XVIII.
ON SUNNY SEAS BOUND NORTH.
I met Mr. Robinson on the street one day, bleeding from a wound on hisface. He said that Mr. Wood, superintendent of our railway, had struckhim. Two of Mr. Wood's children were attending Miss Judson's school,and on account of the official position of their father, behaved in anugly manner. Miss Judson made complaint to the school board, whichexasperated Mr. Wood and he demanded her resignation. This the boardwould not permit. He called Mr. Robinson to his office and dismissedhim from the service of the company. Being requested by Mr. Robinsonto give his reasons for his dismissal, he struck him.
I was angry to think a young man would so brutally use a man of Mr.Robinson's age, and, too, in a strange country. Before I couldrestrain myself I demanded his reason for striking Mr. Robinson. Mr.Wood replied in a haughty manner that he was not accustomed to accountfor his acts. I replied: "Perhaps not, but when one of your positionand age so far forgets himself as to strike an old man, any respectyou may be entitled to is dispelled by your cowardly act."
For a moment it looked serious. He raised his hand as if to strike me.I said: "Mr. Wood, if you attempt to go any farther I will certainlybe a far different antagonist than Mr. Robinson, and teach you thatsome of your acts, at least, will be rewarded in a manner not to yourliking." He knew he had gone too far, and said in a quieter tone, thathe did not consider the affair any of my business.
"Mr. Robinson is an American; let his countrymen investigate thismatter. I will deal with them."
"Mr. Wood," I replied, "I hope the time will never come when a Britonwill so far forget his duty as not to go to the assistance of anyfamily, irrespective of nationality."
At this moment some other shop men came in, loud in their denunciationof Mr. Wood. There is something that binds a Britisher and an Americanwhen they are away from their respective countries, and amongstrangers. On many occasions I have seen the Britisher and Americanargue and even quarrel over the merits of their countries but whenserious trouble arose, all jealousies would be cast aside, and eachone would endeavor to outdo the other in kindness.
That night an indignation meeting was held in a large buildingformerly used as a storeroom. The employes all knew the reason of Mr.Wood's attack on Mr. Robinson. Although the majority of them wereworking under Mr. Wood, they felt the indignity inflicted on Mr.Robinson was an insult to them all, most of them having childrenattending the school.
From the beginning of the school, Mr. Wood had tried to dominate it.This was another reason for the employes' grievances and, chief ofall, they were now being paid in the depreciated currency of thecountry. The meeting was conducted in a quiet business manner. Thesentiment was to strike until Mr. Wood was removed from office.
I told the men that that would be an injustice, as the general managerwas in Lima and we had no one to appeal to. Therefore we shouldcontinue to work until we could communicate with him. This appeal hadthe desired effect, as all could see the injury our strike wouldinflict on the railway.
I was then selected as the representative of the employes to go toLima and lay the matter before the general manager. I was about tostart when I was handed a note from the superintendent, saying that myservices were no longer required. I replied that I would receive myorders from his superior and proceeded on my journey.
At Lima I succeeded in reinstating Mr. Robinson, and shortly after myreturn to Arequipa, Mrs. Robinson died. Grief at the injury inflictedupon her husband and a feeling of friendlessness in a foreign land,had hastened her end. Another indignation meeting was held and Mr.Wood was dismissed from the service of the company. Mr. Robinsonbecame despondent and after a few months decided to leave thecountry.
The war with Chile was still on. The Peruvian army suffered defeatafter defeat. Her navy had made some show of success at first, but notafter the terrible fight between the Huascar, and two Chile ironclads,in which the Peruvians lost. The currency of the country becamepractically worthless. My accumulation of years was almost sweptaway.
Mr. Robinson decided to return to their home in San Louis Obispo,California, and about this time I received an offer from the Peruviangovernment to bring a torpedo boat from Panama to Mollendo. TheRobinson family were going north on the steamer which would carry meto Panama. On leaving, our friends gave us a splendid banquet andassembled at the station to bid us farewell. Poor Chico, I can see himyet, waving his old red handkerchief with his right hand, his leftcovering his eyes.
When the ship moved out of the port, I stood on the deck with Hattie.Mr. Robinson and the aged mother stood near us looking upon the sceneamid a flood of tears. The memory of their dead they were leavingbehind, was no doubt uppermost in their minds.
I looked upon the mountains we were just leaving until they were amere speck. I intended to perform one last service for Peru, for,however much I had suffered, it was my boyhood's home, the only home Ihad had since leaving my native shores.
We were a week making the voyage from Mollendo to Panama. The weatherwas fine and the sea was smooth. I was in company with Hattie much ofthe time. In her gentle way, she sought to dissuade me from theperilous undertaking with the torpedo boat. But when I reminded her ofmy duty to Peru she said no more. I could see, however, she waspained at the thought.
The north bound steamer had gone when we arrived at Panama and theRobinsons would have to wait ten days, which compelled them to stay atthe hotel in that sultry city.
After visiting the Peruvian consul, who had been notified of mymission by his government, I learned that a Chilean cruiser waswatching the torpedo boat and it was decided to await a dark nightwhen we could escape from Panama harbor. Meantime I stopped at thesame hotel with the Robinsons. I made several trips around the bay totest the speed of the boat and was satisfied we could outrun thecruiser, but somehow I began to dread the venture. The full force ofthis feeling dawned on me when I realized I was in love with Hattie.
The day was drawing near for their departure, when Hattie and I wereseated on the veranda of the hotel, looking out over the Pacific. Theafternoon wore away, the sun began to set in the dense blue haze ofthe tropic ocean, the great cathedral bells pealed out the hour ofeight, the night birds screeched from out the palms, and still we satin the glow of the twilight, talking of our past and future.
The streets became silent and even some stars had faded from the skiesand the ceaseless roar of the surf beating upon the sands was music,when she promised to be my wife.
FLIGHT OF THE TORPEDO BOAT. (Page 158)]