The Washington herald., 1921-03-20


most In spite Of all the speeches the gen
erals made against class distinctions. they
liked Olga because she was born aristocrat
It nattered their vanity immensely to think
Of themselves as friends. protectors Of a
Eirl from one Of the best families in the re-
public A few years before. you see. they
had been poems on estates In the country or
vasrants wandering from town to town.
Tho most expensive gifts began to pour
In on Olga from the various generals COM
peting for her hand and favor. The con-
querors showed the generosity that bandits
always have when 1t comes to spending the
booty they have amassed without much ef.
fort. AZ times Olga would 80 to the trouble
Of rsuodslinE the precious ornaments Then
again she would wear bracelets, combs, or
necklaces Just a. they had been given to her;
and people would point to her diamonds. her
eneralds, or her pearls. and whisper the
names Of their real owners. ladies high up
had been overthrow. and who were then in
exile abroad
TT happened that In this spendthrift COM
petition for Olgas favor. my general. thanks
to q specially romantic strain In his charac-
ter, had won out. For that matter, his gifts
to the young lady had been astounding. On
entering Mexico City at the head Of the
Army Of the West he had transferred all
the booty In his possession-end he was no
mean collector when It came to plundertng a
town-directly to the beauty's house. With
the result that at the time I am speaking Of
he could Justly consider himself the pro-
pristor Of the very desirable creature
However. the romantic Olga eventually.
through one Of those caprices IN her variable
temperament got tired somehow Of con-
querors, and began to show marked prefer
ence for the poor and the prosecuted. Va
riety, after all. u just as necessary to life az
masnincenca The military men were
the intellectual level Of Olga del Monte: not
her style at all, either, in matters Of cultiva.
ton. For q person who had enjoyed untold
splendor, a man without money, without
boastfulness or pretensions. might easily &C
quire a charm Of romance, as you can see.
took up with Taboada- the engineer. He
was q fran. delicate individual. well-man-
nered, gentle Of disposition. hostile tos the
generals, and devoted to the regeneration Of
his country by the advent Of the poorer
classes to power. The generals. moreover,
had not been slow In letting Olga know that
the attentions she was receiving from the
60
them. They talked Of wring1ng that ban
tam's neck II he didn't let her alone. Could
anything make q man more interesting than
to be In immediate danger Of his LIFE, all the
time, and for her sake7 Taboada satisfied an
healistic impulse In oiga's nature-her SEN
ttmental love for the downtrodden and the
unfortunate.
well. cast1lleso did everything De could
to get Olga out Of the engineers reach. He
got the President to promise her q lucrative
position In New York, and then In Paris
She was to go abroad with q magnificent
outfit Of Mexican hats and costumes. and
give recitals Of Mexican songs and dances,
at q salary Of nfty thousand dollars a year,
She would be classed as an agent Of the gov
ernment doing Mexican propaganda abroad
History, doubtless, would come to refer to hel
as great benefactor Of the country. Unfor
ferred her engineer. and refused to aocep
other appointments no less honorable ant
remunerative.
THE advisers Of Castillejo would occs
sionally come back to their original point
'one word from you. general. and we'll ar
range > But Castillejo always repelle
such suggestions with a goodness Of hear
that made you shiver. When my genera
brought his uprightness and rectitude int
play, always felt my hair begin to stan
on end Let no one lay q finger on tina
boy. Any harm done to him would be lai
at the feet Of the government declare tn
mans person sacred I remember that q
the time when heard him say that said I
myself that II he ever declared my perso
sacred In that tone Of voice I would tak
the next train for Laredo. If could mall
1t. -.
GAS the election campaign dragged Of
the general seemed to forget all about dig
But he couldn't forget the engineer. Tht
Door deluded idealist, followed by dozen
more innocents, as unconscious Of the dang
they were in as he was, went around makir
speeches against the government and defen
ing Taboada's candidacy against the aspe
sions Of the general. He. said they. was Il
only civilian candidate able to set up a tru
democratic regime. OF course. nobody ev
went to hear him speak. II he did get
crowd sometimes, It was a crowd Of big Sol
breros, who would interrupt what he "
saying to call him Yankee 'gringo.' q
chupin.' traitor and other compliments