The Pleasantville press. (Pleasantville, N.J.) 1912-1929, 1916-02-12

NC WV W iNAS II Si&dA ~ AoAAt
and that's why l grabbed that ropes
end. Who'd have thought that a sail
or, even a Sicilian lubber on a banana
coaster, would have fastened a line i'll
a bowknot Don't think I'm trying to
dodge the responsibility, captain. It's
my luck
""There are men, Kearny,' said |
~gravely, who pass. through life blam-
ing upon luck and chance the mistakes
that result from their W faults and
incompetency. | do not say that you
are such a man. But if all your mis-
haps are traceable to hat tiny star the
ooner we endow our colleges with
chairs of moral astronomy 4he better
ct isn't the size of the star that
counts said Kearny, it's the quality.
Just the way it is with women. That's
why they gave the biggest planets
masculine names and the little stars
feminine ones-to even things UP
when it 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 l could talk back and tell
'em what l thought of EN- in suitable
terms. But you can't address such re-
marks to a Phoebe
at pleases you to make a joke of
it, Kearny,' said I without smiling.
But it is no joke to me to think of my
Gatling mired in the river ooze.'
GAS to that said Kearny. abandon
ing his light mood at once, I have al
ready done what / could. l have had
some experience in hosting stone in
Quarries. Torres and | have already
spliced three hawsers and stretched
them from the steamers stern to a
tree on shore. We will rig a tackle
and have the gun on terra firma 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?'
az was first sergeant and drill mas
ter said Kearny, in the Chilean army
for one year and captain of artillery
for another
"FWhat became of your commando
1 asked.
"'Shot down to a man, said Kearny,
during the revolution against Balma-
ceda.'
Somehow the m~isfortunes of the
evil starred one seemed to turn to me
their comedy side. l 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, 4 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, K~earny,' l urged
him. try to combat this superstition if
it is one. Bad luck may be like any
other yisitor-preferring to stop where
it is expected. Get your mind off
stars. Look upon Esperanto as your
planet of good fortune.
~ thank you, captain said Kearny
quietly. I will try to make it the
best handlcap l ever ran.
"By noon the next day the submerg--
ed Calling was rescued. as Kearny had
promised. Then Carlos and Manuel
Ortiz and Kearny (my l%ieutenantsD dis
tributed the rifles among the troops
and put them through an incessant
rifle drill. We fred no shots. blank or
solid, for of all coasts Esperanto is
the s~tillest, 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 n 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 Il traveller, a student of PEG
pies and governments, a master of sci
enees. a poet, an orator. a leader, a
soldier, a critic of the worlds cam
paigns and the idol of the people of
Esperanto. l had been honorel 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 "a country freed
from the rule of INSCRIPTIONS 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 wo". :
THE time, Don Rafael said in his let
ter, was ripe. Success. he prOphesied.
I'M