to despair, when he met Heenan, to whom he confessed his difficulties. 66 Why," said Heenan, "we'll fix that. I've no money, but I'll get an advance from the fellow that's going to have Sayers and me in a public exhibition." He did, in fact, produce twenty pounds that same afternoon. Nast gave him in exchange an order on the New York News for one hundred dollars, and a second for a like amount on his mother, in case the one on the News should not be paid. Heenan tore up the order on Nast's mother. "I'll make them pay me," he said, and he did. When asked later how he accomplished it-for the News was in difficulties he laughed. "I told them I'd punch their dd Dutch heads off," he explained, "if they didn't pay," and Nast wished he had given Heenan his full account for collection. CHAPTER VII ON THE WAY TO GARIBALDI No figure in all the world's warfare can be more picturesque or noble than that of Giuseppe Garibaldi, a patriot whose religion and whose motto were combined in the one word, "Liberty." Brave to the point of rashness, simple-hearted, unselfish and pure in spirit, he may be counted the military Sir Galahad of modern times, forever seeking the golden grail of Freedom. The name of Garibaldi was literally one to conjure with. At sound of it, armies equipped and eager for war sprang up as if by magic. In youth, exiled from his native land for insurrection, he had become the foremost hero of South America, where, against fearful odds, he had battled on, penniless, half-fed, halfclothed; captured, imprisoned and tortured; wounded again and again, yet never despairing and never sheathing his sword. Triumphant, and a world's hero, he had returned to his native land, once more to offer his sword in that cause which of all the gifts of earth he held most dear. He had found Italy in a pitiable state. There was no central government and no union. Petty dynasties dominated by Austria were wrangling among themselves and allowing a beautiful country to go to ruin. It was for Garibaldi, the fisherman's son, to conquer, to abolish and to reform. What Joan of Arc had been to France, so Garibaldi became to Italy. Inspired and aided by the patriot Mazzini, whose pupil and follower he was, he had made a noble and well-nigh successful effort in 1848, defeated only through the treachery of France. Now, in 1860, the hour once more seemed propitious. Though 66 THE CAFE DELLA CONCORDIA," AT GENOA, THE PRINCIPAL MEETING PLACE OF THE FRIENDS AND SYMPATHIZERS OF GARIBALDI From a sketch taken on the spot by our own artist, Th. Nast, Esq. (Reproduced from the New York Illustrated News) ostensibly discouraged by most of the monarchs of Europe, including his own sovereign, the Piedmontese king, Victor Emmanuel, he was secretly indorsed by such Powers as were not in alliance with Austria, and was assisted to some extent with money and arms. Characterized as the "Great Filibuster," and with no regular orders from king or country, he set up the Piedmont banner at Genoa, and the veterans of 1848, with a horde of other soldiers of fortune, rallied to his standard. It was this great final attempt for Italian union and freedom which young Thomas Nast had determined to join. The pictur esque, impetuous Garibaldi was just the figure to attract a boy artist, full of romance and military memories. Nast's financial complications had made him late in starting. Already, upon his arrival at Genoa, Garibaldi had conveyed two shiploads of his recruits to Sicily-the famous "thousand," and had conquered at Calatafimi and captured Palermo. Through the American consul, however, the artist learned that two more vessels, the " Washington" and the " Oregon," were making ready to follow. At the Café della Concordia, the favorite resort of Garibaldians in Genoa, he was introduced to Captain (afterwards Colonel) John W. Peard, one of the veter ans of 1848, and known as "Garibaldi's Englishman "; also to others of that valiant and variegated band. Nast must have made a favorable impression on the Garibaldians, for he was allowed to join the second expedition, which was to be commanded by Colonel Medici, an Italian nobleman, devoted to GIUSEPPE GARIBALDI IN 1860 (From a photograph) To Garibaldi. On June 9th, with There was much to enliven were of every rank and nation. Their talk was a babel of confused tongues. Men of title were there some of them as officers, bearing their own names-others as privates, wearing any name that might suit the occasion and perhaps conceal a past that was better forgotten. Men had forsaken every profession and trade, their homes and their sweethearts, to engage in the trade of war. Men had even broken out of jail to join the expedition that was to free Italy. They danced, they gamed and they sang. Their music floated out over the Mediterranean, and brought joy to such as were not too seasick to be happy. There were other diversions. An officer who called himself De Rohan, a fire-eating soldier of fortune-a brave man but a fretful soul-was constantly hurrying about the deck, giving orders and preparing for an attack from those Neapolitan gunboats which he avowed must presently swoop down and destroy them. Upon the young artist in particular he strove to impress the fierce dangers of war, as well as the desirability of getting back to his mother at the first opportunity. When at last a sus |