The Washington herald., 1920-10-17
AN O. HENRY STORY
Rouge ct Noir
And They Galloped OFF with the Tyrant
And His Two Unpopular Ministers.

Could MrsFranzoni have meant the
government?
This was the state of affairs in
Anchuria when the winter season
opened at Coralio at the end of the
second year of Losado's administra-
ton. So, when the government and
society made its annual exodus to
the seashore it was evident that the
presidential advent would not be
celebrated by unlimited rejoicing
The tenth of November was the day
set for the entrance into Coralio of
the gay company from the capital.
A narrow-gaug railroad runs
twenty miles into the interior from
Solitas. The government party
travels by carriage from San Mateo
to this roads terminal point, and
proceeds by train to Solitas. From
here they march in grand procession
to Coralio where, on the day of their
coming, festivities and ceremonies
abound. But this season saw an
ominous dawning of the tenth of
November.
Although the rainy season was
over. the day seemed to bark back
to reeking June. A fine drizzle
of rain fell all during the forenoon.
The procession entered Coralio amid
strange silence
President Losada was an elderly
man, grizzly bearded. with a conr
siderable ratio of Indian blood re-
vealed in his cinnamon complexion.
His carriage headed the procession,
surrounded and guarded by Cap
tain Cruz and his famous troop
of one hundred light horse Eel
Ciento. Huilando." Colonel Rocas
ErN1 u - n.
regular army.
The presidents sharp. beady eyes
glanced about him for the expected
demonstration. of welcome: but he
faced stolid. Indifferent array of
citizens. Sight-seers the Anchurians
are by birth and habit. and they
turned out to their last able bodied
unit to witness the scene; but they
! maintained an accUsiVe silence.
! They crowded the streets to the
very wheel ruts; they covered the
red tile roofs to the caves, but
there was never a viva" for them.
No wreaths of palm and lemon
branches or gorgeous strings Of
paper roses hung from the windows
and balconies as was the custom.
There was an apathy. a duh, dis
/ senting disapprobation. that was
the more Ominous because it puz-
zled. No one feared an outburst, a
revolt Of the discontents, for they
had no leader.
The president and those loyal to
him had never even heard whispered
a name among them capable OF crys-
talliZing the dissatisfaction into op-
position. No. there could be no dan
ser. The people always procured a
new idol before they destroyed an
cid one.
At length, after a prodigiou gal
Looping and curveting of red-sashed
majors, gold-laced colonels and
epauletted generals. the procession
formed for its annual progress down
the Gale Grande to the Casa Mo-
rena, where the ceremony of well
come to the visiting president al
/ ways took place.
The Swiss band led the line of
march. After it pranced the local
comandante, mounted, and a detach-
ment of his troops. Next came a
carriage with four members of the
cabinet, conspicuous among them the
Minister of War, old General Pillar,
with his white moustache and his
scldierly bearing. Then the presi-
dents vehicle, containing also the
Ministers or Finance and State; and
surrounded by Captain Cruz's light
horse formed in a close double file
of fours. Following them. the rest
of the officials of state, the judges
and distinguished military and social
ornaments of public and private life.
As the band struck up, and the
movement began, like a bird of i'll
omen the ''Valhalla," the swiftest
steamship of the Vesuvius line,
glided into the harbor in plain view
of the president and his train. OF
course, there was nothing menacing
about its arriYal-a business firm
does not go to war with a nation
but it reminded Senior Espfrition and
others in those carriages that the
Nesuvius Fruit Company was un-
doubtedly carrying something up its
sleeve for them.
(To Be COtinuedD