THE COFFIN-MAKER OF LIMA.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume XXXXII, Issue 20, 18 October 1900, Page 1

THE COFFIN-MAKER OF LIMA.

ATrae Story, showing than Is Bomance Bran in Undertaking.

(Argonaut.)

'Dowh with the Gutierrez I Z)mw y JAberiail Down with the Qutierrz rascals] Viva Fvlane y Tal P Thus roared the mob—at least the larger half of it—from one side the Plaza Mayor. From the other came the anaweriag yell: ■ •Sown with Falano y Tall lor God and Liberty 1 Vivian los Gutierrttf l ■ ' ■

Then they fall upon one another. They tired leaden peltets into each other's hides—for the love of liberty. T-hey jabbed bayonets into each other's bodies—for the love of God. And wish- sßßsket-butta they dashed oat each J titer's foolish brains—for the ldveof Gutierrez, Falano y Tal. And presently there were more of the Falano yTalmen than there were of the facttotf of-Gutierrez, and these, being of a euddefl eonviticed that* God was on the the-larger mob, determined to look out for- their own liberty, So tneyincontraently toik to their heels. Then there was a great shout. The remaining moiety of the mob harled their greasy caps in the air. The ' Generalissimo of the Patriotic Forces,' aa he /called himself, J?on Falano y Tal,' tossed into the air his plumed shako. The mob roared approval. The GenferaJiaimo Falano y Tal then seized Wa greasiest private, fell upon his neck, called him 'brother-in-arms,' and kSssei him; The nob melted into tears, fiacb man seized his neighbor and imprinted maladorons kisses upon his lips. When they had recovered breath—some little time after—they roared again: ' f Dm ytibertadf Long live Falano j Tal, the Savoar of his country I' The generali«imo raised his glittering sword; 'Now, my brothers, said he, "there is still work to do. We most storm the Government palace—' •AyeP 'We mnt hang Gutierrez!' 'Ayer ' 'And we mast seize the mint!' m lake a mighty wave the mob swept oat of the Plaza Mayor, carrying their leader before them like a cork. ] In a little while the public buildings were in their hands, in a little while longer Gutierrez was killed, his body carefolly mangled, and then drawn by a rope to the top of the highest steeple of the grand cathedral. Then the bells rang forth apron, the priests chanted aTe Deum. fat was not the ceuntiy free t and was not Falano y Tal proclaimed president I Of a surety, And then the shopkeepers tcok their \ shutters dowa : ' Ab, bah I Commerce is not patriotic.

On the Plaza Mayor the next morning there were many bodies. They had been patriots, doubtleis, but they bad got on the wrong side. Therefore they were carrion, and to be cordially despised of all good Falano men. Bab they looked unpleasant. Their glased eyes started at yon with adisadreeabla fixity. The lips of their gaping wounds had a dumb eloquence which worked upon their feelings, The mob had gathered to despoil them; it ended by pitying them. 'Ah Dm? laid a woman,' why not bury -them, too, as well as our own of last night F True, true, said the mob,' an excellentidea. We will bury them.' Herr von Grelk uttered his first word since the revolution began; 'Aye, •ye, neighbors,' said he ' 'tis the Christian thing to do. Per d amor de Dm, let us bury them 1' Herr von Grelk was a coffin-maker. It is needless to Bay that he was a German, He was an undertaker, and a thriving one. And he had many coffins always ready. For in the pleasant Spanish-American countries to the south of as there is often need of coffins. And of many coffins. And of coffins about the fit of which there is little heed. For, look you, there are many things which cause sudden death. Earthquakes, sunstrokes, highwaymen. And once in a while a patriot liberates the country. And then there is need of many coffins, 80 Herr von Grelk advocated the jurying of the unpleasant corpses. The mob approved of Herr von and called him' brother.' And Herr von Grelk winced, but said nothing. -For they were good customers. So the mob carried out coffins. And it carried out more coffins, And when a patriot conld not be squeezed into bis coffin, they would come and get a longer one. And in a short time Herr von Grelk had no more coffins fhen he tpoke. 'My brothers,'said he,' we have done a Christian thing —' • True,' assented the m?b. ■We have decently interred our enemy. No *, who is to piy V 'Peyl' The mob waß amused—mobs htve a keen sense of boraor. 'P»y! Que hombre.' Is not Htrr von Grelk a patriot F Herr von Grelk admitted that he was. «Did Herr von Grelk wish to occupy ?"*one of his own ct ffitis ?' Herr von Grelk conld think of nothing more unnecessary to h's bsppineep. lha mob was gritrty homoraus: "If the St nor von Grelk tboeld chm|a his mind at any time, tbey would be hippy » Continued on fourth page.