Montour American. (Danville, Pa.) 1866-1920, 1910-06-30


died a noble death. Meanwhile you
and your sonora can step on a steamer
and remain dead In New York, Paris
wherever you find the climate most to
your taste" .e
Every we'll. 1 presume l shall have
to remain under guard till am ex-
ecuted When will that occur?'
"At once"
81 suppose may bid goodby to my
wife?'
Certainly"
Sonora Valdez was called in and tn
matter explained to her. She though
a moment and said:
Your plan is admirable, but you ~,
making one mistake. ThtQ Te 'uti0i
must not take place till just before {,
steamer leaves"
"Very WELL" said Mancha. "A steam
er leaves tomorrow evening for New
York. shall appoint your execution to
take place at p. N. You will sail
at s."
Sonora Valdez went at once to Con
zales, the commander of the army, and
told him that her husband was to be
stood up to be shot at, but no order
would be issued to leave out the bul
lets. Gonzales looked knowing, and
the sonora secured his promise to in
form her If she were correct in her
surmises. She further plotted with
him for his support in case Mancha
should not give an order to use blank
cartridges. If Gonzales would obey
her order to get rid of Mancha and
lead his men, with the secretary of
state, to the capital to join the govern
ment forces the half million that Man
cha had with him would be divided
between him and his army, he having
a hundred thousand for his share. To
this, after some hesitation, he also
agreed.
The next afternoon the secretary
was marched out for execution. His
weeping wife was there to see. Con.
zales was there, too, and whispered to
her that his mems guns were shotted
by order of Mancha. She then openly
requested him to send for the com
mander. Mancha appeared, wonder
Ing II there could be hitch in his
plan.
81 believe, general" said Sonora Val.
dez, "that there is treachery. My hus.
band will be fired at with bullets in
stead of blank cartridges"
Mancha did not know what to do or
to say. .'-..-- ..s-s,.,
"Colonel Gonzales" continued the
lady, II have General Mancha's prom.
ise that my husband shall be fired at
with blank cartridges. You are an
honorable man. Make n test of your
| guns by firing them at General Man,
cha. If he has fulfilled his promise he
will not be injured"
Gonzales, who was prepared for this
took gun from one of his men, aimed
II at Mancha, fired and shot him dead.
The act was the signal for counter
revolution, if 1t could be called such
where there We're but some hundred
and forty rascals led by a greater ras.
cal than any OF them. or course Con.
zales feigned astonishment that the
piece he had fired at his chief had been
loaded. Sonora Valdez rushed to her
husband and embraced him. Then
turning, she addressed the garrison
nearly all of whom had turned out to
witness the execution.
Soldiers" she said, my husband
and myself came here to make an of.
fer by which you should all profit
That man." pointing To NAH has body
promised for the sake of appearances
TO pretend to execute my husband
You see that the traitor has been kill.
ed by one of the bullets intended for
the man he would slay."
Then Gonzales told them that there
was a treasure to be divided among
them; that they We're to march to the
capital and have preferment among
the government forces, which now that
the treacherous Mancha was dead
would surely be triumphant.
The first thing done was to bring
out the treasure and turn 1t over TO
this valiant army, whose conscience
was altogether too tender to see a
man stood up To he shot down 10y bul.
lets when he had been promised blank
cartridges. There was a fiEe spree
that night and the next -.,orniug the
army, with Senor and ~ - Na.3a-
riding in Its front, mare h1u To the can
ital. They received IN ovation. for
was certain that the killing of Man i
and the detection ot this snail t.yl....
relatively important portion OF L~
army would end the revolution.
Senor Valdez gave out that the r."t
had been carried out exactly as it ha,
shortage of half million in the ac-
counts. but the people didn't mind a
little thing like that since 1t had ac-
complished such a brilliant result. The
outstanding revolutionary armies soon
laid down their arms, and peace once
more reigned in the state.
Sonora Valdez came in for the credit
Of executing the scheme, though her
husband was supposed to have CON
2eived 1t. At any rate, she was the
most popular woman at the capital,
and when the presidents term expired
Valdez wns elected in his place.
The Persistency of Colds.
Why is 1t that we are SO heavily
subject to colds? Other epidemic dis
eases-measles. typhoid. scarlet fever,
diphtheria-may get hold on us once
and there is an end; it is not usual to
have any of them twice We brew In
our blood immunity. The poison of the