Showed the Army How To Do It

1895

Young American Officer Instructs His Captors In Loading Guns.

The average wide awake, self assertive American who meets in their own bailiwicks Central American officials does not, it must be confessed, feel for them a profound respect.

A young American officer who was ashore down there once when a periodical revolution was in full bloom was riding along a street on a donkey. He wanted to catch a railroad train, and he peacefully steered the donkey up to the gate of the station.

A sign there announced that donkeys, wagons and other such hostiles were not allowed to enter the station. The young officer read the sign and then, drawing up his legs so that he could thump with his heels the donkey's sides, proceeded to guide his little charge through the gates.

One of the favorite resting places of a Central American army is a railway station. At this particular station was gathered the usual army.

It might have been a force of ten men or even a dozen, but it was an army, lieutenants, captains, colonels, general and all.

When the donkey and the American tried to storm the railway citadel a great howl went up from the army. Several regiments of one man each advanced upon the bold ranger and called upon him to halt. Then they informed him that he was a prisoner of war.

The American got off the donkey and went over to one of the regiments and explained that he wanted to board a train. The regiment announced that this was impossible, as he was a prisoner.

"All right," said the American, "good-by," and he started to walk away.

This caused a tremendous excitement throughout the regiment, which immediately set to work to load its gun, while another regiment threatened to prod the American with a bayonet.

The regiment which was trying to load its gun seemed to afford a great deal of amusement to the American. The regiment was fumbling with the cartridge and vainly trying to throw open the breech of the ride, while the American watched the proceeding for a time with a good natured smile. Then he stepped close up to the regiment.

"Here," he said, snatching the gun away and taking a cartridge from the belt which encircled the gallant regiment, "let me show you how to do it."

He threw open the breech quickly and deftly slipped in a cartridge, snapped the breech back into place, and holding out the gun to the regiment made a low bow.

"There!" he said, "that's the way to do it. You see, it's very easy when you know how."

And then bowing again "Good day" he sauntered into the station with a careless smile on his face, while the army stood dumbfounded and then retreated. — New York Tribune.

Central American Canal

1900

The following story of a canal in Central America has no relation to the proposed canal across Nicaragua. It is told of a civil engineer who visited the country more than twenty years ago.

At the village of Cabecera, near Tenosique, he was asked by a deputation of the inhabitants, who had heard of his skill as a surveyor, whether he thought a canal could be made from their village to Provecue, which would save a very long river journey. He visited the district, and found that by taking advantage of two small streams a canal of about a league would be all that was necessary.

The committee were delighted with this report, and they begged the surveyor to write an official letter to the government on their behalf, asking that they might be permitted to begin the work at once.

Ten years after this the surveyor was again at the village of Cabecera, and the first question asked him was:

"Do you not think a canal could be made from here to Provecue?"

On his informing them that he had been asked the same question ten years before, and had taken some time and trouble about the matter, the chairman replied that on account of politics, the death of his father, and so forth, the government letter had probably been overlooked. Search was made, the letter was found, and once more all was excitement. Nothing was talked about but the canal.

Some years later yet the surveyor was again at Cabecera. Immediately on his arrival a deputation waited upon hip. "Do you not think a canal —" The speaker never got any farther with that question. — Youth's Companion.

Animal Planet — "Pets of Honduras"

1896

Honduras seems a paradise for pets. Parrots of every size, from that of a sparrow to the great green macaw, three feet long or more, can clamber all over and about the house and never know a cage. Chachalacas trot through the patios or courts of the houses in the towns, and bitterns stalk disconsolate about. Fawns and children play together in many a yard, and coons and sometimes an armadillo are playmates for little ones who have few dolls. In the Sambo hamlet of Ulun, a tame anteater was offered to me, and while we talked of it, a woman came in leading a gibeonite which took occasion to nibble its owner's bare heels while she bargained.

As I lay in a hammock in a Waikna hut one day, a peccary came within my reach. With a convenient stick I ventured to scratch his brown and bristly back. Down he flopped on his side and grunted in sweet content as long as the tickling went on. From that moment he was my ardent, much too ardent friend and faithful follower. I could not go ten steps without finding him at my heels, and his jealousy was as instant as it was fierce. Woe to the dog that dared come near me. A sudden rush, a quick upward thrust of those gleaming tusks and there was a bleeding gash in that dog's quarters, if he was not agile beyond the average of dogs. And the snapping of those tusks had a sound that was most suggestive, particularly to a white man groping in the dark for the olla that holds the drink. Peccaries are not really the nicest of pets for people whose visitors are nervous. — Outing.