The Logan Republican. [volume] (Logan, Utah) 1902-1924, 1903-04-14
WILES OF A CONSUL
HOW ONE MAN "CINCHED" DIP
lOMATiC JOB.
Secret Of His Long Tenure In South
America Told After His Death
Had Little Trouble In Driving Away
Competitors.

"A man from south America teIS
this story of an American consul
down there who died recently after
having retained possession of his office
through administration after admins
tration, in spite of all efforts to Gust
him:
Brown" he said, held his post
through sunshine and through rain,
through Republican and Democratic
administrations, through revolutions
and through invasions, through vel
low fever and through everything
else on the South American calendar.
Not that he was a particularly bright
and shining light at the diplomatic
game, either and not that he worked
particularly hard at Washington to
hold his job, for he just plodded along
in an even way and didn't appear to
care a rap for his place.
81 learned the secret of his system
some years ago and now that he Is
dead II won't do any harm to talk
about it.
The place where he was consul
was one of the choicest yellow fever
hatcheries anywhere on the globe. All
the troublesome applicants for consul
lar jobs who went to Washington
were assigned to that place when
nothing else served to put them or.
when Brown learned that he was
practically proof against the old vel
low and the rum habit he Matched up
a little scheme to stay there.
when a new APPLICANT came down
to take the post Brown always greet
ed him with the utmost cordially,
saying that he was glad to get out of
the blasted old hole and that nothing
on earth could tickle him more than
to take the very first steamer back
to civilization. His next words were
always an offer to take the new man
around the town and show him a few
of the ropes of the place.
I'm the course of this trip they
always got to the graveyard sooner
or later and then Brown always be-
came deeply affected. Going around
he pointed out this and that tomb
stone, accompanying his gestures
with something like this:
do you see that grave over
there? Well, that's poor old Robin
sons. He came down here full of
hopes OF good beginning in a bril-
liant career and, poor fellow, he was
carried away at almost the beginning
OF it.
If my memory does not fail me he
came here on the 7th and died on
the 18th. Oh, yes, he was the consul
here. | followed him, In fact
THAT over there is old Carey's
grave. He was very popular fell
low, too. Yellow Jack got him. |
think he had hardly landed before he
became Ill. His folks were terribly
cut up over 1t. Can't blame them.
land Paisley's grave is somewhere
in here. | don't see 1t just now, but
it's here just the same. Yes, another
case Of yellow Jack.
What's the matter, old man? Not
feeling well? Oh, it's nothing, | dare
say. A fellow is often taken that way
when he has been here little while.
''The thing invariably ended in the
newcomers taking the next steamer
back and in Brown blowing the gang
off at his joint. 1t was at the final
scene of one Of these occasions that
the poor old chap was taken off, and
he met one Of the most tragic deaths
In view Of the circumstances, that !
ever heard Of.
HE had ordered the first bottle
from the servant when 1t came. You
see, 1t was always a celebration for
him because all he had to do after
the newcomer sailed back was to ask
for the job over again.
"'Here's prosperity and long life
to the new consul, he said, raising
his glass and waving his hand at the
departing steamer.
Then he suddenly grew pale and
tottered for moment
"'Guess there is a new man com.
ing this time he said, regaining his
composure. The old yellow jack has
hit the consul at last.
And he died within forty-eight
hours"