The Saint Paul globe., 1905-04-30

@HE sun was setting as l turned
my weary mule into the covered
bridge that spans the rushing
- quebrada at the foot of the steep
hill Lon whose summit Manizales stands.
1t had been six day journey from
Medellin, through the heart of the Cen
fral Cordillera, a journey replete with
steep climbs and precipitous descents,
In the course of which / had expert
enped all kinds and shades of climate
from the sitting heat of the canons to
the cool and bracing air of the noun
taBn tops, where one sleeps under dou-
Bile blankets at night; and / looked for
ward thankfully to a weeks rest in the
little town l was now approaching,
where at least, / should enjoy the COM
forts of a decent hotel-for Colombia
preparatory to continuing my march to
Honda, Bogota and the north
Fifty yards in my rear clattered my
cargo mules, in charge of the peon
whose services had enlisted in Medel-
linsfor the entire trip of 1,200 miles.
Eduardo was his name, typical An
Soquian, shrewd, intelligent and as full
of witty sayings as Sancho Panza him.
self.
As 1 emerged from the bridge and
began the climb three poems passed me.
afoot, talking earnestly together in the
SlifS sung AullOQuldn I9lOlS. was
resting my mule after the first steep
ASCENT when, with scramble and
grhnt, the cargo mules caught up with
me- urged on by Eduardo, who ap-
peared to be laboring under some ex-
citeiment.
He approached me hurriedly, leaving
discharges to look after themselves for
the e-moment-whereupo La Russia inn
mediately lay down, La Pardu began
nibbling at some succulent grass by the
roadside, and only La Colorado, steady
going, even tempered old beast that she
was, continued the ascent.
Don Arturo" painted Edouard
'those arrieros who just passed tell me
that we had better not take the mules
into ManiZales. There is a battalion
there from the Cauca on its way to Bo-
gotta. They are taking mules and
horses right and left, and they will
surely seize ours, as they did those of
my paiSanoS therei"
These tidings disturbed me not a lit
tler- for well l knew the high handed
methods of the Colombian military,
and as martial law still ruled the
country, though the revolution had
been suppressed six months before. /
realized that [ could expect little if any
protection from the civil authorities.
MNmules were picked animals and had
cost me in the Colombian currency
$4ssS0O-in appearance a tremendous
sum, but really equivalent to only $500
American gold.
But 1 made UP my mind quickly that
there was nothing to do but chance it,
and l said to Edouard, with a great as
sumption of indifference:
"That news doesn't affect me. As a
foreigner my property is exempt from
cofffiscation."
Eduardo shrugged his shoulders.
Muy bien, patroni" was all he said
and shrieking at the tagging beasts.
he had them scrambling up the hill in
Jhfy after La Colorado, who had by
this time disappeared around a turn.
The approach to Manizales, though
steep. is not very long, and [ easily
gained the summit in half an hour and
shortly afterward ambled into town
ovef streets of uneven cobblestones;
worn smooth and shiny by the passage
of the barefooted pueblo A few turns
and | crossed the deserted market
Unconventional two story houses con-
tanning the principal stores; the igiesia
with its twin wooden towers ocupy-
ingSmost of the other.
a block further down. and with a
sigh of relief, l pulled up at the door
of the grand Hotel Sevilla a hostelry
combining the local club, the theater
and superior accommodations-for CO.
toInbia, as l before remarked. My ar
flval caused no end of scurry and ex-
titement, for l was the first foreigner
10 arrive since the beginning of the
revolution nearly four years before.
Mine host eagerly assisted two or
three servants to unasddle my mule,
saia, where I sank contentedly into a