e to Garcia."

[Sidenote: The war in the East]

The Japanese, finding the booklets in possession of the Russian
prisoners, concluded that it must be a good thing, and accordingly
translated it into Japanese.

And on an order of the Mikado, a copy was given to every man in the
employ of the Japanese Government, soldier or civilian. Over forty
million copies of "A Message to Garcia" have been printed.

[Sidenote: Its great circulation]

This is said to be a larger circulation than any other literary
venture has ever attained during the lifetime of the author, in all
history--thanks to a series of lucky accidents!--E.H.

[Illustration: ]

A MESSAGE TO GARCIA

As the cold of snow in the time of harvest, so is a faithful
messenger to them that send him: for he refresheth the soul of
his masters.--_Proverbs xxv:_ 13

In all this Cuban business there is one man stands out on the horizon
of my memory like Mars at perihelion.

[Sidenote: The President needed a man]

When war broke out between Spain and the United States, it was very
necessary to communicate quickly with the leader of the Insurgents.
Garcia was somewhere in the mountain fastnesses of Cuba--no one knew
where. No mail or telegraph message could reach him. The President
must secure his co-operation, and quickly. What to do!

[Sidenote: And found one]

Some one said to the President, "There is a fellow by the name of
Rowan will find Garcia for you, if anybody can."

[Sidenote: He delivered the message]

Rowan was sent for and was given a letter to be delivered to Garcia.
How "the fellow by the name of Rowan" took the letter, sealed it up in
an oilskin pouch, strapped it over his heart, in four days landed by
night off the coast of Cuba from an open boat, disappeared into the
jungle, and in three weeks came out on the other side of the Island,
having traversed a hostile country on foot, and delivered his letter
to Garcia--are things I have no special desire now to tell in detail.
The point that I wish to make is this: McKinley gave Rowan a letter to
be delivered to Garcia; Rowan took the letter and did not ask, "Where
is he at?" By the Eternal! there is a man whose form should be cast in
deathless bronze and the statue placed in every college of the land.
It is not book-learning young men need, nor instruction about this and
that, but a stiffening of the vertebrae which will cause them to be
loyal to a trust, to act