Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1916-02-08

quarries. Torres and I have already
spliced three hawsers and stretched
them from the steamers stern to d
tree on shore. We will rig a tackle
and have the gun on terra flrma be
fore noon tomorrow
zone could not remain long at outs
with Bad Luck Kearny.
"'Once more said l to him, we will
waive this question Of luck. Have you
ever had experience In drilling raw
troopsT
"T 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 man. said Kearny
during the revolution against Balma.
ceda.'
Somehow the misfortunes of the
evil starred one seemed to turn to me
their comedy side. I lay back upon
my goats hide cot and laughed until
the woods echoed. Kearny grinned.
I told you how it was he said.
Tomorrow. said, I shall detail
100 men under your command for man
ual Of arms drill and company evolu
hons. You will rank as lieutenant
Now, for Gods sake, Kearny,' I urged
him, try to combat this superstition II
1t Is one. Bad luck may be like any
other visitor-preferring to stop where
1t is expected. Get your mind OF
stars. Look upon Esperanto as your
planet Of good fortune
"I thank you, captain said Kearny
quietly. I will try to make 1t the
best handicap I ever ram
"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 fred no shots, blank OF
solid, for of all coasts Esperanto is
the stillest, 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.
"In the afternoon came q 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 traveller, a student Of peo.
pies and governments, a master Of sci.
ences, a poet, an orator, a leader, q
soldier, critic Of the worlds cam.
paigns and the idol Of the people OF
Esperanto. had been honored by
his friendship for years. 1t was who
first turned his mind to the thought
that he should leave for his monument
a new Esperanto country freed
from the rule Of unscrupulous tyrants
and a people made happy and prosper.
GUS by wise and 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
folio Of minister Of war.
"The time, Don Rafael said in his let
ter, was ripe. Success, he prophesied,
was certain. The people were begin
ming to clamor publicly against Cruz's
misrule. Bands Of citizens In the capt.
tai were even going about Of nights
hurling stones at public buildings and
expressing their dissatisfaction. A
bronze statue Of President Cruz In the
botanical gardens had been lassoed
about the neck and overthrown. 1t
only remained for me to arrive with
my force and my thousand rifles and
for himeslf to come forward and pro-
claim himself the peoples savior to
overthrow Cruz in single day. There
would be but half hearted resistance
from the 600 government troops sta
toned in the capital The country was
ours. He presumed that by this time
my steamer had arrived at Quintana's
camp. He proposed the 18th Of July
for the attack. That would give US six
days In which to strike camp and
march to Aguas Frias. In the mean
time Don Rafael remained my good
friend and compadre en- La causa de Ia
ubertad.
"On the morning Of the 14th we be-
gan our march toward the sea follow
ing range of mountains, over the sixty
mile trail to the capital. Our small
arms and provisions were laden on
pack mules. Twenty men harnessed 10
each Gatling gun rolled them smoothly
along the fat, alluvial lowlands. Our
troops, well shod and well fed, moved
with alacrity and heartiness. l and
my three lieutenants were mounted on
the tough mountain ponies Of the coun-
try.
"a mile out Of camp one Of the pack
mules, becoming stubborn, broke away
from the train and plunged from the
path into the thicket The alert Kear-
ny spurred quickly after 1t and inter-
cepted its flight Rising in his stirrups,
he released one foot and bestowed upon
the mutinous animal hearty kick.
"The mule tottered and fell with a
crash broadside upon the ground. As
we gathered around vt 1t walled its
great eyes almost humanity toward
Kearny and expired. That was bad,
but worse to our minds was the con-
comitant disaster. Part Of the mules
burden had been 100 pounds Of the
finest coffee to be had in the tropics.
The bag burst and spilled the priceless
brown mass Of the ground berries
among the dense vines and weeds OF
the swampy land. Mala suerte! When
you take away from an Esperandon
his coffee you abstract his patriotism
and 80 per cent Of his value as a. SOL
dier. The men began to rake up the
precious stuff, but I beckoned Kearny
back along the trail where they would
not hear. The limit had been reached:
ia ~