The Colfax chronicle. [volume] (Colfax, Grant Parish, La.) 1877-1981, 1909-06-12

on the Dack or his neck.
1T happened when was young IL
the service, and it was due to my am
bition and foolhardiness, a combina
ton that is dangerous in any ones
system. The adventure came near
costing me my life. / have always
connected that affair with a Panama
hat A Panama hat got me into trouble
and got me out again, In the end
saving my life"
"The Chinese exclusion act has Civ.
en- lot of trouble to the government
In one way and another, but the con-
sequence l am most familiar with is
the smuggling of coolies into this
country through Mexico and Canada.
Coolie labor is cheap, and it is profit
able job to slip bevy of them across
the frontier.
| Things began to take a lively turn
as soon as / reached Preside. my
headquarters, village of mud huts
and rambling shanties on the Rio
Grande. left the Southern Pacific at
Nopal and rode many weary miles
across country. Over the river, In
Mexico. was the dirty village of Presi-
dfo del Norte. 1t is impossible to
imagine more forsaken looking place.
The Rio Conchos, river of uncertain
habits, flowed into the Rio Grande
here. 1t was by means of this river
that coolies were brought to Preside
del Norte.
Il had arrived in Preside wearing
heavy Scotch hat. 1t had been cool
when / left Washington and this was
my first trip to the Texas border. 1
saw at once that my hat was back
number. Jarrall. the customs officer,
suggested that get Panama, telling
me that could secure a smuggled one
at a reasonable price from a dealer in
the village.
He said he knew they were SNUG
gled, but that there was no remedy
for it as the government didn't think
1t of sufficient Importance to put its
agents on the case, and he was DOW
erless without them. l took his ad-
vice and bought Panama, the largest
and whitest and most conspicuous one.
THE next morning after my arrival
i crossed over to the Mexican village.
to look around bit and see If I
couldn't pick up some valuable infor-
nation. ] was wandering about, star
Ing at the crude hats and the naked
babies, when encountered an Ameri-
can wearing hat that was a dupli-
cate Of my own, only his showed
marks of hard usage.
"Hello!' he said, when did you get
in?'
Il was on the point of telling him
that he had made a mistake. but !
something prompted me tc play him |
along and see what he was UP to. / |
merely replied:
Yesterday
Where is Munson?' he uuerfed.
looking me over carefully.
He will be here later replied at
q venture.
"'Now let's get down to business
he began.
"'All right replied.
1--WE have 800 coming down to-
night he said, and 200 more in three
days. The boats are ready and Man.
uel is in charge at Huataz so there
isn't chance for anything to go
wrong at that end of the line +
He paused moment to mix an
other highball which he swallowed at
q gulp.
You know where to meet us to-
nightT he queried.
1.-The instructions haven't been too
plain l replied. II
Blame that authenticated Indian I
ne swore. I might have known that
ne couldn't get anything straight.
Well. / will have to tell you all over
lgain. You and Munson be at the cot
'onwood towhead two miles above ,
own at 1880 tonight to check up the I
,attle and pay over the money. Take
he north trail from Preside and turn Z
o the left at the, giant cactus. You >
ant miss the way. 1t is about two
niles. The cattle-path at the cactus I
viii lead you out to the landing at the @
owhead. Andrews and | win come
yer with the first boat and we can u
heck up as they land. l suppose You :
ave the papers, he concluded.
No, Munson has them yentured
ceiling sure that II Munson didn't ,
ave them l did not know where they .
we're. z
Well, be sure than Munson brings r
hem along he admonished. =
This concluded the interview and n
lost no time in getting back across O
ne river to tell Jarrall of my adven- G.
nre- he was delighted at my luck. t.
AT five minutes after ten heard t.
orses' boots pounding the sand to
ne south. l could almost have shout 81
d, for / was sure that it was Davis b
nd his rangers II wac only tba 49,. | n,