The Bon Homme County independent. [volume] (Tabor, S.D.) 1904-1913, 1907-07-04
IA SOUTH AMERICAN
FOURTH OF July

Some years ago." said the fireworks
man, II had to make a Journey to Quito,
the capital Of Ecuador, to superintend q
big fireworks display that was being given
there by the government In celebration OF
the anniversary of the freeing of the coun-
try from the Spanish yoke by Bolivar
We'll, got to Guayaquil, the principal
seaport of Ecuador. and started over the
mountain trail to Quito. which was several
days Journal inland with a mule team.
l had two American assistants with me
and three muleteers. We rode on mule
back, and our baggage was carried on six
other mules. The country was disturbed
at that time by one Of the revolutions so
common in Latin America, and we were
warned at Guayaquil that we might be
held up along the trail by the rebels But
all went well for two days.
ION the afternoon of the third day an
we wound round a corner Of the narrow
mountain path we met q party OF bare
footed, ragamuffn soldiers, who surrounds
cd us In moment and ordered as to halt.
AS the order was given at the point OF
the rifle we promptly obeyed.
The boss brigand, a big, burly villain,
who smoked fat black cigar and wore
long gilt sheathed sword, but was other
wise as ragged and disreputable as the
rest OF the gang, told us through our
guides that he was an officer Of the ever
glorious and constitutional provisional
government, by which he meant the revol
lutionists. He added that he was empowl
cred TO annex, for the good of the cause,
ell mules and merchandise that passed
along that road
They unloaded the pack animals and
opened the boxes of flreworks, which
caused them much surprise. They were
all country peasants-half-breed Indians.
who had only seen such things once or
futNR hRfnra fhaxy hoyN Al 49,
town at the time of a fiesta and had Ger.
tainly never touched them. The reyolu.
ZIONIST general admired the rockets very
much and handled them as lovingly as any
American kid does on the Fourth OF July
Il told him they were intended to cele.
orate the independence OF his country and
appealed to his patriotism to let me go on
to Quito SO that the display might come
or on schedule time. But he didn't seq
1t In that light. .9a .#s#3k
THE government at Quito, he declared.
had trampled on the liberties of the coun-
try and therefore had no right to send up
fireworks to celebrate the glorious age Of
Bolivar. 1t was he, upon whom the man.
tie OF Bolivar had fallen, who would send
them UP, and thus celebrate the great vic
tories he was going to win when he start
ed in to do things to the government
with that he struck match and tried
to light one OF the rockets by the wrona
END. 1 tried to explain to him that he
was going to get hurt, but his followers
thrust me aside roughly, and didn't
try to save him again. The rocket sud-
denly went off with a roar. .g#.s I&#
I'm a moment there was a terrific ex.
plosion. The whole lot ignited at once.
bombs and rockets darting off in all di-
rections among the crowd standing
around. ..E, l&l#T
You can bet those revolutionists were
scared. Some of them fell down on the
ground and called upon their patron saints
for help; other bolted down the mountain
trail like frightened hares ana didn't show
up again for half an hour. .nN
1T Is miracle we were not all killed,
but with the exception of the general noa
body was badly hurt. s"
Il know how to dress burns as well an
any doctor, Of course, and soon fixed
him up as comfortable as possible His
followers formed q camp near the trail,
and stayed with them three days, attends
Ing 20 the chiefs injuries. At the end Of
that time he was we'll on the way to req
coVery and very grateful to me. went
on to Quito and gave the display at tho
time appointed, but all the fireworks had
to be locally manulactured."-Ch b.
Darlington in Washington Star @#.