Shoshone journal. [volume] (Shoshone, Idaho) 1884-1931, 1917-06-15
FOURTH INsTALLMENT.


folly, and then, like a man, submitted
TO the fate he had asked for. He new
er Intentionally added to the difficulty
or delicacy of the charge of those who
had him in hold. Accidents would
happen; but they never happened from
his fault. Lieutenant Truxton told me
that when Texas was annexed, there
was a careful discussion among the
officers, whether they should get hold
of Nolan's handsome set of maps, and
cut Texas out of it, from the map
of the world and the map of Mexico.
The United States had been cut out
when the atlas was bought for him.
But il was voted rightly enough, that
to do this would be virtually to reveal
to him what had happened, or, as
Harry Cole said, to make him think
Old Burr had succeeded. SO it was
from no fault of Nolan's that a great
botch happened at my own table, when,
for a short time, was in command of
the George Washington corvette, on
the South American station. We were
lying in the La Plata, and some of the
officers, who had been on shore, and
had just joined again, were entertain
ing us with accounts of their misad-
ventures in riding the half-wild horses
of Buenos Aires. Nolan was at table,
and was in an unusually bright and
laxative mood. Some story of tum-
BILE reminded him of an adventure of
his own, when he was catching wild
horses in Texas with his brother Steph-
en-, at time when he must have been
quito a boy. He told the story with |
good deal of spirit-so much so, that |
the silence which often follows a good |
story hung over the table for an in |
For he asked, perfectly unconsciously, |
spray, what has become of Texasf |
After the Mexicans got their independ-
ence, thought that province of Texas
would come forward very fast. 1t is
really one of the finest regions on
earth it is the Italy of this continent
But 1 have not seen or heard word
of Texas for near twenty years"
There were two Texan officers at the
table. The reason he had never heard
of Texas was that Texas and her af-
fairs had been painfully out of his
since Austin began his
settlements; so that, while he read of
Honduras and Tamaulipas, and, till
quite lately, of California, this virgin
province. in which his brother had
Travelled so far and, believe, had died.
had ceased to be with him. Walters
and Williams, the two Texas men,
looked grimly at each other, and tried
not to laugh. Edward Morris had his
attention attracted by the third link
In the chain of the captains chan
ielier. Watrous was seized with con-
vulsion of sneezing. Nolan himself
saw that something was to pay, he did
not know what. And I, as master of
the feast, had to say:
"Texas is out of the map, Mr.. No
an. Have you seen Captain Backs
furious account of Sir Thomas Roe's
After that cruise I never saw No
an again. 1 wrote to him at least
vice year, for in that voyage we
)ecame even confidentially intimate;
tut he never wrote to me. The other !
men tell me that in those fifteen years
he aged very fast, as well he might !
indeed, but that he was still the same ,
,entle, accomplishing, silent sufferer 7
hat he ever was, bearing as best he
ould his self-appointed punishment, /
ather less social, perhaps, with new +
nen whom he did not know, but more r
nxious, apparently. than ever to serve +
nd befriend and teach the boys, some !;
f whom fairly seemed to worship him. h
md now it seems the dear old fellow f
5 dead. He has found a home at I;
asst, and a country. !,
Since writing this, and while con- 5
idering whether or no l would print b
:, as warning TO the young of today Z
what it is to throw away a country, n
have received from Danforth, who is
n board the Levant, letter which II
ives an account of Nolan'S last hours q,
To understand the first words OF the e
tier. the nonprofessional reader Il
louiC remember that after 1917 the t,
osition of every officer who had No $;
n in charge was one of the greatest e,
elicacy. The government had failed Ii
renew the order of 1907 regarding n
m. Wet was man TO do? Should v,
: let hiin go? What, then, if he b.
ere called to account by the depart
ent for violating the order of 1907? os
lould he keep him? What, then. If hs
olan should be liberated some day, IA
Id should bring an action for false ed
lprisonment or kidnapping against ev- I
y man who had had him In charge? E
urged and pressed this upon South ig'
d. and I have reason to think that W;
her officers did the same thing. But tvs
e secretary always said, as they so TO
ten do ar Washington. that there of
ere no special orders to give, and
at we must act on our own judg | !
snt. That means, IF you succeed, de
Il will be sustained; if you fail, you do
II be disayowed." Well, as Danforth in
Us, all that is over now, though ] wa