The Birmingham age-herald., 1911-12-27

of the republic. The disappointed gen.
 eral pursued his journey to Monterey and there was invited to accept the portfolio of minister of war under the new Rich
 mond. He accepted.
 But ambition was gnawing at the vi,ais | of the old warrior. Strong in him was the belief that he was the logical man to suc- ceed Diaz as President. He announced his candidacy, this being the first unmis- | takable demonstration that his mental | chain possessed a link of fatal weak
 ness. Reyes. believing in his all consum-
 ing pride that he could speak and the waters would stand still, that he could
 utter single syllable and the Iisping of the wind would cease in spite of his former affiiaton with a deposed admin istration, presented himself to the people against the national hero of the hour. The
 citizens stoned the old general on the eve of the election, and fearful for his life he hastened across the border.
 On San Pedro avenue in San Antonio General Reyes rested. But the constant reports of the successful inroads into the | hearts of the people made by Madero, the | joyous acclaim with which the new ruler was greeted on his every appearance, the I expression by the American press of the
 general hope that after oAmany years | Mexico had really discovered a man, kin dled the fires of disappointment and it's l heir, hatred, in the heart of the old vet eran to such an extent that his blood siz- I zled and boiled through it's channels. He l plotted revolution. He plotted revo- lution He sent emissaries throughout the states of Mexico and smiled in fiendish glee when the news came that his efforts were bearing fruit.
 When a disgrunted governor of soutn- | Vn province threatened to revolt when another, disappointed by failure 10 win high office actually led band of rebels
 against the government, when 2 shepherd. | his mind aname with a foolish dream of
 power and glory, made bold in naked vil- 1 lainy and fanatical speech stolen from
 holy writ, General Reyes, his finger on the 1 feet and not the pulse of Mexico, reached | the mistaken conclusion that his hour had l chimed On the border of the United | States he planned revolution, and so
 openly did he move in his nefarious busi- ness that this government took him pris- oner.
 Gen. Bernardo Reyes laughed as his
 bondsmen gained his liberty, and cock | sure of the success of his venture, he crossed the Rio Grande.
 | His clarion voice, echoing around the, iherbless hills of Monterey, called his | henchmen to rebellion, but they answered
 not. And then the disappointment which has always followed this ambitions man,
 reached its dismal climax. The fury of the elements. around the whited head of
 Lear is not comparable to the storm which fumed in the breast of this vic- tim Eluding the pursuit of the federal
 soldiers, he buried himself deeper in the
 forests of Mexico. And then when his It, tie band was surprised and scattered to | the winds without the firing of a shot, he
 saw with horror the handwriting on the wall Ambition withered and the hum lbled old man extended his hands for the manacles
 Never perhaps has the rank weed of weakness so throttled the growth of the fruitful plant of strength! In many re- spects Reyes is great man. But he has
 the fundamental weakness of pride and
 ambition which when unchecked can result lcnfsn failure of enterprise and miserable idiaaDTointment. Had he accepted the neze order of affairs and remained A
 sfIdhf, trump in the reorganized govern-
 fnrri or had he crossed the border and
 dipU a respected citizen of San Antonio. as 4ould not have accomplished the
 s,cai mission for which he believed him
 seH predestined: but in the respect of the ilaape of the entire world he would halte ipaesfd beyond the bournes of that mys-
 iesnns country like the shattered though
 pateftic column of an uncrowned king,