The review. [volume] (High Point, N.C.) 1908-19??, 1917-06-21
FOURTH INSTALLMENT.

So Philip Nolan had his wish full
filed. Poor fellow, he repented of his
folly, and then, like a man, submitted
to the fate he had asked for. He new
eF 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 it was voted rightly enough, that
10 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 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
quite a boy. He told the story with
a good deal Of spirit-so much so, that
the silence which often follows a good
story hung over the table for an in
slant, to be broken by Nolan himself
For he asked, perfectly uncOnsciOusly,
'sPray, what has become of TexasT
After the Medcans got their independ-
ence, thought that province of Texas
would come forward very fast It is
really one of the finest regions on
earth; it is the Italy of this continent.
But have not seen or heard a 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
newspapers 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
I'm the chain of the captains chan
delier. Watrous was seized with a con-
Vulsion OF sneezing. Nolan himself
saw that something was to pay, he did
not know what. And /, as master Of
the feast, had to say:
'ATexas is out of the map, Mr.. No |
Ian. Have you seen Captain Backs |
curious account of Sir Thomas Roe's |
Welcome?''
After that cruise I never saw No |
Ian again. I wrote to him at least |
twice a year, for in that voyage we
became even confdentially intimate ::
but he never wrote to me. The other |
men tell me that in those fifteen years |
he aged very fast, as we'll he might |
indeed, but that he was still the same |
gentle, accomplishing, silent sufferer |
that he ever was, bearing as best he |
could his self-appointed punishment, |
rather less social, perhaps, with new
men whom he did not know, but more |
apparently, than ever to serve |
and befriend and teach the boys, some |
OF whom fairly seemed to worship him. |
And now 1t seems the dear old fellow |
is dead. He has found a home at |
last, and country.
Since writing this, and while con-
whether or no I would print |
1t, as warning to the young Of today |
or what 1t Is to throw away a country, |
have received from DanfOrth, who is |
On board the Levant, a letter which |
gives an account of Nolan's last hours.
To understand the first words of the !
letter, the nonprofessional reader |
should remember that after 1917 the |
position Of every officer who had No |
lam In charge was one Of the greatest |
delfcacy. The government had failed |
to renew the order Of 1907 regarding |
him. What was man to do2 Should |
he let him go? What, then, If he
were called to account by the depart !
ment for violating the order of 1902 |
Should he keep him? What, then, if |
Nolan should be liberated some day, |
and should bring an action for false !
Imprisonment or kidnapping against ev-
cry man who had had him in charge? |
urged and pressed this upon South |
ard, and I have reason to think that |
other officers did the same thing. But |
the secretary always said, as they so !
often do at Washington. that there |
were no special orders to give, and |
that we must act on our own judg- |
ment. That means, eff YOU succeed. |