eir return. It was only a
spite case suggested by Jeffs. thrashing their leader. The Commandante
gave them a scolding and we went out in triumph.

February 4th--

Your cable received all right. We were very glad to hear. We have
decided to go on by mules to Manaqua, the Capital of Nicaragua, and
from there either to Corinto or to Lemon on the Atlantic side. We had
to do this or wait here ten days for the boat going south at Amapala.
It is moonlight now so that we can avoid the heat of the day.
Yesterday we went out riding with the President, who put a gold
revolver in his hip pocket before he started and made us feel that
uneasy lies the head that rules in this country. He had two horses
that had never been ridden before, as a compliment to our powers, the
result was that the Vice-president's horse almost killed him, which I
guess the President intended it should and the horse Griscom rode
backed all over the town. He was a stallion and had never been ridden
before that day. Mine was a gentle old gee-gee and yet I felt good
when we were all on the ground again. The British consul gave Somers a
fine reception and raised the flag for him and had the band there to
play "God Save the Queen," which he had spent the whole morning in
teaching them. Griscom and I called on our Consul and played his
guitar. We bought one for ourselves for the rest of the trip.

I want you to do something for me: keep all the unfavorable notices you
get. I know Mother won't do it, so I shall expect Nora to make a point
of saving them from the waste-paper basket. If there is not a lot of
them when I get back, I will raise a row.

DICK.

MANAQUA--NICARAGUA--February 13, 1895.

DEAR FAM:

I had a great deal to tell you, but we have just received copies of the
Panama Star and have read of the trolley riots in Brooklyn, a crisis in
France, War in the Balkans, a revolution in Honolulu and another in
Colombia. The result is that we feel we are not in it and we are all
kicking and growling and abusing our luck. How Claiborne and Russell
will delight over us and in telling how the militia fired on the
strikers and how Troop A fought nobly. Never mind our turn will come
someday and we may see something yet. We have had the deuce of a time
since we left Tegucigalpa. Now we are in a land where there are bull
hide beds and canvas cots instead of hammocks and ice and railroads and
direct communication with steamship lines. Herea