Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1907-04-16
A Revolution
In Chilombia.
By GEORGE KENNErT.
Copyright, l,O7, by p. C. Eastment.

L
The D'Estes family was Of the
| haughiest III Chilombia. Papa D'Estes
was retired dictator, not yet entered
| into that permanent rest which the
cemetery affords to most Spanish
| American patriots at or before the
| end of their official careers. His best
energies were now engrOssed In Gre
mating malOdOrOus cigarros and in IT.
rigating certain arid tracts Of his In
terror with aguardiente. Mamma DIES
tes does not count In this story save
| as the parent Of seven sons aud one
daughter enumerated below.
There were Brother Alfonso, who
was destined for the presidency. and
Brother Juan, fer the generalship of
the army, and Brother Leon, for the
archblshopric, and so on through the
list to little Brother Cristofero, who
was to ill some older brothers place
Should any elect foreign minister
ship instead of service ut home. BIZ.
the flower and darling of the hOas,
hold was Sister Esmerelda. She was
to wed the highest official in the re-
public outside her own family unless
indeed some foreign potentate shoui.'
seek her hand.
Two gallants wOoed the rose Of the
D'Estes, both of the Chilombia. aris'
laf ~ c,fu
which dictators and presidents are
made-SenOr Caballero and SenOr Loeb
invar OF these two Esmefc!ua AZ
peared to favor the latter. to his rivals
great discontinue.
The situation irked Caballero's soul.
True, he might pistol or knife his ene
my returning some pleasant night frO.i
serenading his namorata. But he
knew that suspicion would ut once IL
directed toward him and Ii; chance%
Of winning Esmerelda forevcr destrC.
ed. He might challenge bis foe to
duel, but Lochinvar was u better shot
than he. Decidedly things cCald not
be worse. What was the remaly:
Like q homing pigeon, he turned to the
refuge of his race-a revolution.
Caballero sat himself down to thin.
thing he did only OH special Oc,..
sions. The lines of reyoiutiOnaf..
cleavage must he such that he and
Papa D'Estes should tinl themselves
on one side and Lochinvar Oh the
other. The smoke Of his cisurro fur
nished inspiration.
Only two kinds Of tobacco are smok
ed In ChIlomLia-Bogota and Lii l'a::
Caballero and Papa DEstes were of
the cremators Of Bogota. while I.och-
invar clave to those who caicined LII
Paz. There was 10 per cent duty Cn
Bogota, only 10 on La Paz Here WAS
revolutionary tinder with u vengeance.
Caballero quietly kindled the flame.
Soon the pOpulacc were boiling like
superheated chocolate pot The hot
blood Of the descendants Of the lncas
must he let.
Then came the explosion. There
were bells. bullets. bayOEets. brickbats
and bluff al Iibitum. by day they
slew one another at the barricadcs; by
night they fraterniZed In the cafes over
brimming tiagons of asuardientr. y
delicate mutual courtesy prevented any
smoking.
The adherents of Bogota won. Loeb
invar fed to the mountains to remnin
In retirement until the next revolution
In fever of patriotic excitement the
duty cm Bo"ota was abolished and the
importation Of La PaZ utterly forbid
den. Behold ut last just and stable
government! There would never be
any more revolutions. Everybody was
putting Rogota. La Paz was synony-
nous with high treason. But they still
irrigated with aguardiente: nothing
could prevent that.
Caballer0's comet was at Its zenith.
The dictatorship lay within his grasp
He called Papa D'Estes into consulta-
ton and formally requested the hand
Of Senorita Esmerelda. He promised
his future brothers-in-law the highest
positions In the Chilombinn state.
His daughter the wife of the dictn-
tor! His sons leading members Of the
government. Papa D'Estes' feelings
overcame him. The seven young bloods
of his house raked their sombrer0s Il
trifle lower than ever But Esmerelda
remained tearfully true to her absent
lover and. despite parental urging.
steadfastly repclled the advances OF
Caballero.
Meanwhile LOchinvar was wasting
no time. He pawned IN ancestral gold
mine and purchased 100000 La Pa2
cigarros and 10000 TASKS Of aguardi
ente. These were brought over the
passes on llamas and cached In n con-
venient cave.
A month passed, and still Esmerelda
held out against Caballero. Popular
enthusiasm for the new government
had begun to cool.
One day messenger brought note
to Papa D'Estes. He read 1t. frown-
ing but returned reply. That night
a long black Golfer was smuggled into
the rear entrance Of his mansion. A
score Of similar boxes had been secret
ly conveyed to the abOdes Of other,
prominent families.
At midnight in double barred and
bolted chamber the black Golfer was
placed on trestles. Papa D'Estes stood
at its head, and little Brother Cristo-
fero at Its foot, while the six other
brethren were ranged three on either
side. The box was opened. 1t was
filled to the brim with cigarros Of La
Paz. Among them nestled a goodly
number Of peculiarly shaped bottles.
At last a date was set for the we'd
ding of Caballero and the unwilling
Esmerelda. But as the dictator's ar
dor increased that Of Papa D'Estes
and the seven brothers perceptibly
cooled. For six weeks not roll Of La
paz had been smoked openly In CHI
sombia. But now the people began to
tire Of Bogota. The daily journals
voiced vague hints Of tyranny. Steal