The daily Alaskan., 1909-08-26
GENERAL IA ROCA.
Rx lEoNARp FRANK AoAMs.

lnC aN a CIAt Au Nll>. AN NAS MAAV flowed we waxed patriotic and sound ed, doubtless somewhat loudly, tho 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 ope to take ofrense at our remarks Nevertheless a man sitting at a neishborsnE table chiefly notable for pair of waxcd mustaches turned up from the horizontal line of his lips at m angle Of forjy-ave degrees rose and. advancing toward us, said grandil- OQuentiy;
 "NIeSSieUrs. since you are 50 proud or yonr country perhaps some one Of you would like Co stand on its defense. In order to give you an opportunity I pronounce America a barbarcus coun- try and all Americans poltroons."
 He laid card on our table bearing the name of Jules Garnier. We recog- nized Il at once as that of one Of the most celebrated fencers and duelists In Europe. One of our party, Tisdale, whose eQuanimity nothing could dis urb. took up the card, brought pair of eyeglasses to bear on it, looked up at NJ. Garnier and said;
 Americans, m'Sieu. comprise Cana dianS United States citizens, Mext cans, cuoans, Spaniards and many other peoples. We shall take pleasure in publishing your insult in these lands, recommending a convention of repre- sentative SworiSmen to select one ot their number to engage this slight that you have put upon the whole. PoSSi- bly among them one may be found worthy of your steel
 IL was plain that the Frenchman had DO conception of tho satire in- tended. T referred only to citizens of the United States, m'Sieu," he said.
 Do I understand" inquired Tisdale, regarllng the man haughuly, that you decline to permit other Americans to be interested In the defense of Amer lean hoHorg"
 Not al all. Twin meet any one who may be named as a representative"
 Then, m'Sieu, within few months and possibly 8 few weeks you shall hear from us"
 Tisdale handed him his own card, snd the dueliSt soon after, with step worthy of Don QuiNote, lcft the cafe.
 None Of our party thought at the time of pursuing the matter further, h. tending thai the man might walt tn the day of doom for the action of the "convention" and a challenge. But later three of us, TiSdale, Monroe and myself met !n Rome at the season when preparations were being made for the carnival While we were there N. Garnier at Paris received the fol- lowing epis;le:
 General Mauaaria Ia Roca, having been selected to avenge the insult cast upon Americans by NJ Jules Garnicr, pre- seats his Compliments 10 ". GSrniev and wlu be happy to meet him at the place and date named by the pan-Amcrican convention convened to nominate a de- fender og American honor. The date Of meeting Is Feb. -. and the place Is the Eternal City, Rome
 Possibly M. Garnier may have winced at this wholesale appropriation of place and date by the ''convention," for there was some delay in his reply. Finally note came from him address cd to General "a Rcca and sppcOpri- ated by TlSdale. stating that since the affair had occurred at Paris that was the proper place to settle it- But if a fund were provided for expenses for 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. Garnier, incloSinC a check for the expenses of himself and second to Rome and stating that he need give himself no concern on that score, as he and his second would be the guests sf the convention" while in Rome and sent back ts Paris by its agent Pre- Suming that the Frenchman was not well endowed with worldly goods, lis dale intimated that fund had been subscribed for the victor. Garnier ar rived at Rome with his second, a dap per little Frcnchman in a well pre- served suit Of clothes, the day before the prescribed date Of the carnival He was received by TiSdale, Monroe and myself as representing the ''con- vention~ and lodged in the best hotel in Rome. Tisdale assumed to act ss second for General Ia Roca and as- sented to the use Of rapiers The ground was to be outside the Ports St. SebaStiano tgate of St Sebastian), on the Appian way.
 NJ. Garnier was Informed that win dow had been engaged for him and his second from which to witness the car nival festivities.
 We three Americans escorted the Frenchmen to the window provided. The street below was full of revelers. ! Presently q cry was raised, General Mannagia Ia Rccar' Down the street came little old man with an im- mense sword riding a donkey, intend ed for caricature of the age of chivalry. AS he passed the window he was received by the crowd with