Americus times-recorder. [volume] (Americus, Ga.) 1891-current, 1909-08-11
GENERAL LA ROCA.
BY LEONARD FRANK ADAMS.


flowed we waxed patriotic and sound.
ed, doubtless somewhat loudly, the
praises of the United States of Amer
lea In doing so we did not decry any
other country, and there was no occa-
sion for any one to take offense ut our
remarks. Nevertheless a man sitting
at a neighboring table chiefly notable
for a pair of waxed mustaches turned
up from the horizontal line of his lips
at an angle of .forty-five degrees rose
and, advancing toward us, said grandil
oquentiy:
'Messieurs, since you are so 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 a card on our, table bearing
the name of Jules GARNER. We recog-
nized it at once as that of enc Of the
most celebrated fencers and duelists in
Europe. One of our party, Tisdale,
whose equanimity nothing could dis
turb, took up the card, brought a pair
of eyeglasses to bear on it, looked up
| at NJ. GARNER and said:
americans, m'sieu, comprise Cana
dams, United States citizens, Next.
cans, Cubans, Spaniards and many
| other peoples. We shall take pleasure
in publishing your insult in these lands,
| recommending a convention of repre-
/ 70 of
| their number to engage this slight that
| you have put upon the whole. Posi-
| bly, among them one may be found
worthy Of your steel"
1t was plain that the Frenchman
had no conception of the satire in
tended. Il referred only to citizens of
the United States, m'sieu," he said.
do I understand" inquired Tisdale,
| regarding the man haughtily, that you
decline to permit other Americans to
be interested in the defense of Amer
| lean honorY'
| Not at all I will meet any one who
may be named as a representative"
"Then, m'sieu, within a few months
and possibly a few weeks you shall
hear from US"
Tisdale handed him his own card
and the duelist soon after, with a steI
worthy of Don QuiXote, 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 a challenge. But
later three of us, Tisdale. Monroe and
myself, met in Rome at the season
| when preparations were being made
for the carnival While we were there
NJ GARNER at Paris received the fol
lowing epistle:
| General Mannagia la Roca, having been
selected to avenge the insult cast upon
Americans by M ~>Jules GARNER, pre-
sents his compliments to NJ GARNER and
will be happy to meet him at the place
and date named by the pan-American
| convention convened to nOminate#a de-
fender of American honor The date OF
meeting is Feb. -, and the place IS the
Eternal City, Rome.
Possibly NJ. GARNER may have WINGED
at this wholesale appropriation O
place and date by the convention" fol
there was some delay in his reply
Finally a note came from him address
ed to General Ia ROca and apprOpri
ated by Tisdale, stating that since the
affair had occurred at Paris that was
the proper place to settle it. But if q
fund were provided for expenses fol
himself and his second to Rome be
would waive the right to fight at Paris
and come to Rome.
Tisdale, who was rich, at once wrote
NJ. GARNER, inclosing a check for the
expenses of himself and second tc
Rome and stating that he need give
himself no concern on that score, as he
and his second would be the guests OF
, the convention while in Rome and
sent back to Paris by it's agent. Pre-
Stunning that the Frenchman was not
we'll endowed with worldly goods, lis
dale intimated that a fund had been
subscribed for the victor. CARRIER ar
rived at Rome with his second, a dap
; per little Frenchman in a we'll pre-
F., served suit of clothes, the day before
the prescribed date Of the carnival
He was received by Tisdale, Monroe
and myself as representing the ICON
, vention" and lodged in the best hote
in Rome. Tisdale assumed to act as
second for General la Roca and as
scented to the use of rapiers. The
ground was to be outside the Porta
St. Sebastiano gate of st. Sebastian)
= on the Appian way.
M. GARNER was informed that a win
{ dow had been engaged for him and his
second from which to witness the car
3ival festivities
We three Americans escorted the
| Frenchmen to the window provided
The street below was full of jewellers
Presently a cry was raised, General
/ Mannagia la Rocaw Down the stree
came a little old man with an i'm
mense sword riding a donkey intend
ed for a caricature of the age OF
chivalry. AS he passed the window
he was received by the crowd with
shouts of laughter jeers and cries:
I "Salve haiD General Mannagia la
Roca!
We Americans were standing be
hind GARNER and his second when the
general passed, and after noting that
the duelist at last understood the sa
tire we quietly withdrew, Deaving hin
= to view the carnival and fight Genera
/ Mannagia la Roca at his leisure. w
heard no more of the affair and cam,
. back to America resolved to recon
mend to all our countrymen that whe1
| American honor is to be defended il
accordance with the code in vogue dur
ing the age of chivalry it be left in the
, hands of that distinguished swords
5 man, General Mannagia la Roca.
What May Happen.
The aeroplane dealer had sold
5 faulty fier One of the wing tip
f was bent at an angle of IS degrees
} and the machine might careen at an!