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been itching for days to move those pins along the crooked
line of the Yalu。 They did so now； and in words of fire
Ames translated Calloway's brief message into a front
page masterpiece that set the world talking。 He told of
the secret councils of the Japanese officers； gave Kuroki's
flaming speeches in full； counted the cavalry and infantry
to a man and a horse； described the quick and silent
building； of the bridge at Stuikauchen； across which the
Mikado's legions were hurled upon the surprised Zas…
sulitch； whose troops were widely scattered along the river。
And the battle！ well； you know what Ames can do
with a battle if you give him just one smell of smoke for
a foundation。 And in the same story； with seemingly
supernatural knowledge； he gleefully scored the most
profound and ponderous paper in England for the false
and misleading account of the intended movements of
the Japanese First Army printed in its issue of the same date。
Only one error was made； and that was the fault of
the cable operator at Wi…ju。 Calloway pointed it out
after he came back。 The word 〃great〃 in his code
should have been 〃gage；〃 and its complemental words
〃of battle。〃 But it went to Ames 〃conditions white；〃
and of course he took that to mean snow。 His description
of the Japanese army strum； struggling through the snowstorm；
blinded by the whirling； flakes； was thrillingly vivid。 The
artists turned out some effective illustrations that made a
hit as pictures of the artillery dragging their guns through
the drifts。 But； as the attack was made on the first day
of May； 〃conditions white〃 excited some amusement。
But it in made no difference to the Enterprise； anyway。
It was wonderful。 And Calloway was wonderful in
having made the new censor believe that his jargon of
words meant no more than a complaint of the dearth of
news and a petition for more expense money。 And
Vesey was wonderful。 And most wonderful of all are
words； and how they make friends one with another；
being oft associated； until not even obituary notices
them do part。
On the second day following； the city editor halted at
Vesey's desk where the reporter was writing the story of
a man who had broken his leg by falling into a coal…hole
Ames having failed to find a murder motive in it。
〃The old man says your salary is to be raised to twenty
a week；〃 said Scott。
〃All right；〃 said Vesey。 〃Every little helps。 Say
Mr。 Scott； which would you say 'We can state
without fear of successful contradiction；' or； 'On the whole
it can be safely asserted'？〃
A MATTER OF MEAN ELEVATION
ONE winter the Alcazar Opera Company of New
Orleans made a speculative trip along the Mexican；
Central American and South American coasts。 The
venture proved a most successful one。 The music…
loving； impressionable Spanish…Americans deluged the
company with dollars and 〃vivas。〃 The manager waxed
plump and amiable。 But for the prohibitive climate
he would have put forth the distinctive flower of his
prosperity the overcoat of fur； braided； frogged and
opulent。 Almost was he persuaded to raise the salaries
of his company。 But with a mighty effort he conquered
the impulse toward such an unprofitable effervescence of
joy。
At Macuto； on the coast of Venezuela； the company
scored its greatest success。 Imagine Coney Island
translated into Spanish and you will comprehend Macuto。
The fashionable season is from November to March。
Down from La Guayra and Caracas and Valencia and
other interior towns flock the people for their holiday sea…
son。 There are bathing and fiestas and bull fights and
scandal。 And then the people have a passion for music
that the bands in the plaza and on the sea beach stir but
do not satisfy。 The coming of the Alcazar Opera Com…
pany aroused the utmost ardour and zeal among the
pleasure seekers。
The illustrious Guzman Blanco； President and Dic…
tator of Venezuela； sojourned in Macuto with his court
for the season。 That potent ruler who himself paid
a subsidy of 40；000 pesos each year to grand opera in
Caracas ordered one of the Government warehouses
to be cleared for a temporary theatre。 A stage was quickly
constructed and rough wooden benches made for the
audience。 Private boxes were added for the use of the
President and the notables of the army and Government。
The company remained in Macuto for two weeks。
Each performance filled the house as closely as it could
be packed。 Then the music…mad people fought for
room in the open doors and windows； and crowded about；
hundreds deep； on the outside。 Those audiences formed
a brilliantly diversified patch of colour。 The hue of their
faces ranged from the clear olive of the pure…blood Span…
iards down through the yellow and brown shades of the
Mestizos to the coal…black Carib and the Jamaica Negro。
Scattered among them were little groups of Indians with
faces like stone idols； wrapped in gaudy fibre…woven
blankets Indians down from the mountain states of
Zamora and Los Andes and Miranda to trade their gold
dust in the coast towns。
The spell cast upon these denizens of the interior
fastnesses was remarkable。 They sat in petrified ecstasy；
conspicuous among the excitable Macutians； who wildly
strove with tongue and hand to give evidence of their
delight。 Only once did the sombre rapture of these
aboriginals find expression。 During the rendition of
〃Faust；〃 Guzman Blanco； extravagantly pleased by the
〃Jewel Song；〃 cast upon the stage a purse of gold pieces。
Other distinguished citizens followed his lead to the extent
of whatever loose coin they had convenient； while some
of the fair and fashionable se駉ras were moved； in imita…
tion； to fling a jewel or a ring or two at the feet of the
Marguerite who was； according to the bills； Mlle。
Nina Giraud。 Then； from different parts of the house
rose sundry of the stolid hillmen and cast upon the stage
little brown and dun bags that fell with soft 〃thumps〃
and did not rebound。 It was； no doubt； pleasure at the
tribute to her art that caused Mlle。 Giraud's eyes to
shine so brightly when she opened these little deerskin
bags in her dressing room and found them to contain
pure gold dust。 If so； the pleasure was rightly hers； for
her voice in song； pure； strong and thrilling with the feeling
of the emotional artist； deserved the tribute that it earned。
But the triumph of the Alcazar Opera Company is not
the theme it but leans upon and colours it。 There
happened in Macuto a tragic thing； an unsolvable mystery；
that sobered for a time the gaiety of the happy season。
One evening between the short twilight and the time
when she should have whirled upon the stage in the red
and black of the ardent Carmen； Mlle。 Nina Giraud dis…
appeared from the sight and ken of 6；000 pairs of eyes
and as many minds in Macuto。 There was the usual
turmoil and hurrying to seek her。 Messengers flew to
the little French…kept hotel where she stayed； others of
the company hastened here or there where she might be
lingering in some tienda or unduly prolonging her bath
upon the beach。 All search was fruitless。 Mademoi…
selle had vanished。
Half an hour passed and she did not appear。 The
dictator； unused to the caprices of prime donne； became
impatient。 He sent an aide from his box to say to the
manager that if the curtain did not at once rise he would
immediately hale the entire company to the calabosa；
though it would desolate his heart； indeed； to be com…
pelled to such an act。 Birds in Macuto could be made
to sing。
The manager abandoned hope for the time of Mlle。
Giraud。 A member of the chorus； who had dreamed
hopelessly for years of the blessed opportunity； quickly
Carmenized herself and the opera went on。
Afterward； when the lost cantatrice appeared not； the
aid of the authorities was invoked。 The President at
once set the army； the police and all citizens to the search。
Not one clue to Mlle。 Giraud's disappearance was found。
The Alcazar left to fill engagements farther down the
coast。
On the way back the steamer stopped at Macuto and
the manager made anxious inquiry。 Not a trace of the
lady had been discovered。 The Alcazar could do no
more。 The personal belongings of the missing lady were
stored in the hotel against her possible later reappearance
and the opera company continued upon its homeward
voyage to New Orleans。
On the camino real along the beach the two saddle
mules and the four pack mules of Don Se駉r Johnny
Armstrong stood； patiently awaiting the crack of the whip
of the arriero； Luis。 That would be the signal for the
start on another long journey into the mountains。 The
pack mules were loaded with a varied assortment of hard…
ware and cutlery。 These articles Don Johnny traded to
the interior Indians for