The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1919-07-24
CHAPTER II.


For two years he prospered and pu
back his savings into his stock anc
crops. One day a hailstorm and cy
clone swept over the country ant
wiped out his fortune. He sold hi:
land and went nome to England In
1911, after an absence of thirteen
years.
1T was a different London" Os
borne said. "All my old pals wert
gone The chaps I schooled had dis.
appeared and l was the lonesom es
man in the British Isles / stuck II
out for while, but it was no go.
decided on south America as my next
goal"
Osborne landed In Uruguay In De-
(cember. 1912. He looked around for
few days and got involved with the
local revolutionary party known as
the "Anarchistica Socialistica." They
proclaimed general strike, which
was not at all to his liking, and COM
Inenced business like operations by
lblockading roads. He decided that, this
Particular South American revolution
was not for him, and learning that a
ship was in the harbor. he bribed a
native to run the gauntlet with him.
He won. although his wagon was fired
upon every twenty yards or so. and
Ihont hlliias and Buenos Aires.
| Reyolver's Gentle Urge.
/ Il thought | was safe when
landed on that freighter's decks" said
osborne, but another surprise
awaited me The captain, a fierce
looking alfbreed, appeared and in.
formed me courteously that under no
circumstances would he allow any
passengers on board his ship. | looked
back at the band of blood thirsty
revolutionaries on the shore brand
lshing guns. revoivers and knives
hrandlshing them in the general di-
rection of me--and decided we would
leave that place right away / sc
/ informed the captain. He was We
hement in his declaration that not one
inch would he bulge. But the gen.
, tie insistence of "a Colt in the small
of his back caused him to change
his mind in remarkably short time
ana a lew moments later we were
bound down the harbor.
| Il had to stay with the captain all
day long, covering him with that
beastly revolver: but ii was worth it
About midnight we locked at the
skeleton jetty at Buenos Aires JUS
long enough to land me amidst the
excavations of the crew, whom thu
captain diStuI ttNl 10 diu III IHG moor
ing. But / was away from an un.
friedly revoluaion and distinctly un.
friendly captain and l was happy"
For mile and A half Osborne
crawled on his hands and knees alons
the jetty in pitch darkness before hi
reached the mainland. He reached
the English club in time to enjoy the
last half hour of a dance held or
Christmas night
There was a letter waiting for him
the next morning. from the Guggen
helms of New York. 1t had left Eng
land on another boat which has
locked the night before. He wa
requested to come to New York a
soon as possible. all expenses paid
! to discuss an offer to help develop
, Mexican oil properties. He was out
ward bound for the United State
that afternoon on the same boat OF
which he had arrived from England
Salary Not Sufficient.
II was interviewed in New Yorl
by young Guggenheim.' said Osborne
ut was in January and showing Xix
blazes. what he offered in the wa
| of salary was distinctly not goo
| enough and / told him SO. We cam
| to no agreement AS he paid all m
expenses I didn't care very much an
decided that as long as ] was in tn
United States ! could visit my sister
who lived in Chicago.
Il spent four weeks with her. o.
my return Journey to New York
crossed tho Canadian border and wa
politely relieved OF my South Ameri
can cigars--a couple of hundred o
them-by the customs inspector. O
the trip | got into conversation wit
A very plausible young fellow and tn
with slightly more than 50, 000-whic
was all had In the world. wa
broke again.
/ Osborne looked around New Yor
for about three hours and then de
Cided il was no place for him. Fl
went to the captain of the ship O.
which he had been a passenger fror
South America and applied for pc
sition to work his way back agar
| He was given a berth as third -clas
steward. 1t was an eight weeks trir
| and on the voyage Osborne was re
sronsible for the Feeding OF more tha
500 Storage passengers.
~ didn't know what to do when
, hit Buenos Aires again." he explained
, Rock drilling was really the onl
trade l knew which was useful there
so hired myself out to stone quar-
Irying company l held that Job whe
the war broke"
:. The War Announced.
In little cantina in Conchillia
one Sunday Afternoon early in August
l1914. three or four Englishmen an
jabout a dozen Germans were spending
the time drinking and telling storie
OF their home countries. Outside wa
a blistering hot sun. The tavern wa
tcool and restful Suddenly the doc
was thrown open. In strobe Ger
man who was employed in the vicini
ty Stalking to the center OF tn
room he rticer ris hands for atten
ition.
Germany and England are at eacl
lother's throats." he announced in Ger
man There was deathly silence
IInstinctively the British moved to on
side OF the room. They waited. TIL
German walked to the little bar. H
ordered drinks for the crowd. Whe
every one was served he climbed t
a chair and raised his stein aloft.
4 DER Tag" he shouted Der Tag
Then in French---"A Londres. Mes