The Hartford republican. (Hartford, Ky.) 18??-1926, 1904-01-15

The colonel said he guessed he
would guilt. He took his bride and
made his inglorious retreat. The
press dispatches at the time gave the
number OF the opposing forces, and
there was considerable speculation
throughout the United States over
the withdrawal of the Colombian
troops, when there was so much at
stake, and the force so numerically
able to enforce its demands. l be-
lieve something was said about "in-
ducing" the officers to withdraw.
That $40, 600 was the Involvement. "
For a few days there was considera-
BILE apprehension for the safety OF
Americans In Colon. There really
was no danger so long as the rebels
were rafting their gold pieces in Col
onel Torres ears. 1t will make him
feel really bad when he learns that he
might just as we'll have had $25,
II he had held out tor 1t. OF course
the colonel Is now much traduced
man throughout the length and
breadth of Colombia, but he did no
more than his general would have
done If the chance had been his; he
did no more than the Columbian con-
gresham tried to do when he held up
the canal treaty. The gold got into
an unexpected pocket, that was all.
Colombia has. had a great deal to say
about the United States using force,
but this narration OF fact, coupled
with the history OF the whole negotia-
ton, makes it very plain that the
itching palms OF the Colombian Off
GERS and politicians Is what really
lost her cause. She has, indeed, been
the victim of weakness, but that
weakness was her own.
The sweet tooth seems to flourish
In hot climate. Children gnawing
at pieces of sugar-cane Is always IA
mllisr sight In tropical lands. Some
times they get little else to eat. On
a former trip to the tropics had in
my employ little black boy, by the
name of Domingo, who ran brands
for me. Necessarily became quite
familiar with the habits OF my young
assistant. I found that aside from
sleeping a great deal, he was quite an
eater. His blouse was his larder and
he kept 1t we'll stocked with eatables,
mostly sweets. If he were disturbed
while eating he would chuck the un-
finished morsel inside his shirt to
await a more favorable opportunity
to consume it. Domingo's tendency
toward economy was commendable,
even II his idea of cleanliness was not
praiseworthy. There was always a
noticeable 5ulging In his blouse, and
I frequently heard a rafting sound as
he moved about. One day l said to
him. Domingo, what is that In
your shirt which rattles SOP" He re-
piled, That's my ice cream dish,
SIR" 1t was we'll battered tin cup,
and after some filching he brought
forth a crooked, much abused, metal
spoon. "For cents 1 get this half
full OF cream, sir. 1t Is very good.
May bring you some3" did not
avail myself of his generosity.
Domingo Is a soldier now. The
salary he gets for being a fighting
man amounts to about 40 cents per
day, American money, and he boards
himself. This is satisfactory ar
rangement to Domingo, because teed-
Ing himself Is an old habit. He does
not have to put up with whatever IA
lions the head of the commissary de
partment may see fit to Issue. He
still has his battered cup and crooked
spoon, and he buys Ice cream and
cake as many times day as the spirit
moves him. His fellows do likewise.
Around their camp there Is a hover
Ing swarm OF vendors. The peddlers
of sweets have the largest trade, even
II confectionery does not make the
Drawn victors In the game of war
should have. A fighting man needs
muscle. That Is why Domingo and
his comrades, when they were 500
against 80 In Colone that day, did
not care so much about fighting.
They looked tired aud listless. 1t
suited them very we'll when their Of
fcer took his bride and ordered them
to march away.
1t was good for them that he did
for that little band of blue clad ma
AZ