roads of destiny-第49节

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of　the　General's　country。

〃That　was　a　town　to　send　J。　Howard　Payne　to　the　growler。　I'll　tell　you　how　you　could　make　one　like　it。　Take　a　lot　of　Filipino　huts　and　a　couple　of　hundred　brick…kilns　and　arrange　'em　in　squares　in　a　cemetery。　Cart　down　all　the　conservatory　plants　in　the　Astor　and　Vanderbilt　greenhouses；　and　stick　'em　about　wherever　there's　room。　Turn　all　the　Bellevue　patients　and　the　barbers'　convention　and　the　Tuskegee　school　loose　in　the　streets；　and　run　the　thermometer　up　to　120　in　the　shade。　Set　a　fringe　of　the　Rocky　Mountains　around　the　rear；　let　it　rain；　and　set　the　whole　business　on　Rockaway　Beach　in　the　middle　of　Januaryand　you'd　have　a　good　imitation　of　Espiritu。

〃It　took　me　and　Denver　about　a　week　to　get　acclimated。　Denver　sent　out　the　letters　the　General　had　given　him；　and　notified　the　rest　of　the　gang　that　there　was　something　doing　at　the　captain's　office。　We　set　up　headquarters　in　an　old　'dobe　house　on　a　side　street　where　the　grass　was　waist　high。　The　election　was　only　four　weeks　off；　but　there　wasn't　any　excitement。　The　home　candidate　for　president　was　named　Roadrickeys。　This　town　of　Esperitu　wasn't　the　capital　any　more　than　Cleveland；　Ohio；　is　the　capital　of　the　United　States；　but　it　was　the　political　centre　where　they　cooked　up　revolutions；　and　made　up　the　slates。

〃At　the　end　of　the　week　Denver　says　the　machine　is　started　running。

〃'Sully；'　says　he；　'we've　got　a　walkover。　Just　because　General　Rompiro　ain't　Don　Juan…on…the…spot　the　other　crowd　ain't　at　work。　They're　as　full　of　apathy　as　a　territorial　delegate　during　the　chaplain's　prayer。　Now；　we　want　to　introduce　a　little　hot　stuff　in　the　way　of　campaigning；　and　we'll　surprise　'em　at　the　polls。'

〃'How　are　you　going　to　go　about　it？'　I　asks。

〃'Why；　the　usual　way；'　says　Denver；　surprised。　'We'll　get　the　orators　on　our　side　out　every　night　to　make　speeches　in　the　native　lingo；　and　have　torch…light　parades　under　the　shade　of　the　palms；　and　free　drinks；　and　buy　up　all　the　brass　bands；　of　course；　andwell；　I'll　turn　the　baby…kissing　over　to　you；　SullyI've　seen　a　lot　of　'em。'

〃'What　else？'　says　I。

〃'Why；　you　know；'　says　Denver。　'We　get　the　heelers　out　with　the　crackly　two…spots；　and　coal…tickets；　and　orders　for　groceries；　and　have　a　couple　of　picnics　out　under　the　banyan…trees；　and　dances　in　the　Firemen's　Halland　the　usual　things。　But　first　of　all；　Sully；　I'm　going　to　have　the　biggest　clam…bake　down　on　the　beach　that　was　ever　seen　south　of　the　tropic　of　Capricorn。　I　figured　that　out　from　the　start。　We'll　stuff　the　whole　town　and　the　jungle　folk　for　miles　around　with　clams。　That's　the　first　thing　on　the　programme。　Suppose　you　go　out　now；　and　make　the　arrangements　for　that。　I　want　to　look　over　the　estimates　the　General　made　of　the　vote　in　the　coast　districts。'

〃I　had　learned　some　Spanish　in　Mexico；　so　I　goes　out；　as　Denver　says；　and　in　fifteen　minutes　I　come　back　to　headquarters。

〃'If　there　ever　was　a　clam　in　this　country　nobody　ever　saw　it；'　I　says。

〃'Great　sky…rockets！'　says　Denver；　with　his　mouth　and　eyes　open。　'No　clams？　How　in　thewho　ever　saw　a　country　without　clams？　What　kind　of　ahow's　an　election　to　be　pulled　off　without　a　clam…bake；　I'd　like　to　know？　Are　you　sure　there's　no　clams；　Sully？'

〃'Not　even　a　can；'　says　I。

〃'Then　for　God's　sake　go　out　and　try　to　find　what　the　people　here　do　eat。　We've　got　to　fill　'em　up　with　grub　of　some　kind。'

〃I　went　out　again。　Denver　was　manager。　In　half　an　hour　I　gets　back。

〃'They　eat；'　says　I；　'tortillas；　cassava；　carne　de　chivo；　arroz　con　pollo；　aquacates；　zapates；　yucca；　and　huevos　fritos。'

〃'A　man　that　would　eat　them　things；'　says　Denver；　getting　a　little　mad；　'ought　to　have　his　vote　challenged。'

〃In　a　few　more　days　the　campaign　managers　from　the　other　towns　came　sliding　into　Esperitu。　Our　headquarters　was　a　busy　place。　We　had　an　interpreter；　and　ice…water；　and　drinks；　and　cigars；　and　Denver　flashed　the　General's　roll　so　often　that　it　got　so　small　you　couldn't　have　bought　a　Republican　vote　in　Ohio　with　it。

〃And　then　Denver　cabled　to　General　Rompiro　for　ten　thousand　dollars　more　and　got　it。

〃There　were　a　number　of　Americans　in　Esperitu；　but　they　were　all　in　business　or　grafts　of　some　kind；　and　wouldn't　take　any　hand　in　politics；　which　was　sensible　enough。　But　they　showed　me　and　Denver　a　fine　time；　and　fixed　us　up　so　we　could　get　decent　things　to　eat　and　drink。　There　was　one　American；　named　Hicks；　used　to　come　and　loaf　at　the　headquarters。　Hicks　had　had　fourteen　years　of　Esperitu。　He　was　six　feet　four　and　weighed　in　at　135。　Cocoa　was　his　line；　and　coast　fever　and　the　climate　had　taken　all　the　life　out　of　him。　They　said　he　hadn't　smiled　in　eight　years。　His　face　was　three　feet　long；　and　it　never　moved　except　when　he　opened　it　to　take　quinine。　He　used　to　sit　in　our　headquarters　and　kill　fleas　and　talk　sarcastic。

〃'I　don't　take　much　interest　in　politics；'　says　Hicks；　one　day；　'but　I'd　like　you　to　tell　me　what　you're　trying　to　do　down　here；　Galloway？'

〃'We're　boosting　General　Rompiro；　of　course；'　says　Denver。　'We're　going　to　put　him　in　the　presidential　chair。　I'm　his　manager。'

〃'Well；'　says　Hicks；　'if　I　was　you　I'd　be　a　little　slower　about　it。　You've　got　a　long　time　ahead　of　you；　you　know。'

〃'Not　any　longer　than　I　need；'　says　Denver。

〃Denver　went　ahead　and　worked　things　smooth。　He　dealt　out　money　on　the　quiet　to　his　lieutenants；　and　they　were　always　coming　after　it。　There　was　free　drinks　for　everybody　in　town；　and　bands　playing　every　night；　and　fireworks；　and　there　was　a　lot　of　heelers　going　around　buying　up　votes　day　and　night　for　the　new　style　of　politics　in　Espiritu；　and　everybody　liked　it。

〃The　day　set　for　the　election　was　November　4th。　On　the　night　before　Denver　and　me　were　smoking　our　pipes　in　headquarters；　and　in　comes　Hicks　and　unjoints　himself；　and　sits　in　a　chair；　mournful。　Denver　is　cheerful　and　confident。　'Rompiro　will　win　in　a　romp；'　says　he。　'We'll　carry　the　country　by　10；000。　It's　all　over　but　the　vivas。　To…morrow　will　tell　the　tale。'

〃'What's　going　to　happen　to…morrow？'　asks　Hicks。

〃'Why；　the　presidential　election；　of　course；'　says　Denver。

〃'Say；'　says　Hicks；　looking　kind　of　funny；　'didn't　anybody　tell　you　fellows　that　the　election　was　held　a　week　before　you　came？　Congress　changed　the　date　to　July　27th。　Roadrickeys　was　elected　by　17；000。　I　thought　you　was　booming　old　Rompiro　for　next　term；　two　years　from　now。　Wondered　if　you　was　going　to　keep　up　such　a　hot　lick　that　long。'

〃I　dropped　my　pipe　on　the　floor。　Denver　bit　the　stem　off　of　his。　Neither　of　us　said　anything。

〃And　then　I　heard　a　sound　like　somebody　ripping　a　clap…board　off　of　a　barn…roof。　'Twas　Hicks　laughing　for　the　first　time　in　eight　years。〃

Sully　Magoon　paused　while　the　waiter　poured　us　a　black　coffee。

〃Your　friend　was；　indeed；　something　of　a　manager；〃　I　said。

〃Wait　a　minute；〃　said　Sully；　〃I　haven't　given　you　any　idea　of　what　he　could　do　yet。　That's　all　to　come。〃

〃When　we　got　back　to　New　York　there　was　General　Rompiro　waiting　for　us　on　the　pier。　He　was　dancing　like　a　cinnamon　bear；　all　impatient　for　the　news；　for　Denver　had　just　cabled　him　when　we　would　arrive　and　nothing　more。

〃'Am　I　elect？'　he　shouts。　'Am　I　elect；　friend　of　mine？　Is　that　mine　country　have　demanded　General　Rompiro　for　the　president？　The　last　dollar　of　mine　have　I　sent　you　that　last　time。　It　is　necessario　that　I　am　elect。　I　have　not　more　money。　Am　I　elect；　Senor　Galloway？'

〃Denver　turns　to　me。

〃'Leave　me　with　old　Rompey；　Sully；'　he　says。　'I've　got　to　break　it　to　him　gently。　'Twould　be　indecent　for　other　eyes　to　witness　the　operation。　This　is　the　time；　Sully；'　says　he；　'when　old　Denver　has　got　to　make　good　as　a　jollier　and　a　silver…tongued　sorcerer；　or　else　give　up　all　the　medals　he's　earned。'

〃A　couple　of　days　later　I　went　around　to　the　hotel。　There　was　Denver　in　his　old　place；　looking　like　the　hero　of　two　historical　novels；　and　telling　'em　what　a　fine　time　he'd　had　down　on　his　orange　plantation　in　Florida。

〃'Did　you　fix　things　up　with　the　General？'　I　asks　him。

〃'Did　I？'　says　Denver。　'Come　and　see。'

〃He　takes　me　by　the　arm　and　walks　me　to　the　dining…room　door。　There　was　a　little　chocolate…brown　fat　man　in　a　dress　suit；　with　his　face　shining　with　joy　as　he　swelled　himself　and　skipped　about　the　floor。　Danged　if　Denver　hadn't　made　General　Rompiro　head　waiter　of　the　Hotel　Brunswick！〃

〃Is　Mr。　Galloway　still　in　the　managing　business？〃　I　asked；　as　Mr。　Magoon　ceased。

Sully　shook　his　head。

〃Denver　married　an　auburn…haired　widow　that　owns　a　big　hotel　in　Harlem。　He　just　helps　around　the　place。〃



XIX

WHISTLING　DICK'S　CHRISTMAS　STOCKING

It　was　with　much　caution　that　Whistling　Dick　slid　back　the　door　of　the　box…car；　for　Article　5716；　City　Ordinances；　authorized　（perhaps　unconstitutionally）　arrest　on　suspicion；　and　he　was　familiar　of　old　with　this　ordinance。　So；　before　climbing　out；　he　surveyed　the　field　with　all　the　care　of　a　good　general。

He　saw　no　change　since　his　last　visit　to　this　big；　alms…giving；　long…　suffering　city　of　the　South；　the　cold　weather　paradise　of　the　tramps。　The　levee　where　his　freight…car　stood　was　pimpled　with　dark　bulks　of　merchandise。　The　breeze　reeked　with　the　well…remembered；　sickening　smell　of　the　old　tarpaulins　that　covered　bales　and　barrels