Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1916-09-28

repute the chivalry Of the south, sir"
Talbot and I burst into a shout OF
laughter, and even Yank, leaning at
tentively on the long barrel of his pea
rife, grinned family. We caught John
ny up On that word, and he was game
enough to take it well. Whenever
something particular had happened to
be also southern we called it the chiv-
airy. The word caught hold, so that
later it came to be applied as gener-
ic term to the southern wing Of yenal
politicians that early tried to control
the new state Of California.
I must confess that If l had been
Johnny should have stepped more
carefully with these men. They were
a dark, suave lot and dressed well. In
fact, they and half dozen obviously
professional men alone in all that ship
wore what we would call civilized
clothes. l do not know which was
more homogeneous, our own red shirts
or the top hats, flowing skirts and light
gentlemen. They were quite as we'll
armed as ourselves, however, wearing
their revolvers beneath their armpits
or carrying short double pistols. They
treated Johnny with an ironically eX-
aggerated courtesy and paid little at
tention to his high airs. 1t was obvi-
Gus, however, that he was making en-
emies.
Talbot Ward knew everybody aboard,
from the captain down. His laughing,
half aloof manner was very taking,
and his ironical comments on the vari-
Gus points Of discussion somehow con-
veyed no sting. He was continually
accepting gifts of newspapers-of
which there were half a thousand or
SO brought aboard-with every appear
ance of receiving a favor. These pa
pers he carried down to our tiny box
Of room and added to his bundle. I
supposed at the time he was doing all
this on Molieres principle, that one
gains more popularity by accepting a
favor than by bestowing one.
In the early morning one day we
came in sight Of round, high bluff
with a castle atop, and a low shore
running away. The ships man told
us this was Chagres.
This news caused q curious disinte-
grafton in the ships company. We had
heretofore lived together good hui
mored community. Now we immedi-
ately drew apart into small suspi-
cious groups. For we had shortly to
land ourselves and our goods and to
obtain transportation across the 18TH
mus, and each wanted to be ahead Of
his neighbor.
Here the owners Of much freight
l began to envy less the proprietors
of those enormous Or heavy machines
for the separation of gold. Each man
ran about on the deck collecting busl-
ly all his belongings into one pile.
When he had done that he spent the
rest Of his time trying to extract def
mite promises from the harassed ships
officers that he should go ashore in
the first boat.
Talbot and l sat ON our few pack
ages and enjoyed the scene. The ship
came to anchor and the sailors swung
the boat down from the davits. The
passengers crowded around in a dense,
clamoNng mob. We arose, shouldered
our effects and quietly slipped around
to the corresponding boat on the other
side the ship. Sure enough, that also
was being lowered. So that we and
dozen who had made the same good
guess, were after all, the first to land
We beached in the mud and were at
once surrounded by a host Of little,
brown, clamorOus men. Talbot took
charge and began to shoot back Span
ish at a great rate. Some Of the lit
tie men had few words Of English.
Our goods were seized and promptly
disappeared in a dozen directions. l
tried to prevent this, but could only
collar one man at a time. All the
Americans were swearing and threat
ening at a great rate. l saw Johnny,
tearing up the beach after a feet ma
tive, fall fat and full length in the
mud, to the vast delight of all who be-
held.
Finally Talbot plowed his way to me.
Its all settled" said he. 1--WE made
a bargain with my friend here to take
us up in his boat to Cruces for SO
apiece for four of u.s.
"Well, if you need two more, for
heavens sake rescue Johnny" l adj
vised. He'll have apoplexy."
We hailed Johnny and explained
matters. Johnny was somewhat put
to it to attain his desired air Of i'm
perturbable calm.
They've got every blistered thing l
own and made off with itr' he cried.
"Confound it, sir, I'm going to shoot
every saddle colored hound in the place
if l don't get back my belongings"
They've got our stuff. too" I add
ed
"Well, keep calm" advised Talbot.
II don't know the game down here,
but it strikes me they can't get very
far through these swamps, if they do
try to steal, and I don't believe they're
stealing anyway. The whole perform