River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1903-09-03
rn. co,one, shrugged his shoulders.

DluHeQ. Shall Cdil ehoI Diun. lAcfc
will be a pretty fight | am the
stronger. / shall win. Is it not SOP"
Colonel" said the tall American,
81 am not a coward You know that
I'm willing to fight you TO the last
ditch. But what's the use of killing
off a lot of people? What's all the
trouble about, anyhow? You are go
ing to crush me because your daugh-
ter loves me and | love her. You want
to force her into a marriage with
contemplate old octogenarian that
she despfses. You envy me the hold
| have on the people here. You have
a prejudice against me because / am
an American, and you want to ruin
me. Every cent | have in the world
is invested here. I've got to fight for
my rights if you force me to, but /
would prefer some other way"
There is" said the colonel. There
Is. Leave the country. Go away.
Never see my daughter again. Never
come back"
"IIl not do that" said the Ameri-
can, shortly.
your revolution? Very well. That
is the way it shall appear. / have the
favor of the president. Don Miguel,
that my undutiful daughter refuses to
marry, is what you call big gun
here. You will be crushed, Senior Mar
tin. 1t is sad"
Il intended to start no revolution,
nd KnnW +
scamp of a Miguel and you have fixed
up little conspiracy against me, and
you know that, too. You were going
! to come down on my people suddenly,
there would have been fight, and
when it was all over my places would
have been in ruins, my people killed,
and myself either dead or fugitive
| tried to protect myself / secured
arms and when you came / was going
to meet force with force. | had hoped
that my forces would be SO much
stronger than yours that I could drive
you back and force you to give it up.
This filibuster here is tlfs only man
that can get arms into this country.
| hired him first and thought that as
you couldn't secure rifles from any
body else you would be badly off, But
he has sold to you, too, and our forces
won't be so badly matched. I'll give
you good fight, Senior Colonel.
The colonel laughed. YES" he
said, your countryman was SO good
as to sell me guns, too, and many
cartridges. That is one nice thing
about Gringoes. They will sell their
souls, their friends, anything for gold.
1t is WE'LL
The filibuster leaned YEARLY on the
bar. Il haven't had my pay from you,
either, Senior Colonel"
NO." said the colonel, "but you
shall. Let me see. I bought of you
5000 rifles and 100000 of the cart
ridges"
You bought" said the filibuster,
dried fish"
The colonel laughed. II need not
explain" he said, bowling mockingly
to Martin, you know it is the custom
in these countries where governments
do not like things like revolutions
We do not say rifles or cartridges
They are such wicked words A spy
may be hanging around and he might
hear. That would be bad. So we say
bread and fish"
Extremely interesting" said Mar
tin.
Il didn't understand your colloqui-
alisms," put in the filibuster lazily
Your men came to me and ordered
bread and fish. l filled the order The
bread and fish were unloaded from
the schooner last night. Probably
you have heard from your men to-
day, or the boxes were not to be
opened until tonight"
The colonels face was white and
he trembled. you sold me fish and
bread?"
YES" said the filibuster. "You
should have beenmo explicit Some
times | am a little obtuse.''
Martins face was glowing He
grabbed the filibuster's hand and
pumped it up and down. Bully for
you. old man. he gasped. "Senor
Colonel" he said, 1--WE will go on with
the war. You must be careful in
shooting that bread and those dried
fish at us, though. Nothing is worse
than dyspepsia. Go on, by all means,
with your original plans l intend to
let events have their course But by
the time your arms have arrived the
government will be overthrow and
your old enemy and my friend Torres
will be president"
Senior Martin" gasped the colonel.
Il am sure my daughter would be
pleased to have you call on us this
afternoon. Will you not do my poor
house the honor of dining with us to-
night? All, thank you, l will go and
tell my daughter you are coming
Hewalked hurriedly out of the cafe
Il don't know what to say" gasped
Martin. You'll forgive me what
said, won't you? / didn't know. And
it meant so much to me-"
20, it's all right" replied the fill.
buster. Il don't mind I'm used to
everything. It's all in the game"
I'm sure of one thing" went on
Martin, "and that is that blood is
thicker than water. 1t must have
been an American that said that"-
Chicago Tribune.