The Colfax chronicle. [volume] (Colfax, Grant Parish, La.) 1877-1981, 1908-12-19

III IS
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firmation. To you of the army will
say that before this veriication was
received, your general and here he
turned to his white-haired confrere.
had been the recipient Of command
from the secretary of war OF the
United States couched in almost the
same terms
AT the conclusion of his speech,
this fine old man sank back into his
chair with bowed head as II the dis
grace Of his country was his own.
There was a more or less dignified dis
cussion participated in by the older
officers present: but interrupted now
and then by some Of the younger men.
who favored totally ignoring the or
ders and defending the islands to the
death. The cooler heads among them
prevailed, and at last 1t was recog-
nized that there was no alternative
save absolute and unqualified surren-
der.
Before the meeting could be ofEicial.
~ dispersed the sullen boom Of gun
came heavily from the sea, reverberat-
ing through the room. The men
sprang to their feet and rushed to-
ward the exit. knowing that war was
upon them. but that their hards were
tied as hopelessly as though bound
with manacles of steel.
There, within range of their own
heavier guns, foated formidable aeet
from Japan. Even while their con-
| ference was in progress, cruiser after
cruiser and floating forts of steel had
crept up over the horizon. The Jap
anese gunners were testing their
| range: but no damage had been done.
| / saw q procession Of crestfallen men,
going as II to funeral, enter their
fortress gates and silently gather
| round the great Flagstaff, from which
fioated hitherto unsullied banner. A
grim old man grown gray in war and
SCARED with the marks Of many bat
ties, walked to the halyards, gave
them pull and brought fluttering to
the ground the nag under which he
had fought SO valiantly. A colonel Of
his stan took from the hands of an
orderly cloth of white, the emblem
the world over OF defeat with or with
out honor. fastened it into the idle
loops ana pulled 4 aioft
sThe general. ! warrior no longer,
but a heart-broken old man. turned
away from his colleagues. walked
| across the parade, and the door Of his
quarters closed upon him. Several
| other members OF his stan did IKE
I wise. and still others stood silent on
the ramparts, watching the outcome
| OF this event. The ships ceased nring'
and. as II perplexed by this unwar'
ranted outcome, seemed TO pc com
municatlng with eacn otner, dexter
ously wigwagging signal AFTER signal
A torpedo boat destroyer slowly sepa
| rated itself from the nctiila ana came
suspiciousiy nosing its way toward the
land. winding IN ana out q u lear1no
floating mines or sunken engines o.
.. destruction
"As It neared the shore, It vas seer
that on its black deck stood the id
miral Of the feet. together with hli
stan. They were met at the LANDING
by 4 deputation Of oficers, both civil
/, and military, who escorted them Il
the fort. No one can depict the ex
pressions. half surprise and half in
curry. which overspread the coun
; tenances OF this insignificant invading
, force. A party OF less than ten mel
. without arms was actually accom-
plishing the most remarkable con
quest IN all history.
49,. A.. $500. !. ~. .,tv /.
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