Mexico Missouri message., September 05, 1918, Image 2

About Mexico Missouri message. (Mexico, Audrain County, Mo.) 1899-1918

Image provided by: State Historical Society of Missouri; Columbia, MO

                
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MEXICO MISSOURI MESSAGE. MEXICO,' MISSOURI.
A NERVOUS
MAI
CHAPTER XXI Continued.
1
Norlne rose, her face aglow with
new strength, new determination
brought you back when you were all
lint gone. I saved you after the others
nad given you up, and now you are
mine to do with as I please. You be
long to me and I sha'n't consult you."
She turned, for a figure had dark
ned the door; It was one of her En
iisn-speaung convalescents who was
acting as a sort of orderly.
"Senorita," the man said, with
flash of white teeth, "we have another
sick man, and you'd never guess who,
it is that American, El Demonio "
"Is he sick or wounded?" Esteban
Inquired.
"Shot by a Spanish bullet. He asked
at once for our senorlta."
"Of course. 111 come In an Instant."
When the messenger had gone Norlne
tent and pressed her Hps to Estebnn's,
Remember, you're mine to do with as
I please," she said ; then she fled down
the grassy street
Branch was waiting at Norlne's
quarters, a soiled figure of dejection.
His left arm lay in a sling across Ms
breast, lie looked up at her approach.
but she scarcely recognised him, so
greatly ennnged was he.
"Hello, Norlne!" he cried. "Well,
they got me."
Norlne paused In astonishment,
"Why. Leslie! I was so frightened!
isiit you can't be badly hurt."
"Bad enough so that Lopez sent me
1n. A fellow gets flyblown If ho stays
in trie Held, so I Beat It."
"Has your arm been dressed?"
"No. I wouldn't let these rough-and-tumble
doctors touch It. They'd ampu
tate at the shoulder for a hangnail. I
don't trust 'em."
"Then I'll look at It."
"It doesn't hurt, really," he declared.
"It's only a scratch."
"Then behave yourself." Norlne
forced the patient Into a chair and
withdrew his arm from the sling.
Then, desplteMils weak resistance, she
deftly removed the bandage. From
bis ejrpresslon she felt sure that she
must be hurting him, but when the
-injury was exposed she looked up in
wonderment.
"Leslie!" she exclaimed. "What in
the world "
Branch struggled with himself, he
swallowed hard, then said: "You can
see now why I didn't go to a doctor; I
did it shot myself. You won't give
me away?"
Norlne seated herself wenkly; she
stared In bewilderment at the unhappy
speaker. "Afraid? You, El Demonio!
Why, you aren't afraid of anything!"
"Say! You don't believe all that
stuff, do you? I'm afraid of my shadow
and always have been. I'm not brave
and never was. They told me I was
going to die and It scared me so that
I tried to end things quickly. , I
wouldn't bear to die slowly, to know
that I was dying by Inches. But, Lord !
It scared me even worse to go Into
battle. I was blind with fright all the
time and I never got over It. Why,
the sight of a gun gives me a chill, and
I Jump every time one goes off. Lord I
how I've suffered ! I went crazy at our
first engagement crazy with fear. I
didn't know where I was, or what hap
ipened, or anything. Afterward, when
they hailed me as a hero, I thought
-they were kidding, that everybody
;must know how frightened I was.
-After a time I saw that I'd fooled them,
and that shamed me. Then I had to
keep It up or become ridiculous. But
:it nearly killed me."
It bo happened that the president
and well-nigh the entire provisional
cabinet were In Cubltas. Leslie and
Norlne went directly to the former. He
promptly sent for the minister of Jus
tice, who In turn gallantly put himself
at Norlne's disposal. In no time the
news had spread and there was sub-
dued excitement throughout the camp.
Norlne was between tears and laughter
when she ran panting into Esteban's
f abln, leaving Branch to wait outside.
At sight of her Esteban uttered a
low cry of happiness. "Dearest! Pve
been lying In a stupor of delight. The
world has become bright I hear peo
ple laughing. What a change 1"
"I've arranged everything ! The pres
ident and his cabinet are coming to
witness the ceremony."
Esteban poised upon his elbow, his
face was a study. "What have you ar
ranged?" he managed to Inquire.
"Sh-h!" Norlne laid a finger upon
Tils lips. "The guest of the republic is
to be married today."
"Norlne! Oh, my dear " quavered
the sick mnn. "I can't let you do this
mad thing. Think I I'm ready for the
jjrave "
"This will make you well. We're go
ing away when the very next expedi
tion arrives."
"I haven't the strength to refuse,"
Esteban murmured. "And yet, how
can I leave Cuba? What right have I
to accept happiness and leave Rosa "
TMs was a subject which Norine
dreaded, a question to which she knew
no answer. She was not la a mood to
'discuss It, and made no attempt to do
so. Instead, she laid the Invalid upon
JUs pillow, saying:
"Leslie- in waiting to wish, you Joy
ud a quick recovery. May I ask him
By RBX BACH tAiAli
She atepped to the door, only to be
hold her late companion making off
down the village street in great haste
and evident excitement Approaching
between the drunken rows of grass
huts was a little knot of people. Even
as Norlne watched it grew into a con
slderable crowd, for men and women
and children came hurrying from their
tasks. There were three figures in the
lead, a man and two boys, and they
walked slowly, ploddingly, as If weary
from a long march.
"Esteban !" Norlne cried In a voice
she scarcely recognized. She retreated
Into the doorway with one hand upon
her leaping heart "Esteban ! Look I
They're coming here I Yes ! It's it's
O'Reilly !"
Young varona struggled from his
hammock. "Rosa!" he called, loudly.
"ltosa I
There came a shadow, then In the
doorway the figure of a man, a tattered
scarecrow of a man whose feet were
bare and whose brown calves were ex
posed through flapping rags. Ills breast
was naked where thorns had tried to
stay blm ; ,hls beard, even his hair,
were matted and unkempt, and the
mud of many trails lay caked upon his
garments.
It was O'Reilly 1
Dumb with amazement, blind with
tears, Norlne found herself staring up
ward into his face, and heard him say
ing: "I told you I would bring her home."
The next Instant she lay upon his
breast and sobs of Joy were tearing at
her.
The story of Rosa's rescue came
slowly and in fragments, for the news
of O'Reilly's return caused a sensa
tion. Ills recital was Interrupted many
times. "As a matter of fuct, our get
nway was ridiculously easy." he said.
"for we had luck at every turn regu
lar Irish luck. I made Morin Inde
pendent lor life, but It wasn't the
money, it was Jacket who Induced him
It Wat O'Reilly!
to bring us clear to Turlguano. He
landed us one night, this side of the
Moron trocha. Since then we've waded
swamps to our armpits, we've fought
the Jungle and chewed bark but we're
here." Johnnie heaved a deep sigh of
rencr.
"Where did you get the monev to
hire schooners and corrupt captains?"
Branch inquired.
O'Reilly hesitated: he lowered his
voice to a whisper. "We found the
Varona treasure."
Norlne uttered a cry. "Not Don Es
teban's treasure?"
"Exactly. It was In the well where
young Esteban told us it was."
Johnnie produced from his socket a
handful of coins.
Branch's eyes bulged, he touched a
gold piece respectfully, weighed it care
fully, then pressed it to his Hps. He
rubbed It against his cheeks and In bis
hair; be placed It between bis teeth
and bit it
"It's real!" he cried. "Now let ma
look at the Jewels." ,
"Rosa has them. She's wearlna- them
on her back. Hunched backs are lucky,
you know; hers Is worth a fortune."
Why, this beats the 'Arabian
Nights !'" Norlne gasped.
'It beats" Branch paused, then
wagged his head warnlngly at the girl.
uoni believe a word of it and you
mustn't" ' -
Then Johnnie told the story. When
he had finished there was a long mo
ment of silence. Then Norlne aua-
vered tremulously r "That boy! That
blessed boy!" 1 ' " !
It's all too welrdlv lmnrobable."
O'Reilly smiled,- "but ask Rosa or
Jacket the boy . is bursting to tell
some one. lie nearly died because he
couldn't brag about it to Captain Mo
rla, and there won't be any holding
'Cepyrlfht. by Harper and Brotheri)
W J J
him now. I'm afraid he'll Hp off the
news about that treasure In spite of all
my warnings. Those Jewels are
temptation; i won't rest ensy until
they're safely locked up In some good
vault. Now then,' I've told you every
thing, but I'm dying for news. Tell me
about yourselves, about Estebnn. I ex
pected to find him well. What ails
mm 7"
un, Johnnie !" Norlne began. "He's
very ill. ne Isn't getting well. Help
me, jonnniel Help me to get him
home"
"Or course I will. We'll take him
and Rosa away where they can forget
Cuba and all the misery it has caused
them. We'll make him well don't
worry."
O'Reilly saw little of his sweetheart
that day, for Norine promptly bore the
girl off to her own quarters and there
attended to her needs, the most press
ing or wmcn was clothing.
While O'Reilly was similarly en-
gaged In ninking himself presentable,
he and Branch talked earnestly, with
the result that they repaired later to
General Gomez. O'Reilly concluded by
saying:
"I've done what I came to do. Rir. hnt
Miss Varona Is badly shaken by all she
has been through. She's very nervous
and far from well. Estebnn, too, Isn't
recovering."
General Gomez nodded. "Miss Evnns
declares he must have a change! and
we have arranged to send him out of
the country, nis sister, poor child.
should go, too."
"They should go at once." OTtelllv
said, positively. "That's why we came
to see you. Let us Branch and me
take all three of them to the United
States."
"But how? How can you take two
women nnd a sick man "
We'll manage somehow." O'Reilly
declared. "It isn't far across to the
Bahama Banks. I'll agree to come
back if you so desire."
Gomez shook his white head. "No!
You came to find and save your fiancee,
and you volunteered to serve with us
while you were doing so. We have no
desire to keep any man against his will.
Some one must escort Miss Evans, who
in our guest. Why not you two?
"I was looking forward to an Inter
esting ceremony Oils afternoon," Go
mez went en. "Has your arrival
changed the plans?"
"Oh no, sir!" O'Reilly said, qul'dkiy.
"I'd like to make It doubly Interesting,
If Miss Varona will consent to such
short notice."
"Bravo! You have a way of doing
the unexpected. Why not? I don't
think Miss Varona will have It in her
heart to refuse you anything."
The old soldier was right. Rosa did
not gainsay her lover, and toward sun
down the city among the leaves wit
nessed an unaccustomed scene.
Rosa, very dainty In her borrowed
nurse's uniform, was round-eyed,
timid; she evoked much admiration,
but when she was addressed as Senora
O'Reilly she blushed to the roots of
her hair and shrank close to her hus
band's 6lde. Branch proved to be a
happy choice as Esteban's proxy, for
he relieved Norlne's anxiety and smoth
ered her apprphenslons.
When Rosa and O'Reilly returned to
Esteban's cabin they found Norlne
ahead of them. She was kneeling be
side the sick man's hammock, and
through the doorway came the low, in
timate murmur of their voices. Rosa
drew her husband away, whispering,
happily:
"He will get well. God and that won
derful girl won't let him die."
CHAPTER XXII.
H '
The Rainbow's End.
The Journey to the coast was made
by easy etages and Esteban stood it
fairly well. Jacket, of course, went
along. Upon the announcement of
O'Reilly's Intended departure for the
States he had promptly abandoned
Cuba to her fate. He foreswore her
utterly and declared himself a loyal
American citizen.
Relying upon the best Information
obtainable at Cubltas, O'Reilly had
counted upon securing a sailboat from
a certain fisherman whose sympathies
were known to be loyal, but in this be
was disappointed. The party arrived
at its destination, a. tiny clearing on
an unfrequented part of the north
shore, only to find it deserted and al
ready grown to weeds. The house was
empty, the boats were gone all but
one old hulk, too rotten to warrant
moving, which lay high up on the Band!
its planks worm-eaten, its seams wide
spread by the sun,
O'Reilly was in a quandary. He
gravely doubted Esteban's ability to
stand the rough return Journey, and
when he spoke to Norine of turning
back she was panic-stricken at the sug
gestion. - "No, no !" she cried, anxiously. "We
must get him away. His heart Is set on
going through and it would kill him
to go back."
, Then I guess we 11 have to
through," he smiled. -
go
Tor the first time In their acquaint
ance Norlne lost control of herself. .
"Promise that yon won't go back,"
she implored him. . ; ,. ,., ' '.'
"Very well, If you'll consent to risk
this miserable tub we found on the
Dencn "
"I'll rlsk.anythlng a raft, even. Is
there an even chance of our getting
across?"
"Perhaps. It all depends upon the
weather."
When morning came O'Reilly made a
closer examination of the abandoned
boat The result was not encouraging,
but he determined to make use of It,
and the crazy craft was launched. It
was necessary to handle her gingerly,
and when she took the water she leak
ed abominably. But during the night
she swelled and In the morning It was
possible to ball her out
From the point of lenvlnir if .
haps five miles across the sound to the
fringe of keys which In this neighbor
hood bordered the old Bahama chan
nel with Its unplumbed denthn of hino
water. Here it was calm, so the run
was soon made.
When the coastline of Cuba had he-
come a blur astern Rosa crept back
and seated herself beside her husband.
"How much I love you," she whispered.
"But I never can tell you, for we are
never alone. Was there ever such a
courtship, such a marriage, and such a
wedding Journey as ours?"
It proved to be a lonsr. lonir nleht. for
the boat, though roomy, was uncom
fortable. Daylight brought an In
creased breeze which heeled the boat
further. Fortunately the haze was not
thick enough to wholly obscure the sun
nnd so O'Reilly was enabled to hold his
course. But he did not like the look
of things. In time there came a spite
ful drizzle which completely hid the
sun and left no Indication of the course
except the direction whence drove the
rain.
No one spoke now. Even Esteban lay
silent, shivering miserably upon his
sodden bed. Rosa finally straightened
her aching baok and smiled at her hus
band. "Are we going down?" she asked.
"Oh no ! This Is merely a sauall ." he
told her, with an assumption of confi
dence he was far from feeling.
XJeiiverance came suddenly, and from
the least-expected quarter. Out of the
mist to starboard there materialized a
shape, a schooner driving ahead of the
wind. The refugees descried her simul
taneously and stood ankle deep in the
wash, waving their hats and their cala
bashes, and shouting crazlly until she
saw them and fetched up.
There was a babble of voices, shout
ed questions, hysterical answers. Rosn
was weeping softly; Norlne had lifted
Esteban and now clutched him tight,
while her tears fell upon his face.
The schooner was a sponger bound
for Nassau; its blackbird crew spoke
English nnd they willingly helped the
strangers overside, laughing and shout
ing in a childlike display of excitement.
Soon there was hot food and coffee,
dry beds and blankets for those who
needed them.
Johnnie tucked his bride snugly Into
one of the hard berths, then stooped
and kissed her. Rosa's teeth were
chattering, but she smiled happily.
"God's hand directed us," she said.
BOTH MEN IN RIGHT PLACE
At Least, That Is Likely to Be Ver
dict of Those Who Toiled Over In-come-Tax
Schedules.
The visitor was being conducted
through a staje institution for the
Insane and his guide was an affable
young man from the harmless ward
whose keen Intelligence made the vis
itor wonder why he was under re
straint Stopping in front of a padded cell,
they looked at a stout, short individ
ual with a forelock draped over one
eye and. a pose characteristically
Napoleonic.
"Thinks he's the Little Corporal,
eh?" the visitor asked of the guide.
"Yes; he's had that hallucination
for five years."
Across) the corridor in another cell
was an old man poring over a num
ber of blue prints.
"What's the matter with him?"
"Poor chap," laughed the guide ; "he
thinks that he has Invented a submarine-proof
ship. The hull of the ship
Is honeycombed with holes; when the
war-head of the torpedo strikes, it
goes into one of the holes and is held
fast by its sides."
"But," objected the visitor, "suppose
the torpedo strikes between the
holes?"
"In that case," said the guide as he
shook with laughter, "it wouldn't
count and the submarine would be en
titled to another try."
In the last cell waa a middle-aged
man at a high desk. He looked up as
the 6thers approached and . nodded
smilingly. '
"What's the matter with him?"
queried the visitor.''
"Him? He's hopeless; be believes
that he Is an authority on income-tax
legislation." 1 ,
"Ah," eald the visitor, "and he
isn't r
"No, indeed!" replied the guide; 'I
am the only authority." Kant Slip, r
r '" :
. These are the times that try men's
souls. Thomas Palna,
. wwwt,na
"One only needs to pray long enough
no strong enough and he will hear."
. .
It was a month later. Quaint old Nas
sau lay dosing under an afternoon mm
Up from the beach came O'Reilly and
his youthful alter ego. Jacket They
were ciaa m clean white clothes:
month of rest had done them cood
Jacket was no longer wizened: he wn
plump and sleek and as full of mischief
as a colt while O'Rellly'a leanness
nad disappeared and he filled his gar
menis as a man should.
They turned in through a picket gate
anu up a waiK. At the end stood a cot
tage With wide porches hidden beneath
jasmine and honeysuckle and morning.
giory vines.
Aiooa, Kofia r . Jacket lifted the
heavy string of fish. "We had stu
pendous luck." But Rosa was In her
husband's arms and neither she nor
O'Reilly had eyes for anything but
eacn otner.
Kosa had vastly changed. She was
ciad in a charming little muslin dresa.
there were dimples in her cheeks, she
wore a neavy Uarechal Neil bud at her
breast O'Reilly held her off and de
voured her with his eyes.
"Sweetheart, you grow fresher and
more beautiful every hour," said he.
osa danced upon her toes, and
tugged at him. "But come quickly and
see the surprise we have. I've been
wild for your return, so hurry." She
lea him swiftly up the steps, and there,
standing beside a chair, was Esteban
Varona, "He dressed himself and
wnlked out here alone. He's well !"
"Esteban I Really " .
j.ne Drotner nodded decisively. "It's
true. I rebelled at last Tomorrow I'll
walk to the gate and the next day we'll
go nsning. Here's a letter from Leslie,
by the way. There's one bit of news :
he says the talk of intervention in
creases and he may have to return to
uuoa as a war correspondent,
"Intervention ! That would be fine,"
usteoan cried.
. O'Reilly nodded. "Oh, it's bound to
come, and when Uncle Sam takes hold
Cuba will be free."
Norlne agreed : "I'm sure of It And
then we'll all go back to our rain
bow's end and dig for that pot of gold."
Esteban turned adoring eyes upon
tho speaker; he took her hand in his.
Tve found my rainbow's end," said
ne.
"And Tve found mine," O'Jteilly as
serted. Tve gained your father's treas
ure, and more I've found the prize of
all the Indies." With his arm about
Kosa he drew her into the house.
j!.steDan lowered himself Into his
chair and Norlne rested herself UDon
its arm. He lay back with eyes closed.
From the regions at the rear came the
voice of Jacket The boy was in a
declamatory mood. He had gathered
an audience, as was his dally custom,
and was addressing them In English :
"l reined more'n a dozen Snnniardn
at Pino Bravo. It was my day. " Bv
rights I should have been made a gen
eral, but"
(THE END.)
The French Tricolor.
The Tricolor, the French national
standard of blue, white and red, di
vided vertically, originated during the
first French revolution. In 1789 the
leaf plucked by Camllle Desmoullns
In the garden of the Palais Royal be
came a rallying sign, and green was
to be adopted as the national color;
but, remembering that green was the
color of the hated Prince d'Artols, they
rejected it on the following Vlay.
They at first chose, Instead, blue and
red, the colors of the city of Paris,
and later added the white of royalty,
that had been faithfully preserved by
the national guard. This new standard
was adopted with enthusiasm. A few
months after taking of the Basttle,
Ballly and Lafayette offered to Louis
XVI the three-colored cocard as a
badge of reconciliation with the king.
Thus the Tricolor originated as the
symbol of the liberty of the French
nation, and it continued as such even
when afterward the "reconciliation"
with the king ended with his decaplta
tion. This Swindler Up to Data.
Thought reading was the method
claimed to have been employed by a
man in Bengal, India, to win large
sums of money on the race course. It
turned out to be a very Ingenious form
of swindle. Finding a man who is in
terested In racing, the confidence mnn
produces a roll of money, and states
that be woo this by his fore-knowledge
of the .winners on' the track. He
then suggests that his friend test his
knowledge. He induces bis victim to
hand him sums of money to be placed
on the horses, and then vanishes. In
vestigation baa proved that this Ben
gall had swindled a number of peo
ple of large sums of money in this
way.
r
Lay of the Last Hen.
"The Lay of the Last Minstrel" may
have caused some apprehension In its
day, but were the lay of the last hen
to be announced la ours there would
certainly be a panic Seattle; Post-L
UUlgencer,
BREAKDOWN
Miss Kelly Tells How Lydia
E. Pinkham't Vegetable
Compound Restored
Her Health.
Newark, N. J. "For about threi
years I Buffered from nervous break-
aown and got so
weak I could hardly
stand, and had head
aches every day. 1
tried everything1 1
could think of and
was under a phy
sician's care for two
years. A girl friend
had used Lydia E.
Pink ham's Vege
table Compound and
she told me about
it From the first
day I took it I began
to fatl hAtfjt nnrt
now I Am well anil
able to do moat itnv
kind of work. I
have been recom-
manlnr, ih Cam.
puuuu Biiiuc hiiu give you my per
mission to publish this letter." Miss
Flo Kelly, 476 So. 14th St, Newark,
N. .
The reason this famous root and herb
remedy, Lydia E. Pinkbam's Vegetable
Compound, was so successful in Mfca
Kelly's case was because it went to the
root of her trouble, restored her to a
normal healthy condition and as a result
ber nervousness disappeared. N
. BARKER'S
. . HAIR BALSAM
A toilet preparation of merit.
Belp to eradicate daudroC
' For ReatoTin Color anil
Boaut? to Gray or Faded Hair.
ftoo. and ti.oo at rtrngxiita.
LetCuticuraBe
YourBeautyDoctor
All drootiU: Soap K. Ointment 25 A GO. Tslctim 2B.
fliimpli ftAnh frt of "OnUcarm, Dnpt- B, Botftoa."
His Wish.
"So your wife is doing her canning?
"Yes, putting up a little fruit foi
the winter, but I wish there was
way we could con a little sugar and
coal for the long, cold days."
The Strong Withstand the Meat of Summel
... , Better Than the Weak
v... "',v, leouiH ana Tounffer peon
rf?h!;?h h'jy" bB "f"?Uea and SnatKSl to
aling Bffecu Wo.
CALL WAS FOR "OPERATORS"
And Sapper Black Felt Justified in Be.
lievlng He Came Within That
Classification.
The new-formed Sicnal cornnnnv had
Just assembled on pnrade, nnd the O.
0. was classifying his men for their
various duties. "Fall out anv onera-
tors," he shouted. A number of teleg
raphists promptly stenned to the renp.
but the O. C. was surprised to notice
tapper uiack among the party.
"Are you a competent onernrnr?" in
quired the O. C.
"Yes, sir," was the immediate re.
sponse.
"And your speed of working?"
"Five thousand feet per hour."
"Five thousand what?" ronreri th
O. C. "TeleeraDh onerntnra dnn't son
messages by the yard I" '
"Perhaps not sir." renlled Rlnrir.
"but you see, I'm not a telegraph op
erator ; Pm a cinematograph operator."
London Answers.
. No Real "Tana" to It
A soldier was tellinc his friends of
his experience out in Fmneo' onrt
among other things they discussed waa
the difference between the beers of the
respective countries.
"Well." said the soldier nt wt m
Idea Is that drinking one of those
Frenchy beers is about like kissln
your Bister."
Pllt vnill hoc f fstit iintua. . 1
as forward to reach the top of the lad
der.
Children
Liko
"the Bi tractive ffv
. Vor of the healthful
cereal drink
POSTUM
And it's fine for
, them too, for It .
contains nothing
harmful-only the
goodness of wheat
and pure molasses.
PoSTUM U now redu
larly used in place
of tea and coffee
in many of the best
of families.
Wholesome econom
ical and healthful.
"Thin a Rpascn
IS
aUaaWttaVMsaeajJft