The Chesterfield advertiser. [volume] (Chesterfield C.H., S.C.) 1884-1978, March 16, 1916, Image 3
oar execrable veMtoufh, breathing the
stifling odor from gnrllo and turpnollns,
wblch. as you know, la the dls
tlnctive flavor of caffs In the lower (
slant of our city.
"I spoke of the tyrant President Cruz
and the bunions that his greed ami Insolent
cruelty laid u|>on the |>enpic.
And nt that Kearny's tears (lowed.
And then 1 dried them with a picture j
of the fat rewards that would be ours |
when the oppressor should be over 1
thrown and the wise and generous Val j
devln In his seat. Then Kearny leap- '
ed to Ills feet and wrung my hand with
the strength of a roustabout, lie was
mine, he said, till the last minion ot
the hated despot was hurled from the
highest peaks of the Cordilleras Into ,
the sea.
"I paid the score and we went out. t
Near the door Kearny's elbow over
turned an upright glass showcase,
smashing it Into little bits. I paid the
storekeeper the priee he asked.
" 'Come to my hotel for the night.' 1
said to Kearny. 'We sail tomorrow at
noon.'
"lie agreed, but on flie sidewalk he
fell to cursing again in the dull, monotonous.
glib way that he had done when
I pulled him out of the coal cellar.
" 'Captain.' said he. "before we go
any further it's no more than fair to
tell you that I'm known from Ratlin's
bay to Tlerru del Euego us "Ran Luck"
Kearny. And I'm It. Everything I get
Into goes up In the air except a balloon.
Every bet 1 ever made 1 lost except
when I coppered It. Every boat I ever
sailed on sank except the submarines.
Everything 1 was ever interested in
went to pieces except a patent bombshell
that I invented. Everything I
ever took hold of and tried to run 1
run into the ground except when I
tried to plow. And that's why they
call tne "Had Luck" Kearny. 1 thought
I'd tell you.'
" 'Dad luck.* said I. 'or what goes by
the natne. tuny now and then tangic th .?
affairs of any man. Rut if it persist
beyond the estimate of what tve may
call the "averages" there must be n
cause for it.'
"'There Is.' said Kearny eiupluitieallv
.... .....II, ...'....I
^^^SS8^JB0fS?BJI ISKS^nP
p?T^mry'
Storks
VI.?Phoebe
By O. HENRY
[Copyright by Doubleday, Page & Co.]
** .
possible element
of good luck or bad luck?if there
I Is such a thing as luck?has lntiuenced
1 voiir cnroof or u>Nla?ail for or n?nlno? I
Ssucb a? extent that you were
to nttributc results to the opof
tho aforesaid good luck or
k?"
question (of almost the dull inof
legal phraseology) was put
ve sat in Itoussclin's little red
if6 near Congo square, in New
i.
11 fuccd, white hatted, finger
captains of ad venture came ofItousselln's
for the cognac,
amo from soa and laud and
lary of relating the things they
'ii?not because they were more
ful than the fantasies of tlie
ses of print, but because they
o different. And I was a perweddlug
guest, always striving
my buttonhole over the linger
of these mariners of fortune,
nptain MalouO was a Ilibernocreole
who had gone to and
the earth and walked up and
n It. lie tuoked like any other
essed mun of thirty-live whom
Iglit meet except that lie was
sly weather tanned and wore
chain an ancient ivory und gold
in charm against evil, which
idling at all to do with ills
answer to your question." said
ptuln, smiling, "will lie to tell
e story of Had Luck Kearny,
i, if you don't mind hearing it"
eply wus to pound on die table
usselin.
lllng along Tchoupltoulas street
gilt." began Captain MalouO, "I
, without especially taxing my
In small man walking rapi<lly
me. lie stepped upon a woodr
door, crashed through It and
ired. I rescued him from a
soft conl below. He dusted
ibriskly, swearing fluently in a
[ettl tone, as an underpaid aeles
the gypsy's curse. Uratl
the dust in his throat seemIt
lor fluids to clear them away.
! for liquidation was cxk
heartily that I went with
\ cafe down the Street, where
Mome vile vermouth and bltacross
that little table I
^ irst clear sight of Francis
^Blc was about tive feet sev
tough as a cypress knee.
Hv:is darkest red. his mouth
^Htc slit that you wondered
Hod of his words came rushH
Ills eyes were the brlght^^Kitest
blue and th(> hopefulsaw.
lie gave the douthat
he was at bay and
better not crowd him fur|^^Br;uu
a gold hunting expcMast
of Costa Itlca.' he
mate of a banana
H^^Lte the natives were pan^^kIi
from the beach sands
jHj^Brian, red calico anil parthe
world. The day
ml lea te
H^^A'ts a government
^^^H^Minerals from a given
BKt choice 1 take coast
|^^B^Brccn blue
gruss
1 for Him
1 y
H buck
blew up
^|^H^WIMB0ro beloyv quarantine.
^r I was due to bust through that cellar
door here tonight, so I hurried the rest
of the way up the river, roustubouting
on a lower coast packet that made a
landing for every fisherman that wanted
a plug of tobacco. And now I'm
here for what comes next And it'll
I lie along, it'll be along,' said this queer
L Mr. Kearny; "it'll bo along on the
I beams of my bright but not very parI
tlctilar star.'
I "'From the first the personality of
j Kearny charmed me. 1 saw in him
I the bold heart, the restless nature and
I the valiant front against the buffets
I of fate that make his countrymen such
I valuable comrades in risk nud ndvenm
| tore. And just then I was wanting
l| such men. Moored at a fruit coinpn
1 uy's pier 1 had a ;V>0 ton steamer
I ready to sail the next day with n cargo |
Bm of sugar. lumber and corrugated iron >
1 for a port in?well, let us call the cotiu
? try Kspernndu It has not bCOp long
KB ago, and the name of Patricio Mnlonfl
lis still S( liken there when its unset Ml
tied polities are discussed. Itencain
I sugar and iron were packet! a
pgrjj nusnnd repeating rlf1(>s. In Aguas 1
P Frias. the capital, Don Itnfncl Vnlde- !
I -t~ ?
ITIV1. UlUllfllCI VI will, I'^l M*I M III lO H i
greatest hearted and moat able i>n- '
trlot, awaited my coming. No doubt ;
you have heard, with a .smile, of the
| Insignificant wars and uprisings in
those little tropic republics. They
make but a faint clunur against the 1
din of great nations' battles. Hut j
down there, under all the ridiculous I
I uniforms and petty diplomacy and
I senseless counter marching and In- ;
| trigue, are to be found statesmen and
I patriots. I>on Rafael Valdevia was
I . one. His great ambition was to raise
W Ksperando into peace and honest prosperity
and the respect of the serious
nations. So he waited for my rifles in
1 Aguas Frlaa. But one would thluk I
I am trying to win a recruit in you!
L ,No; it was Francis Kearny I wanted. ,
L And so I told him, speaking Long over
A
of the gulf all the storm clouds of the
Atlantic seemed to have concentrated
above us. We thought surely to sweeteu
those leaping waves with our sugar
and to stack our arms and lumber on
(he floor of the Mexican gulf.
"Kearny did not seek to cast off one
lota of the burden of our danger from
the shoulders of his fatal horoscope.
Lie weathered every storm on deck,
smoking a black pipe, to keep which
nlight rain and sea water seemed but
as oil. And he shook his list nt the
black clouds behind which ills baleful \
star winked Us unseen eye. When the
skies cleared one evening he reviled his '
malignant guardian with grim humor.
" 'On watch, uren't you. you red
headed vixen? Out making It hot for
little Francis Kearny and his friends,
according to Hoyle. Twinkle, twinkle,
little devil! You're a lady, aren't you?
dogging a man with bad luck Just be
cause ho happened to be born while
your boss was
H floorwalker. Get
busy and sink
the ship, you one
eyed banshee!
1' boob e! ll'm!
I will sliow it to you.'
"Surprised. 1 kept by his side until ,
we en me to ('until street and out hit > ;
the middle of its great width.
"Kearny seized me l?y an arm and
pointed a tragic forefinger at a ratlici
brilliant star that shone steadily alio
thirty degrees above the horizon.
"'That's Saturn." said he. 'the sti
that presides over bad luck and e\
and disappointment and nothing doin
and trouble I was born under tha;
star. livery move I make up bobSaturn
and blocks it. lie's tlie lioodo
planet of the heavens They say he's
Td.odti miles in diameter and no solidei
of body 'han split pea nip. and l.c
got as many disreputable and imiiiv
nant rings as a big city. Now. wba
kind of n star is that to lie born in.
dor?"
"I ashed Kearny where he had ob
i ned all tills astonishing knowledge
"'Kioto Azraih. the gie t astrologer
of (.'leveiand. said he. "i'hat met !
looked at a glass hall and told me i > I
name before I'd taken a chair II
prophesied the date of lay birth at: . ;
death Lefoie I'd said a word. Am j
then he east my horoscope, and the I
sidereal system socked me In the sole.i
piexus It was liad link for I'raiu
Kearny from A to Irani and for hi
friends iliat were Impli ateil with hi:t
I'or tlir.t I gave lip $10. This A/.rat It
was sorry, but he rospe '?> 1 Ids p gv
si.m 11 ii i nr.r !i to teal the heaven 1
wrong for aav man ! was u!gh
time, and l:e took me out on a hrlenn
#? t VI- % l.-w ! | lit- *il\
Villi he showed 11.i* wl:it'll Futurn wtv '
and Ir?w t?? Ir, i il in (liTcri'iil lm!i*i?
nil's mid I,>:i. i; mil's .
"ill,i S;i:i:.;i wasn't ill. II?? vvn
only l!i?? men liiij?!? ; up II" fumis-hcso
i:r.ir!i lii i lack ,li. i tiny allow IiIim
a miiik "I' deputy SIi'.'k let's in lie!|
hand it u'.'t 'I hey "re "In tlhliiliK and
rcvi lv iny and li :ti;riir.* ill" mud I lie mail'
supply nil the line, ecli one throwinv:
ilie ho;>d? i? mi Ills particular district.
" 'Yuii see t!>::f ii'jlv little ml star
ih'i'.il e|;;!it inches .tin.re ami t" IIIiT-'ht
uf S.i I urn V Kcarnv askeil me
Well, that's tier. Tint's Flmclc Site's
u'"t lite In i hnt'Kc. "My t!:e day nf you
liirth." says A/.nt'i to me. "your lite Is
fUthjcclcd to the lii'liten e of Saturt:.
My the h ear and minute of it vim must
dwell nitdet' the svvav and direct ait
fhorlty of Pltoclie. the tdtilli satellite."
So said this A/ratli ' Kearny shook
his list viciously skyward 'Curse her
she's done her work well.* said he
liver since I was nstrolmrlzcd Ind hick
has followed me like my shadow, as
I told you Ai d for many years he
fore Now. captain. I've told you my
handicap as a man should. If you're
afraid this evil star of mine miKht crip >
pie your scheme leave nie (Mil of It." j (
"I reassure I Kearny as well as I
coiihl. I told hint tint for the time
we would hattlsh hoth astrolo*?y and
astrotiontv from our heads The manifest
valor and enthusiasm of the man
drew me 'ly-t us see what a llttl"
count ire and dilluenee will do itKuinst
had luck,* I said. 'We will sail tomorrow
for llsperando.'
"Fifty miles down the Mississippi our
steamer broke her rtldder. , We sent for
a tue to tow us hack and lost three
dn.vs. When we struck the blue waters
jp?!
I
Rubbing Eases Pain
Rubbing sends the liniment
tu.Viling through the flesh and
quickljl Stops pain. Demand a
linimcilt that you can rub with.
The bed* rubbing liniment is
MUSTANG
LINIMENT
s,
Good for the Ailments of
Horses, Mules, Cattle, Etc.
Good for your oion Aches,
Pains, Rheumatism, Sprains,
Cuts, Burns, Etc.
25c. 50c. $1. At all Dealers.
\ k
IHT- Sounds as mild
Hr^ ' jM ;| milkmaid.
y I Vou can't Judge
jn-M--rt j?^i' a w<>man l).v her
Y n n in c. Why
l. r^o^N couldn't I have
1 T I / ll 'UUl 11 ,Unn stnr '
\ I I / il L 1 can't make tlie
i 1 11 I ll remarks to PlioeJ
IL i\ \ |J be. you be?blast\lltAn
"For eight days
rUjfi rO*"^ gales and squalls
and watersjKJUts
beat us from our
"Got busy, you ono course. Five days
eyed banshee!" only should have
Imwloil no In TT-O
pernmlo. Our Jonah swallowed the
bad credit of it with appealing frankness.
but that scarcely lessened the
hardships our cnuse was made to suffer.
"At last one afternoon we steamed
into the calm estuary of the little Rio
Escomlido. Three miles up this we
crept, feeling for the shallow channel
between the low banks that were
crowded to the edge with gigantic trees
and riotous vegetation. Then our whistle
gave a little toot, and in five minutes
we heard a shout, and Carlos?my
brave Carlos Quintana ? crashed
through the tangled vines waving his
cap madly for Joy.
"A hundred yards away was his
camp, where MOO chosen patriots of Esperando
were awaiting our coming.
For a month Carlos had been drilling
them there in the tactics of war and
filling them with the spirit of revolution
and liberty.
' 'My captain?compndre inio!' shouted
Carlos, while yet my boat was being
lowered. 'You should see them in
the drill by companies?in the column
wheel?in the inarch by four?they nre
superb! Also in the manual of arms
?but. nlns, performed only with sticks
of bamboo. The guns, captain?say
that you have brought the guns!"
" 'A thousand good ritles. Carlos," I
called to hint. 'And two Catlings.'
" 'Valgame Dlos!' he cried, throwing
his cap in the air. 'We shall sweep the
wonu:
"At that moment Kearny tumbled
from the steamer's side into the river.
He could not swlin. so the crew threw
him a rope and drew him back aboard.
I caught ills eye and his look of pathetic
but still bright and undaunted
consciousness of his guilty luck. I told
myself that, although lie might be a
man to shun, be was also one to be
admired.
"I gave orders to the sailing master
that the arms, ammunition and provisions
were to lie landed at once. That
was easy in the steamer's boats, except
for the two Catling guns. For
their transportation ashore we carried
a stout flatbout
"In the meantime I walked with Carlos
to the camp and made the soldiers
a little speech in Spanish, which they
received with enthusiasm, and then I
had some wine and a cigarette in Carlos'
teut.
"The small arms and provisions were
already ashore, and the petty officers
had squnds of men conveying them to
camp. One Catling had been safely
landed. The other was just being I
hoisted over the side of the vessel as
we arrived. I noticed Kearny darting
about on board, seeming to huve the
ambition of ten men and to be doing
the work of five. I think ills zeal bubbled
over when he saw Carlos and me.
A rope's end was swinging loose from
some part of the tackle. Kearny leaped
impetuously and caught it. There
was a crackle and a hiss and a smoke
of scorching hemp, and the Catling
dropped straight as a plummet through
the bottom of the tlatboat and burled
Itself in twenty feet of water and five ,
feet of river mud.
"1 turned my back on the scene. 1 1
heard Curios' loud cries as if from |
some extreme grief tuo poignant for
words. I heard the complaining murmur
of the crew and the maledictions
of Torres, the sailing master. I could
not hear to look.
"By night some degree of order had
been restored in camp. Mllitnry rules
were not drawn strictly, and the men
were grouped about the (Ires of their
several messes, playing games of
chance, singing their native songs or
discussing with voluble animation the
contingencies of our march upon the
capital.
"To my tent which had been pitched
for me close to that, of my chief
lieutenant, cnine Kearny. Indomitable,
smiling, bright eyed, bearing no traces
of the buffets of his evil star. Rather
was his ns|H*ct that of a heroic martyr
whose trtbulntions wore so high
sourced and glorious that he even took
a splendor and a prestige from them.
" 'Well, captain.' said he. 'I guess
Catarrhal Deafness Cannot Be Cured
by local applications, as they cannot roach
the diseased portion of the car. There
Is only one way to cure catarrhal deafness,
and that Is by a constitutional remedy.
Catarrhal Deafness 1s caused by an Inflamed
condition of the mucous lining of
ithe Eustachian Tube. When this tube Is
\nflanird you have a rumbling sound or
t.Vipcrfect hearing, and when It Is entirely
closed. Deafness la the result. Unless ths
Inflammation can bo rrduced and this tube
restored to Its normal condition, hearing
will ba destroyed forever. Many cases of
dcbfnsss are caused by catarrh, which Is
an) Inflamed condition of the mucous surfa.led.
Hall's Catarrh Cure acts thru the
bidod on the mucous surfaced of the sys"V?
will give Ons Hundred Dollars for
any case of catarrhal Deafness that cannot
rr Hall's Catarrh Curs. Circulars
Druggists. TJa.
J. CUKHBY A CO.. Tttldd* a
. ViM f *...,; v ?...... L ifei I
*99d?dBen*V?B9SSSfi9SK9S99B9SS9SBea
you realize that Bad Lack Kearny is
still on deck. It was a shame, now,
about that gun. She only needed to
be slewed two luches to clear the rail,
and that's why 1 grabbed that rope's
end. Who'd have thought that a sailor,
even u Sicilian lubber 011 a hunana
coaster, would have fastened^* line iu
a bowknot Don't think I'm trying to
dodge the responsibility, captain. It's
my luck.'
" 'There are men. Kearny," said I
gravely, 'who pass through life blaming
upon luck aud chance the mistakes
that result from their own faults and
Incompetency. I do not say that you
nre such a man. But if all your mishaps
are traceable to that tiny star the
sooner we endow our colleges with
chairs of moral astrouomy the better.*
" 'It isn't the size of the star that
counts,' said Kearny. 'It's the quality.
Just the way it Is with women. That's
W11V tl'OV I'll VO fllO hltmnof nlnn^fo
masculine mimes ami the little stars
feminine ones?to even things up
when it comes to getting their work
In. Suppose they hn<l railed my star
Agamemnon or Hill McCnrty or something
like thnt iustead of Phoel>e.
Every time one of those old hoys
touched their calamity button r sent
me down 01 e of their wireless pieces
of bad luck I could talk back and tell
em what I thought of 'em in suitable
terms. But you can't address such remarks
to a Phoebe.'
"'It pleases you to make a Joke of
It. Kearny." said I without smiling.
'But it is no joke to me to think of my
Catling inlrcd in the river ooze.'
" 'As to that.' said Kearny, abandon- !
ing his light mood at once. *1 have already
done what I could. I have had
some experience in hoisting stone in
quarries. Torres and I have already
spliced three hawsers and strtftched
them from the steamer's stern to a
tree on shore. We will rig a tackle
and have tlie gun on terra firma before
noon tomorrow.'
"One could not remain long at outs
with Bad Buck Kearny.
" 'Once more.' said I to him, *we will
waive tills question of luck. Have you
ever had experience in drilling raw
troops?' I
"'I was first sergeant and drill master.'
said Kearny. 'In the Chilean army
for one year and captain of artillery
for another.'
"'What became* ?<f vonr cfimnmniii'
I asked.
" 'Shot down to a man,' said Kearny,
'during the revolution against Bnlmacoda.*
"Somehow the misfortunes of the
evil starred one seemed to turn to me
their comedy side. 1 lay bock upon
my gnat's hide cot and laughed until
the woods echoed. Kearny grinned, j
'I told you how it was.' lie said.
" 'Tomorrow,' I said. 'I shall detail
too men under your command for manual
of arms drill and company evolutions.
You will rank as lieutenant.
Now. for God's sake, Kearny.' 1 urged
him. 'try to combat this superstition if
it is one. Bad luck may be like any
other visitor?preferring to stop where
it is expected. Get your mind off
stars. Look upon Esperaudo as your
planet of good fortune.'
" '1 thank you. captain.' said Kearny
quietly. 'I will try to make it the
best handicap I ever ran.*
"By noon tlie next day the submerged
Gatling was rescued, as Kearny hud
promised. Then Carlos and Manuel
Ortiz and Kearny (my lieutenants! distributed
the rifles among the troops
and put them through an incessant
rifle drill. We flred no shots, blank or
solid, for of all coasts Esperaudo is
the stillest, and we had no desire to
sound any warnings in the ear of that
corrupt government until they should
carry with them the message of liberty
and the downfall of oppression.
"In tho afternoon came a mule rider
bearing a written message to me from
Don Itafael Ynldevla in the capital, 1
Aguas Frias. j
"Whenever that man's name cornea
to my lips words of tribute to his
greatness, his noble simplicity and his
conspicuous genius follow irrepressibly
lie was a traveler, a student of poo- i
pies and governments, a master of scl- i
ences, a poet, an orator, a leader, a
soldier, a critic of the world's cam- !
paigns and the idol of the people of
Esperaudo. I had been honored by j
ids friendship for years, it was I who |
first turned his mind to the thought :
that he should leave for his monument j
a new Esperaudo ? a country freed j
from the rule of unscrupulous tyrants I
and a people made happy and prosperous
bv wise and imnnrtinl loc!sl??tii?t> !
When he hud consented he threw himself
into the cause with the undivided !
zeal with which ho endowed all of his I
acts. The coffers of his great fortune
were opened to those of us to whom
were intrusted the secret moves of the
game, ills popularity was already so
great that he had practically forced
President Cruz to offer him the portfolio
of minister of war.
"The time. Don ltnfael said In his letter.
was ripe. Success, lie prophesied,
was certain. The people were beginning
to clamor publicly against Cruz's
misrule. Hands of citizens in the capital
were even going about of nights
hurling stones at public buildings and
expressing their dissatisfaction. A
bronze statue of President Cruz in the
botanical gardens had been lassoed
about tlie neck and overthrown. It
only remained for me to arrive with
my force and my thousand rifles and
for himcslf to come forward and proclaim
himself the people's savior to
overthrow Cruz in a single day. There
would be but a half hearted resistance
from the (XX) government troops stationed
in the capital. The country was
ours. He presumed that by tills time
my steamer nau arrived at ijuintana a
ramp. IIo proposed the 18th of July
for the attack. That would give us six
days In which lo strike camp and
march to Agnus Frlas. In the meantime
Don Itafaol remained my good
friend and compadrc en la causa de la
Uhertad.
"On the morning of the 14th we began
our imirch toward the sea following
range of mountains, over the sixty
mile tint 11 to the capital. Our small
arms and provisions were laden on
pack mules. Twenty men harnessed to
each Catling gun rolled them smoothly
along tin flat, alluvial lowlands. Our
troops, well shod and well fed. moved
with alacrity and heartiness. I and
my three lieutenants were mounted on
tho toogk uuMuit"tu pontes of the covin-1
try.
''A tulle out of camp one of the pack
BBHHE
mules, becoming stubborn, broke a>ny
from the train and plunged from the
path into the thicket The alert Keurny
spurred quickly after It and Intercepted
Its flight. Rising In his stirrups,
he released one foot and bestowed upou
the mutinous anllual a hearty kick.
"The mule tottered uud fell with a
crash broadside upon the ground. As
we guttered around It It walled Its
great eyes almost humnnly toward
Kearny and expired. That was bad,
but worse to our minds was the concomitant
disaster. Part of the mule's
burden had been 100 pounds of the
finest coffee to be had In the tropics.
The bag burst and spilled the priceless
brown mass of the ground berries
' among the dense vines and weeds of
the swampy land. Mala suerte! When
you take away from an Rspcrandon
his coffee you abstract his patriotism
f>it11 r>n twir ?.# itio ....in.. ..
tiler. The men begun to rake up the
precious stulT, but I beckoned Kearny
back along the trail where they would
i not hear. The limit had been reached,
j "I took from my pocket a wallet of
i money and drew out some bills.
" 'Mr. Kearny,' said I, 'here are some
funds belonging to Don ltafacl Valdevla,
which I am expending In his
cause. I know of no better service it
can buy for him than this. Here is
$100. Luck or no luck, we part company
here. Star or no star, calamity
j seems to truvel by your side. You will
return to the steamer. She touches at
Amotnpa to discharge her lumber aiul
iron and tbeu puts back to New OrI
leans. Hand this note to the sailing
master, who will give you passage.' 1
wrote 011 a leaf torn from my book
and placed it and the money in Kearny's
hand.
"'Goodby,' I said, extending my own.
'It is not that I am displeased with
you, but there is no place in this expedition
for?lot us say, the Senorltu
Phoel?e.' I said this with a smile,
trying to smooth the thing for him.
j 'May you have better luck, component.'
"Kearny took the money and the paper.
"'It was just a little touch,' said he.
'Just, a little lift with the toe of my
boot. Ilut what's the odds? That
blamed mule would have died if 1 had
only dusted his ribs with a powder
puff. It was my luck. Well, captain.
I would have liked to be in that little
light with you over in Aguas Frias.
Success to the cause. Adios!'
"He turned around and set off down
the trail without looking back. The
unfortunate mule's pack saddle was
transferred to Kearny's pony, and we
again took up the march.
"Pour days we Journeyed over the
foothills and mountains, fording ley
torrents, winding around the crumbling
brows of ragged peaks, creeping along
rocky flanges that overlooked awful
precipices, crawling breathlessly over
tottering bridges that crossed bottomless
chasms.
"On the evening of the 17th we camped
by a little stream on the bare hills
five miles from Aguas l-'rias. At daybreak
we were to take tip inarch again.
"At midnight I was standing outside
my tent inhaling the fresh cold air.
The stars were shining bright in the
cloudless sky, giving the heavens their
proper aspect of illimitable depth and
distance when viewed from the vague
darkness of the blotted earth. Almost
nt its zenith was tin- planet Saturn,
and with a half smile I observed the
sinister red sparkle of his malignant
attendant?the demon star of Kearny's
ill luck. And then my thoughts strayed
across the hills to the scene of our
coming triumph, where the heroic and
noble Don Kafacl awaited our coming
to set a new and shining star in the
firmament of nations.
"I heard a slight rustling in the deep
grass to my right. I turned and saw
Kearny coming toward me. He was
ragged and dew drenched and limiting.
His hat and one boot were gone. About
one foot he had tied some makeshift
of doth mid grass. But his manner as
ho approached was that of a man who
knows liis own virtues well enough to
lie superior to rebuffs.
" 'Well, sir/ I sahl. staring at him
coldly, 'if there Is anything in persistence
I see 110 reason why you should
not sueeeetl in wrecking and ruining
us yet.'
" 'I kept half a day's journey behind/
said Kearny, tishing out a stone from
the covering of his lame foot, 'so the
bad luck wouldn't touch you. I
couldn't help it. captain. I wanted to
he in on this game. It was a pretty
tough trip, especially In the department
of the commissary. In the low
grounds there were always bananas
and oranges. Higher up it was worse,
hut your men left a good deal of goat
meat hanging on the hushes in the
camps. Here's your $100. You're nearly
there now, captain. Let me in on the
scrapping tomorrow.'
" 'Not for a hundred times a hundred
would I have the tiniest tiling go
wrong with my plans now/ I said,
'whether caused by evil planets or the
blunders of mere man. But yonder is
Aguas I'rlas, five miles away and a
clear road. I am of the mind to defy
Saturn and all Ids satellites to spoil
our success now. At any rate, I will
not turn away tonight as weary a traveler
and as good ,n soldier as you are.
Lieutenant Kearny. Manuel Ortiz's
tent is there by the brightest lire. Hunt
him out and tell him to supply you
with food and blankets and clothes.
We march again at daybreak."
"Kearny thanked me briefly, but
feelingly, and moved uwy.v.
"He had gone scarcely a dozen steps
when u sudden flash of bright light
Illumined the surrounding hills. A sin
later, growing, hissing sound like es
raping steam tilled my ears. Then
followed a roar as of distant thunder,
which grew louder every instant. This
terrifying noise culminated in a tremendous
explosion which seemed to
rock the hills as an earthquake would.
The illumination waxed to a glare so
fierce thai I clapped my hands to my
eyes to sare them. I thought the end
of the world had come. I could think
of no natural phenomenon tliut would
explain it. My wits were (daggering.
"The deafening explosion trailed off
into the heavy roar that had preceded
it, and through this I heard the frightened
shouts of my troops as they
stumbled ffom their resting places and
rushed wildly about; also I hoard the
liarsh tone* of Kearny's voice crying.
'They'll blame |tu>n nte, of course, aud
Ml
"She came back looking fngbUpAL 3H
" TLave culled,' str*g srtgp'nud; dug 1
Ills bell uuuiy times, bulBe d*x b?ioc 1
answer.' flj 1
"I knew where his sleeping* woai ]
was. Kearny and 1 pushed by her and Jt
went to It. I i>ut my shoulder against &
the thin door and forced it open. fi
'In un arfiichalr by a great table cot*
I i rcil with maps and books sat Don lta- V
fuel with liis eyes closed. I touched
his hand. He had been dead ninny 1
hours. On his head above one ear was ?
u wound caused by a heavy blow, it ?
I had ceased to bleed long before.
"I made the old woman call a idozo
and dispatched him in haste to fetch
llerr ltergowitz.
"lie came, and we stood about as if
wo uni'ii 1,-ilr ..i *
!??S5aanMnmHHMnRv
what the ;K*?ol*
Kearny that can *iv?-yotfr?i? answer 1<
"I opened my eyes. The hills were
still there, dark nml solid. It httd not
been, then, a volcano or an earthquake.
I looked up ntjthc gk.v and saw n,aooiet-llke
trail croflRtyff tWyrenlth and extending
westwan?m j trail wan hi#
! fainter and narrowlr eilrh niionwNit.
"'A meteor!' I'-calleif aioqtl. 'A meteor
has fallen. There Is 90 danger.'
"And then all other sounds wero
drowned by a great shout from Kearny's
throat. He had raised both hands
above his head and was standing tiptoe.
" 'Phoebe's gone!' he cried with all
his lungs. 'She's busted and gone to
: li?I! Look, cnptnln! The little redheaded
hoodoo has blown herself to
smithereens, she found Kearny too
tough to handle, and she puffed up
with spite and meanness till her holler
blew up. It'll be "Ilad Luck" Kearny
no more. Oh. let us he joyful!
" 'Humpty Dumpty sat on a wall:
Ilumpty busted, and that'll he all!' "
"I looked up, wondering, and picked
out Saturn in his place. Hut the small
roil- KvlnlfHlH' llllillniiPf I" '? ?
v .. I.iiuumij ill HID > IV mil,),
"A fragment of a detonating meteor."
which Kearuy had pointed out to me
as Jiis evil star, liad vanished. I had
M'ou it tiiere hut half an hour before.
There was no doubt that one of those
awful and mysterious spasms of na
I Hire had hurled it from the heavens.
"1 flapped Kearny on the shoulder.
" 'I.lttle man,' said I, 'let this clear
the way for you. It appears that astrology
has failed to subdue you. Your
horoscope must hi' cast anew with
pluck and loyalty for controlling stars.
I play you to win. Now, get to your
tent and sleep. Daybreak is the word.'
"At !> o'clock on the morning of the
18th of July 1 rode into Aguns Frias
with Kearny at my side. In his clean
linen suit and with his military poise
and keen eye he was a model of a
lighting adventurer. I had visions of
him riding as commander of President
Valdevia's bodyguard when the plums
of the new republic should begin to fall.
"Carlos followed with the troops and
supplies, lie was to halt in a wood
outside the town and remain concealed
there until lie received the word to advance.
"Kearny and I rode down the Calle
Anclni toward the resldencia of Don
Kafuel at the other side of the town.
As we passed the superb white buildings
of the Fniverslty of Esperando I
saw at an open window the gleaming
spectacles and bald head of Ilerr llergowitz,
professor of the natural sciences
and friend of Don Rafael and of
me and of tin? cause. He waved his
hand to me with his broad, bland
smile.
"Then? was no excitement apparent
in Agnus l'rias. The people went about
leisurely as at all times. The market
was thronged with bareheaded women
buying fruit and enrne. We heard the I
twang and tinkle of string bands in
the patios of the cantinas. We could
see that it was a waiting game that
in?n kiimh'I was playing.
"His residenela was a largo but low
l>iiil?linir around a great courtyard in
grounds crowded with ornamental
trees and tropic shrubs. At his door
an old woman who came informed us
that Hon ltal'ael had not yet arisen.
"'Tell him.' said I, 'that Captain Malone
and a friend wish to see him at
once. Perhaps he lias overslept.'
I Fine Youi
r? For prices and ter
^ We also liand
I Buggies an
I flrnrfieldj
r Noi
W rite me and I will e
days of a severe case of Pi lei
oot pain, knife or detention
suffer from this disease wh^
right, here in Sooth Carolina
| -Jo:;,::
.....i ciuiiiim uy l IIO UWllll
I shock. Thus con the lot Mux of a fee
drops of lilood from one man's veins
drain Uie life of a nation.
"Presently llorr Itergowitz stoc, : I
| and picked up a darkish stone the s' e
i of an orange which he saw under tl"?
table, lie examined it closely thronga
his great glasses with the eye of s ience.
" 'A fragment,' said he. 'of a dot on ting
meteor. The most remarkable one
in twenty years exploded above li...*
city a little after midnight this morning.'
"The professor looked quickly up at
the ceiling. We saw the blue sky
through a hole the size of an orange
nearly above Don lJafael's chair.
"I heard a familiar sound and turned.
Kearny had thrown himself on the
floor and was babbling his cnnipem".'.,;:.i
of bitter, blood freezing curses against
the star of his evil luck.
"t'lwloubtedly I'hocbo had been fi ; .1nine.
Even when hurtling on her w >v
to iiery dissolution and everlasting
doom tile la^l vvoi'il l. ol I....... - "
Captain M alone was n?>| unskilled in
narrative. He knew the |mtint where a
story should end. I sat reveling in his
effective conclusion when he aroused
tne by continuing:
"Of course." said he, "our sehete s
were at an end. There was no one to
take I ton Rafael's place. ??ur Utile
army melted away like dew before ta >
sun.
"Due day after I hud returned to
New Orleans I related this story to a
friend who holds a professorship in
Tula tie university.
"When I had finished he laughed and
asked whether 1 had any knowledge
of Kearny's luck afterward. I told
hitu no; that 1 had seen hint no more,
hut that when he left me he had expressed
conlidenee that his future
would he successful now that his ilueky
star had been overthrown.
"'No doubt." said the professor, 'he
is happier not to know one fact. If
ho derives his bad luck from IMhk c.
the ninth satellite of Saturn, that :
lidous lady is still engaged in overlook
in.ur his career. The star close to
Saturn that he imagined to be her was
,<w that planet simply by the chat, e
of its orbit. Probably at differ* at
times he has regarded many other
stars that happened to he in Saturn's
neighborhood ns bis evil one. The real
Phoebe is visible only through a very
good telescope.*
"About a year afterward." continued
Captain Ma lone, "I was walking down
a street that crossed the I'oydras mar
M-i. .\u immensely stout, pink fared
ItHly in black satin crowded me from
tlit* narrow sidewalk with a frown,
liehind her trailed a little man laden
to the gunwales with handles and ha
of trends and vegetables.
"It was Kearny?hut changed. I
stopped and shook one of his hands,
whieh still clung to a bag of garlic
and red peppers.
"'How is till- lurk, old eonipanero?'
I asked him. I laid not the heart to
tell hi in the truth about his star.
" 'Well,' said lie, 'I am married, as
you may guess.'
" "Francis." called the big lady in
deep tones, 'are you going to stop in
tlu> street talking till day?'
" 'I am coining, I'hoebe, dear,' said
Kearny, hastening after her."
Captain Ma1on6 ceased again.
"After all. do you believe in luck?"
I asked.
"I>o you?" answered the captain,
with his ambiguous smile shaded by
the brim of his soft straw hat.
Photographs.
I Will be at Chesterfield en
Saturday before tl.e 1st and 'ltd
Sundays in each month to take
pictures. Studio up stairs over
Square Deal Drug Store.
o-li tt Jerome Douglass.
A
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