New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1914-05-12
Continued from page I


and flowers Of the tropics.
Sometimes we rode between groves
of cocoanut palms or manigua. all yell
low like our forsythia- or ceiba trees
hung with poor relations OF the orchid
or giant morning glories. the scarlet
tulllpan and papaya mango trees. and
banana palms all heavy with fruit. and
wild flowers Of many colors from pale
pink 20 the richest purple. to which the
Mexicans could give no name.
AS our strange procession staggered,
painting and sweating, through this
jungle il made one think Of the
marches OF the early days of 40, when
tine goldseekers crossed the isthmus.
At Tembladeras we again picked UP
the tracks and packed ourselves into
a freight train that bumped us a few
the first rail head, where Richardson
wished US good luck, we had said good
by TO the man in khaki.
Now all was Mexican. There we're
soldiers TO the right Of us and soldiers
10 the loft Of us. in more and different
uniforms than there are armies Of the
world. They were drilling. sleeping
and cooking on the stone platform Of
the railroad station. between the tracks
and under the trees. with their scar
let blankets flung from barbed wire
fences.
They regarded us not at ell, and we
senger coach and were pushed on to
Paso del Macho. When General Mas
and his Federals retreated from Vera
Cruz IL was here that he halted. Paso
del Macho is a village so pressed for
room that they have crowded into the
shedlike station the headquarters OF
the general. The long table where usu-
ally the passengers eat and the public
bar were presided over by an Indian
squaw smoking a cigarette.
For an hour we sat within twenty
feet Of the general. and had he wished
TO examine our credentials he had only
10 raise his voice and we would have
presented them, but for a Mexican gem
eral that method OF procedure was too
simple and direct. Whether he wanted
to impress us or scare us, he certainly
succeeded I'm soaring us. We cannot
guess. but we know he went about get
ting what he wanted in the way cal
culated to give us the most trouble.
Trouble began when lieutenant
dressed like motorist on Havana
trolley car told me 10 come with him.
I asked why. and he said "silencio.'
So I silencioed. but at the same time
winked at Mccormick to get busy and
effect a rescue
He gave me n high sign that ht
would, and went TO get Weimer, our
guide. interpreter and friend. The
/ lieutenant led me to an open place
where were four boys. not over four
teen years Of age They wore uni
/ forms Of blue drill. their bare feet
were in sandals Of bullhide. and their
/ keadgear did not match. but 1 noticed
/ their rifles and bayonets did
The lieutenant formed them In hol-
low SQUARE. with me in the centre. and
/ left us.
was two feet taller than the boys
and one foot taller than their bayonets,
and. standing in the blazing sun like
a monument surrounded by picket
fence. | felt very silly and looked it.
Then ! saw Mccormick approaching
and thought rescue was at hand. He
looked panied and surprised, but not
on my account
They tagged me, too he said.
Then they brought Palmer, also look
ing panied and surprised, arranged us
/ in single file, and with boy scouts on
our TANKS marched us through the vii
/ lage.
] have written many stories about
/ Latin America and in them some one
always gets shot against a stone wall.
/ As we marched through the village !
recalled this and it seemed to me ]
never had visited a place with so few
houses and so many stone walls. Sc
every time we passed one without halt
ing gave thanks to Saint Rita.
We were led between rows OF more
blue drill soldiers TO a courtyard IN
which were more lieutenants and the
local strong arm squad. They all seemed
I very angry about something anc
/ friskod us for concealed weapons, then
/ searched us and ordered us to take off
orr shoes. Had they caught us blow
/ ing up a troop train with dynamite
/ they could not have been more excited
or more insolent.
When we got rid Of our boots the
lieutenant with his own fair hands
searched our socks for hidden papers.
He was greatly annoyed AT finding
none. lie ordered us into cell, SIM
ply furnished with one iron barre
window. a bootblack's box, a broker
chair and n packing case.
Palmer took the chair Mccormick
the packing case and l drew the black
ing box. Then the lieutenant. still
angry. assigned a guard to each OF us,
but we all are tall. and our guard
looked so inadequate that another lieu
tenant with sense Of humor substi-
tuted their elder brothers. who sized
up more TO our class.
The one who guarded Mccormick