The Washington herald., 1914-05-24


| Pachuca and Puebla, till We had under
the same roof all our workers but two
Miss Laura Temple made arrangement
to join the Red Cross. that she might dc
some good and at the same time watch
the Woman's Foreign Missionary So
ciety's interests. Miss Clementina But.
Ter found 1t impossible to send home ali
the girls under the care Of the same
society in Puebla, and therefore decided
to accept the proffered protection of a
nearby French home. She also had the
reiterated promise Of further protection
from the governor of the state and other
trusted officials.
Exodus from City.
About 4 p. m. Of April q we learned
4 that a train would start for Vera Cruz
| at p. m. The missionaries were called
| together for prayer and conference. As
| a result seven Of them decided to take
the train. The great question was. Is
1t safer to remain where We were in Sc
clusion or attempt to travel when rumors
| were afoat concerning destroyed
bridges, ETC.? Two women and five men
constituted the party. The Journey was
made In the face of great perils in twen-
| ty-four instead of twelve hours, as is
/ usual The presence of the secretary of
the British legation on the train. who
parleyed with federal and rebel troops
en- route. doubtless saved the situation
for them at least three times. The
stretch of destroyed railroad proved to
be less than two miles, over which the
! travellers were obliged to walk and carry
| their hand baggage.
About a. m. on the morning Of April
q my son-in-law called to say that at
o'clock another train would start for Vera
Cruz, under the British nag. We hur-
riedly called our missionary family. got
| a cup of tea and in a little over an hour
| we were all at the station. with bundles,
bags and lunch baskets. Once there We
consulted the committee in charge. only
| to learn that none but British would be
allowed on the train. In company with
Secretary Babcock. Of the Young Mems
Christian Association, We borrowed an
automobile of a friend and started for
the British Legation. more than q mile
! away, to plead In behalf Of our party.
was no time to lose and he plunged for
ward with little regard to the speed
limit and reached the door Of the lega-
ton just at s O'Clock. The butler re-
ported that the minister was still in bed,
but in answer to our pleading he agreed
to take up our card and see II the writer
could speak to his excellency through
the chamber door. In those solemn mo-
ments We were made bold by the thought
In about two minutes Sir Lionel Car
den came down the stairs and, though
only partially clad. conducted us to the
drawing room with the air Of q Chester
field Our story was briefly poured into
his patient ears. Sir Lionel explained
that he had given his word TO the Mexi-
can government that only British SUBJ
jects would be allowed on the train. He.
however. assured US that he was trying
to arrange for another train for Ameri-
cans. which might leave within forty
eight hours. He then added: Keep
quietly in your houses and 1 will do all
can for you, not only because you are
now my official wards, but for old ac-
Quaintance's sake" Back to the station
we fiew, to inform those tired and dis
appointed men and women of our failure
and conduct them once more to our tenn
porary quarters. While rushing across
the city to and fro We saw the nag of
nearly every nation on the earth but the
American flag. which was significantly
absent-not one was to be seen any,
where. There We were facing all kinds
Of danger, seen and unseen. but without
a nag For the first time in our life we
knew what it was to be depressingly lone
ly without that ensign, and why? All.
that Is another story. We digress only
to say that the conviction was very deep
within US that 1T need not have been"
washington's Statue Overthrown.
Among many regrettable things which
had happened during the two or three
days Immediately preceding that memoir
able morning was the going Of mob to
the beautiful monument of Washington.
which the American colony had donated
to the city only three years ago in con-
nection with the Mexican centennial cele-
bration, tearing the figure Of ''the Father
of his country" off its pedestal and then
dragging II through the streets behind
an automobile belonging to the son Of a
high government official. Naturally in
dignation among the Americans knew no
bounds, but they were helpless-without
an embassy and without a consulate and
without a flag.
But that very morning there came an
other experience to the writer. AS We
were hurrying the ladies into cabs for
the station an unknown Mexican OF the
middle class came running to him, and
clasping his hands, said. ''Good-by, sir:
when you get to your own country tell
your fellow-citizens that no decent Mexi-
can ever did a thing to dishonor the
name OF Washington" Early Sunday
morning a Mexican gentleman, who
learned where We were secluded. called
with his three children and brought a
beautiful bouquet Of gardenias and for
get-me-nots. As his little son presented
the flowers he said: Sir, We bring you
these flowers because We know that you
have always been a true friend to Mexi-
CO." Then the father, referring to the
monument episode, said he never before
knew Of anything SO mean. "All worthy
Mexicans are humiliated over Il: WASH
ington belonged not only to the United
States. but to all the Americas, yea, he
belonged to humanity
Our kind lawyer called for the second
time, invited the writer and his wife to
his home. Other Mexican homes and
us, but our place was clearly with our
own people.
They Finally Leave.
At last our train was announced for
Tuesday evening, April IS. but instead
of being scheduled for Vera Cruz IT
would land us at Puerto de Mexico, on
the Isthmus of Tehuantepec. Fortunate
ly Pullmans were furnished for about
half the party. Ladies and children were
given preference and many Of the mar
ried men were allowed to accompany their |
wives; SS9 refugees found accommoda- |
tions on the two sections OF the train |
The British legation sent a committee |
OF six gentlemen. while the government |
sent three officials, besides a pilot train
and 100 soldiers. In our car there were
two passengers to each berth upper and |
lower, besides a few extra children and |
all our baggage. As no trunks were
allowed every one had brought all they |
could In their hands That car, like |
all the rest, was well filed.
The first night was fairy comfortable. |