The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1909-07-16
GENERAL LA ROCA.
By LEoNARp FnANk ADAMS.


copyright, 1903, BY American Press Asso-
clation.l
Four Of as, all Americans, were din
ing at cafe In Paris. As the wine
flowed we waxed patriotic and sound.
ed, doubtless somewhat loudly, the
praises Of the United States Of Amer
ica. In doing 80 we did not decry any
other country, and there was no occa-
sion for any enc to take offense ct our
remarks. Nevertheless a man sitting
at a neighboring table chiefly notable
for a pair Of waxed mustaches turned
mp from the horizontal line Of his lips
at an angle Of forty-tive degrees rose
and, advancing toward us, said grandil.
oquently;
ssMessieurs, since you are 50 proud Of
your country perhaps some one Of you
would like to stand on its defense. In
order TO give you an opportunity
pronounce America a barbarous coun-
try and all Americans poltroons."
He laid card on our table bearing
the name Of Jules Garnier. We recog-
nized it at once as that Of one OF the
most celebrated fenceFs and dueligts In
Europe. one Of our party, Tisdale
whose equanimity nothing could dis
turb, took up the card, brought pair
Of eyeglasses to bear on it, looked up
at nj. CARRIER and said
Americans. msleu, comprise Cana
dians. United States citizens, Mexi.
cans, Cubans, spaniards and many
other peoples. We shall take pleasure
in publishing your insult In these lands.
recommending convention Of repre-
sentative swordsmen 20 select one of
their number to engage this slight that
you have put upon the whole. POSI-
bly, among them enc may be found
worthy Of your steel
1t was plain that the Frenchman
had no conception Of the satire In
tended. III referred only to citizens Of
the United States, m'sieu," be said.
s'Do understand" inquired Tisdale,
regarding the man haughtlly. that Jon
decline to permit other Americans to
be interested IN the defense Of Amer
lean honor7''
mot at all. / Will meet any one who
may Be named as a representative,
"Then, n'ssau, within few months
and possibly i few weeks you shall
hear from us"
Tisdaie handed him his own card,
and the iuelist soon after. with step
worthy az Don 0uixote, left the cafe.
None Of our party thought at the
time of pursuing the matter further, In
tending that the man might wait till
the day Of doom for the action Of the
Convention and challenge. But
later three Of us, Tlsdale. Monroe and
myself. met In Rome ut the season
when preparations were being made
for the carnival While we were there
MI. GARNER at Paris received the fol-
lowing epistIe:
General Mannagia Ia Roca. having been
selected to avenge the insult cast upon
Americans by NJ. Jules GARNER, pre-
gents his compliments to Is. GARNER and
will be happy to meet him at tine place
and date named by the pam American
convention convened to nominate de
fender Of American honor The date Of
meeting IL Feb. =, and the place is the
Eternal City Rome,
Possibly M. GARNER may have WINGED
at this wholesale appropriation Of
place and date BY the convention, Z for
there was some delay III his reply.
Finally a note came from him address
ed to General Ia Roea and appropri.
ated by Tisdale, stating that since the
affair had occurred at Paris that was
the proper place to settle It. But Il a
fund were provided for expenses for
himself aud his second to Rome he