The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1914-06-17
Campaigning With Villa
Gregory SIason, In the Outlook.

) Tho lustrc OF Villas namo is bring
/ ing him scores of recruits every day,
/ and foreigners who have Just come to
! Northern Mexico Via New Orleans from
! McNico city assure mo that thousands
! OF fcdcrals, disgustcd with tho bung-
| ing OF Their officers, are itching to
! get into the command of the former
| chihuahua mulc-drivcr. The I'cderals
ar" convinced that he bears II charmed
| life. Time and again their sharrshoot-
ers have tried for him ns he doomed up
| suddenly on his big bay horse, d-
recting tho aim of tho artillery with
| quick. deep commands: MAS dcrccho"
| t"morc to tho right'D, or POGO mas
izpuicrdn" Ca little more TO the leftD,
| as II" rode up where the bullets whincd
louder and dismountcd to take y rife
| IN the trenches. One OF these Keen
eyed Federal riilcmcn when taken
prisoner had tho brazcnness to- tell
Villa OF his efforts TO bag tho big
lcaGcr.
II Tired at you ten times. nj general;
hut us no use: you bear II charm and
my old girl (his rifle) knew II and
ia liked"
Tho frown that had begun to cloud
I Villas unshavcd fncc broke into n
smile.
That's right. boy. No use wasting
ammunition on me. Now go back and
tell that to your companions" Iio
waved toward the hills that sheltered
the enemy.
But. mi general want to fight
for YOU" pleaded the little sharp
shooter.
DO as say; andalc hurry up)."
beloved Villa. and motioncd to three
soldiers. who thre'v the, poor Fed
cral onto a knock-kneed. razor backed
mule. which. under the urge OF II bay
met thrust in the flank, sped for the
distant hills at a jack abbit's speed.
q
the animals sharp back like a live
crab on "A grill.
Hell tell his friends some good
stories If they don't shoot him before
he teaches thcm' said Villa. with one
of his queer. characteristic facial puck
erinES, as lie turned to help II brother
officer who was having trouble with Il
new saddle.
Villa has plenty of faults. but thcy
are the faults of the man Of action. To
those whom he calls friends he shows
traits Of justice. gcntlcncss. and quiz.
zicnl humor, wholly lovablc. ana he
LONGING to the part in his repertoire
called "Panchoc Villa. the Man" rather
than To his more celebrated role Fran
cisco Villa, Conqucror and Man of
Destiny"
one torrid afternoon two or three
of US were seated In Villas private car.
which had stopped at Il small lake to
AFFORD men and women Il chance to
battc. villa came in. dust-covorcd
and hot from his ride to Paredon and
back, ana began stripping for n swim
His disrobing was interrupted by n
! lieutenant who pushed ahead of him
two soldiers that had been caught
wasting ammunition on pigeons, an
omcrsc punishable by execution The
culprits, we'll sct-up, but stupid owl
faced fellows. were visibly trembling
in .hcir boots.
The lieutenant finished his charge,
| villa looked sterniy at the offenders,
! his lips half opened to pronounce SON
iencc: thcn his eyes wandered to tho
milky waters OF the laGuna, iridesccnt
/ IN the obliquc RAYS of the sun.
lila mouth lost It's cruelty and
screwed into the slonting. sood-na
| turcd smile OF his carcfrce. outlaw
| days his small. bullying eyes twinkied.
| on pohreci;os poor little fcllowsl.
| rohrHcttos' Take them out and give
J them u couple of sword slaps"
He looked at us; the fire IN his eyes
went out; he became confidential md
! reminiscent.
They call me many unilattering
| namcs-thicf, assassin. and bandit es-
| pccial!y bandit--but YESTERDAY. when 7
was Il poor 'scandal-foot' i'm Chihuahua.
! no ono bothered to call mo anything:
| and tomorrow. when I'm In Mexico
/ City they Will say: Villa, tho hero
/ Nillc, the liberator.' pah. their tongues
/ are as soft as their brains. | guess
| I'm not quite so bad as I'm painted.
/ Anyway. III Largo" said he. turning
/ that stuck anyway, YOU
/ needn't fear me. Your legs are so
/ long | coulh never catch you" And,
/ roaring at his own joke. he wound n
| bath towel around his middle and
siouched out tot III" car to the lake