The Mount Holly news. [volume] (Mount Holly, Burlington Co., N.J.) 1891-1942, 1902-07-22

tered beyond repair, and all he desired
was to get back home in time to die
According to what Colonel Smithers
saw with his own eyes when he
reached Ajaco, the ex-official was in
the best of health, as active as an aero
bat and was taking horne a great deal
Of heavy baggage. 1t looked to man
up tree as if he had made his pile
and wanted to get home for the pur
pose of opening a department store.
The old consul did not explain the
situation to the new CONSUL He might
have done so had his mods, winks and
attempted condolences been received in
proper spirit. The trouble with the
new consul was that he was an ex-sol-
der and an honest man, and his ap-
pointment having been secured on his
merits he meant to honor it.
During the first month of his official
career he ran up against several queer
things which he failed to understand,
but he had been i'll Ajaco two months
or more before the moss came off his
back and the cobwebs fell from his
eyes. Then he awoke to the fact that
Dictator Huasco and his crowd were a
precious set of scoundrels and that the
old consul had shared the DOODLE Eng
fish, French, German and American
mining companies were working under
concessions for which they had paid
high prices, but in one way and an
other they were all subjected to black
mail. 1t was so with the coffee plant
ers and fruit raisers, so with all the in
dustries. The custom houses and tax
receivers were being worked for all
they were worth to the benefit of the
political ring, while affairs of state
suffered.
After sounding Colonel Smithers for
a couple of months they offered prop
osition for him to join the ring and
reap share of the profits. Perhaps
he was foolish for not jumping at the
chance, but this man Smithers, this
old veteran of the civil war, this citi-
zen who wanted to honor his govern
ment in return for being honored, fat
ly refused to join the ring or counte-
nance anything that was not absolute
ly square.
He stood, too, just where his services
were badly needed to carry out GER
tain scheme and there was only one
thing for the ring to do. Smithers
must resign. 1t was not long before
the secretary of state received official
complaints against Consul Smithers.
These were filed, and charges were
sent to him. He explained them in a
satisfactory way. A little later other
complaints were forwarded, and these
were followed by a practical demand
for his recall.
1t looked for a time is if Dictator
Huasco was on top, but it happened
that Consul Smithers had couple of
senators at his back, and the secretary
of state received some inside informa-
ton concerning the doings of the ring.
An investigation resulted in the colo
neps favor. He was not recalled, and
semioficially he was advised to stick.
These little difficulties kept the con-
sui pretty busy for the first year of his
term, and he finally realized that GER
tain men looked upon him as the
wrong man in the right place. This ap-
pealed to his natural obstinacy. He
and the ring drifted further apart
Even in a half civilized South Amer
lean state a United States consul is
safe from open assaults. except in time
Of revolution. Colonel Smithers had
lost social prestige. Don Huasco no
longer desired to kiss him on both
cheeks when they met but Smithers
had no fear of personal violence be-
hind the scowls which greeted him on
all sides. One day while out driving a
bullet whizzed through his hat The !
affair was promptly investigated, and
the report was to the effect that gun
had been discharged quite by accident. /
Two weeks later as he passed the ala /
media alone at night would be as /
sassin sprang forward with uplifted
knife The colonel got in one straight (
blow from the shoulder before the !
knife came down, and the fellow went |
head over heels to lie in a senseless |
heap until arrested. He turned out to |
be a half crazed, half drunken native, 7
and of course the dictator was very I
sorry-quite upset by this unfortunate /
affair. A third attempt on the coloneps /
life was followed in a couple of weeks /
by fourth, but he appeared to be in 7
the hands of Providence and came off /
without scratch. 1t would not do to
pursue this line any further, and so the I
dictator invited the colonel to the pal
ace and warned him as follows:
Colonel Smithers, / am sorry to /
have to inform you that many of our
people do not love you and that should
you remain here until the 9th, which |
is the birthday of Ajaco's patron
saint, l much fear that there might be
an outbreak. If this should occur,
shall seek to control it, of course, but
l may not be able to give you full pro
lection. think it best to tell you this
and let you use your good judgment in
the matter"
'As l understand It." slowly replied
the colonel, sit amounts to this: If l
do not make a sneak before the 9th
mob will seek my life and do its best
to take It."
sour people are excitable and cannot
always be controlled" replied the die
tator.
"Yes, 1 understand, but l shall be
right here on the 9th unless recalled /
to Washington"