The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1902-12-07
iiifili'iini'N'i'i'Yi''iN'lil'N'''''lNV'N''l'W
The MadneS of Benito Flores.
(By Leo Crane)
WI

Vopyrignt' lvV<' by houert hoWaru Rus
For The Post.
"whilc I've had good many headaches
10 me time remarked old Sergeant Mac
MINUS, leaning his chair back against the
wall, but never nothin' to compete with
the outrageous fury o. the little potbeliieC
bigger. Perhaps ye may hev' heard o. the
little fcller who run amuck mp near Ddgu
PAM" he asked casually OF the listening
gronp. TIL. men shook their heads, foI
they we're new lot just out from th'
states. and as green as grass In springtime
The sergeant had had his hands full trylng
10 beat some Of his discipline into them
before their going up country, where the
rebels would put the dainty finishing
touches. Occasionally, however. he would
prop himself back In corner OF the white
washed barrack, and hold forth TO the re-
spectful attention OF an entire company.
well, then we may take me word that
be was a wondcrous terror. lie stood on y
four an half IN height, an he was qnite
lengthy bout the waist. but for all tnat,
his movements were equal to West tnJian
hafrychne In motion. I've had me hands
dipped Into three wars--the great big anal,
back 10 the cos, fierce little one cut an
outer down on the Chilan coast, an this
argument, but the lump sum OF It al
wouldn't balance the worry caused by that
roaming lunntic,
I'VE hrSt heard the news that he were
loose from the Dsgupan. where he mad
most killed four men an had been chased
through the jungle nigh onto a mile by
half a regiment Nov from Oagupau 10
San Fernando, where / happened 10 he
along with the Seventh was some thirty
tldy miles an livery yard o. the way thnt
escaped hyena did som thin atrociuus 49,
The time he had gone half the distance,
the whole country was IN state OF viii.
SEQ terror, an we had orders to auoot
hin, on sight.
"aIos' people JUS thought he was an or
hinpry maddencd native tAat someone mat
watefcured gently for tnc sake o has slul
hut | knew better, me lu1s an there yurt
rev people who know as much as mtsrIi
about that little muttcr-Ouy tour others
well, 6aN I'VE then, cause there WIS tht
woman. The Rear Rank KIN o. It, an
~ the renr rank knew IT," sail Young
fellow, There mnst have been more than
four IN the secret a"
"Ah, not so fast, daddy, not so tns. The
h9nr Rank,' as J nu mos every one rlsn
called II, happened 10 he three men am
WY We spoke OF cm rs the Rear Rams.
don't know cause there was three
Duteales, Maine coast Yankee am an
other fellnr In the same line. but the m u
never counted EN- IN thc matter NJ all re
the regiment thore WIS oH ,..t.
tA' itdl lAnhf an an OF them wac IriEI
Ye could tcl the brand Ms soon M, va
caught EN- ;air 20 toe owe They wore "a
Ene s't o mon. TOO, One WINS born IN
kfrrr, one I'm s. Nlwk am Father I'M rho
soudan, hut for an thlt they Was Irish
c,ear through So woud never contest
the argument o. surromdin' Influences after
Ee ,heard the Soudnn breed talk onct He
n49 q ~ OF broad 6rogue Ike Dau'el
O'Conuell,
~, all came about In the usual way.
which is' as ye al know, through u woman.
Nlmmen, lads, 0re dangerous plnythiugs
10 strange country-l'd advise We TO select
anythin' on the list from toddv 10 lend.
az yen die easier It happened by some
mike or other, the Capcn am he was "A
young man. 60 70 can't blame him overly
much, fell into q shlndy along With a nu,
i've woman. Now, when | say u native
w"wan' young green-cared priyates, don't
60 Tor 70 turu yer Ices 60 high 'cuusH
she was lady, mind ye. an can Icl, IN,
Inan who says the capen didn't have good
."sle ! seen lrr moron onct, md know
good thing when see r. She was the
purtiest creature well Two seen damn
isW wlmmen tn the Stntes 10 cdunl her.
Ne have to 90 back 10 the green sod rol
Wlmm"n fashioned aH she was, me lads
She had but one wrr fnuit overlooked b,
the capen-shc was married
BW To come hack Ia The ravin' Niger
an the cnGse a his frenzy, we wer,
holdin' down ltttle village by the name q
san Fernando place SQUAT ON the rail-
road an not far from the hchtin at IN
Gupnn An just outside a. san Feruand,
WAS where the cnpcu met her nrst 81,
was the wife o. potbcllicd Niger mrr
chant, VINO, by the wav. had more monri
than the nay roll % the army. which I
nAd made by squce2iu' Chinese coolies. Sh.
lived Ia beautiful gardonlikc ulncc, ale,
with servants, nm flowers am birds am
nll tho rest q things TINT an ugly MAJ
tnlnkS VIII make pretty wonnn love him
The on'N blight on the lBudscapc Wag tn
owner VINO was also her husband am
answered To the name ~ Bcnlto Flores
seems he had 'ubsldizcd hc- fathcr Whci
Shc was Kid an Gccurdln' To thol
hoathen customs she belonged tn him 10
good an all worse luck or none How
ever, she seen the cap'eu, nm I want 10 tcl
yt the cap'cn was Eonethlu' 10 sec, an
otter hnVin' that choice ht ~ san Feruan
90 Niger poisonin' the atmosphere. I chr
lhfdlF una IL IN me soul in uNup the ma
short little conversation with the carer
rnsuel like, II became the hardest gort %
labor for him 10 shake TINT native woman
An not that she was a had woman mlnt
W, for she were not--but she didn't know
amy better she were n tropic an troplc
lre lneered natured folks, as yen n,
Tho cap'en told me MI about II on,
night. An the reason he told me. youni
men, wRs cause | saved bis life onct n
the Wild country, AN then besides he knev
] was the oldest and best scnshlcd maj
In tho regiment an he knew he enuld conn
on rae, An this is how the whole thin
THE regiment came troopin' by he
garden ono day, an he stopped 10 got
drink o water hcarln' a fountains spasi