THE SELLING OF THE SURPLUS 



not a fighting nation; — they should never go 

 to war with an old-world power. 



The American students said, "Wait a bit; 

 let us see." 



The foreigners jeered now, — "Stick to your 

 pork and wheat, your corn and your fruits — 

 fighting is not in your line." 



When the news of Manila came it was 

 pronounced a miracle by the Europeans, — 

 nothing short of a miracle could account for 

 such a victory on the part of the Americans. 



When the news of Santiago came, and the 

 art students sat around the model-stand dur- 

 ing the wait, and the Americans asked the 

 others if they had read the papers, there was 

 no chaffing going on, no talk about the com- 

 mercial nation that did not know how to 

 shoot, but only such tokens of respect as all 

 Europe was offering. And the greatest mys- 

 tery to them, from some points of view, was 

 this, that when the Americans had whipped 

 the Spanish after one of the most exciting 

 chases in all sea history, they were eager, to a 

 man, to go to the rescue of the men upon the 

 sinking ships at the risk of their own lives, — 

 it was a thing beyond comprehension! 



317 



