.
'In the last revolution, the one just
before the assassination Of my husband;
who do you suppose led the rebels J
His own brother and brother-in-law!
The war Of the family, the Guatema-
lans call it. 1t cost President Barrios
an immense sum Of money, for ne was
entirely unprepared for It, How could
q man suspect that his own family
whom he had raised into power with
him, would strike a blow. But thai
can be taken as the keynote Of that
country. Friendship is rooted in the
shifting quicksands Of treachery
aside from the revolutions and In
trigues which make the life Of a Presi'
dent s. W1I0 1nIOl6TdDlc, IL ID lIuPOSSlOIe
for an American woman to find the
people 'sympatica.' Their manners
customs and morals are Of such low
standard. I do not mean that among
the best families there are not some
very charming people But they art
decidedly the exceptions.
Among the foreigners at the lega-
tions there are always some delightful
people. An American woman living ir
the city of Guatemala can have g
charming coterie of friends. But the
wife of the President must know and
entertain many for political or other
reasons And the heartless ingratitude
which meets material benefits and IA
vors is a constant ~''~ce of wonder
ment to one accustomed to the milk o1
human kindness.
"To understand it one must live
through it. 1t is '1deed not worth
while to be the wife of a Guatemalar
President I woul prefer Thousand
times that my husband had remained
simply General Barrios. My life would
have been a far happier one.
"And, above all, 1t is not worth while
for an American girl to be the wife Of
a Central American President. She IL
selling her birthright for mess Of
pOttage."