Gunnison news-champion., 1916-09-08
C..si..>A ire. A.s. zssA

CSseisssA frso Aaa- zSeh
you realize that Bad Luck kearny u
still on deck II was a shame. now.
about that gun She only needed to
be slowed two inches TO clear the rail
and that's why l grabbed that ropes
end Who'd have thought that n sail
or. even a Sicilian lubber ON n banana
coaster. would have fas,e..ed line in
. bowknot Don't think I'm trying to
dodge the responsibility. captain It's
my luck
There are men. Kearny.' said !
graveiy. who pass through life biam-
ing upon luck and chance the mistakes
that result from their own faults and
!ncompetency- I do not say that yon
are such a man. But IL all your mis-,
haps are traceable to that tiny star the
sooner We endow our colleges with
chairs OF moral astronomy the better
1t isn't the size Of the star that
counts said Kearny. it's the quality
Just the way II Is with women. That's
why they gave the biggest planets
masculine names and the little stars
feminine ones-to even things up
when 1t comes to getting their work
In Suppose they had called my star
Agamemnon or Bill McCarty or some
thing like that instead OF Phoebe.
Every time one Of those old boys
touched their calamity button and sent
me down one OF their wireless pieces
Of bad luck I could talk back and tell
'em what I thought Of 'em in suitable
terms. But you can't address such re-
marks to a Phoebe
"It pleases you to make a joke Of
II, kearny.' said ! without smiling
But it Is no joke to me to think Of my
Gatling mired In the river ooze.'
AS to that said Kearny. abandon
ing his light mood at once. I have al
ready done what l could. have had
some experience In hoisting stone In
quarries. Torres and I have already
spliced three hawsers and stretched
them from the steamers stern to a
tree on shore. We will rig q tackle
and have the gun on terra frma be-
fore noon tomorrow
"One could not remain long at outs
with Bad Luck Kearny.
"'Once more said I to him. we will
waive this question Of luck. Have you
ever had experience in drilling raw
troops?
1 was first sergeant and drill mas
ter said Kearny. in the Chilean army
for one year and captain of artillery
for another
"'what became Of your command?'
I asked.
Shot down to a man. said Kearny,
during the revolution against Balma.
ceda.'
Somehow the misfortunes Of the
evil starred one seemed to turn to me
.heir comedy side lay back upon
my goats hide cot and laughed until
the woods echoed. Kearny grinned.
I told you how 1t was he said.
Tomorrow I said. 7 shall detail
100 men under your command for man.
ual Of arms drill and company evolu.
lions. You will rank as lieutenant.
Now. for Gods sake. Kearny.' urged
him. try to combat this superstition II
It Is one. Bad luck may be like any
other visitor--preferring to stop where
1t is expected. Get your mind of
stars. Look upon Esperando as your
planet of good fortune
Il thank you. captain said Kearny
quietly. I will try to make 1t the
best handicap ever ran
by noon the next day the submerg.
ed Gatling was rescued, as Kearny had
promised. Then Carlos and Manuel
Ortiz and Kearny (my lieutenants, dis
tributed the rifles among the troops
and put them through an incessant
rifle drill. We fired no shots. blank or
solid. for OF all coasts Esperando Is
the stilIest. and we had no desire to
sound any warnings in the ear Of that
corrupt government until they should
carry with them the message OF liber-
ty and the downfall of oppression.
I'm the afternoon came mule rider
bearing a written message to me from
Don Rafael Valdevia In the capital.
Aguas Frias.
Whenever that mans name comes
to my lips words of tribute to his
greatness. his noble simplicity and his
conspicuous genius follow irrepressibly
He was a traveller. student of peo-
pies and governments. master of SCI
ences. a poet. an orator. leader. a
soldier. critic of the worlds cam.
paigns and the idol of the people Of
Esperando. had been honored by
his friendship for years. 1t was who
drst turned his mind to the thought
that he should leave for his monument
. new Esperando Ga country freed
from the rule of interruptions tyrants
and n people made happy and prosper
Gus by wise md impartial legislation.
When he had consented he threw him.
self into the cause with the undivided
zeal with which he endowed all Of his
acts. The Golfers Of his great fortune
were opened to those of us to whom
were intrusted the secret moves Of the
game. His popularity was already so
great that he had practically forced
President Cruz to offer him the port