Billy and the Big Stick

In Short

This brisk short story centers on Billy Barlow, an American engineer operating an electric light plant in Haiti. When the local government seizes the utility and refuses to pay his salary, Billy fights a battle of wits against the eccentric and dangerous President Hamilcar Poussevain. It is a sharp, humorous piece of early 20th-century fiction that captures the absurdity of colonial-era diplomatic tensions. Its lasting appeal lies in Billy’s unflappable confidence and the clever, high-stakes ruse he orchestrates to secure his future with his sweetheart, Claire.

The Story

Billy Barlow is the sole American left in charge of the Wilmot Electric Light plant in Port-au-Prince after the company’s assets are seized by the government. President Hamilcar Poussevain—"President Ham"—routinely refuses to pay for services, viewing all industry as a state monopoly. Billy, possessing a stubborn New England conscience and a desperate need to save money for his elopement with Claire, the daughter of a local café owner, manages to extract his pay only by threatening to plunge the city into darkness.

The situation turns dire when the President hires a replacement engineer and formally discharges Billy. Facing unemployment and realizing he lacks the capital to marry Claire or leave the country safely, Billy devises a final, dangerous plan. He learns that a U.S. battleship, the Louisiana, is steaming toward Port-au-Prince to assist a film crew. Billy manipulates the situation by convincing the actor leading the film crew, Harry St. Clair, to pose as a high-ranking naval officer.

Billy orchestrates a tense meeting with President Ham, presenting the actor as a representative of the American government authorized to demand payment. The President, initially defiant, is unnerved when St. Clair—following Billy’s desperate instructions—recites a dramatic, aggressive speech from a play, wielding the "curse of Rome" as if it were a diplomatic ultimatum. Shaken by the performance and the encroaching presence of the real Louisiana in the harbor, the President yields and hands over the ten thousand francs owed to Billy.

With the money secured and the President still distracted, Billy meets Claire at the designated hour. As they prepare to flee, Billy delivers a final parting gift to the city: he cuts the power, extinguishing the electric lights across Port-au-Prince. The couple reaches the steamer just as it departs. As they watch the lights of the harbor fade behind them, Billy reflects on his success, concluding that while diplomatic "watchful waiting" might be safer, a direct, aggressive approach—the "Big Stick"—is far more effective at achieving results.

How It Unfolds

The monopoly begins The local government seizes the electric light plant, claiming it as a state monopoly to avoid paying for its services. Billy Barlow, the only employee trusted by the government to keep the lights running, finds himself an involuntary official of the state.

The struggle for pay Billy refuses to work without compensation, successfully using the threat of darkness to squeeze partial payments from the President. His relationship with the President deteriorates into open hostility, and he realizes he must secure his back pay and flee before he is imprisoned or killed.

The actor arrives Billy meets a film crew visiting the island and discovers that their lead actor has a collection of authentic, high-quality naval uniforms. Recognizing an opportunity, he convinces the actor to impersonate a naval officer to intimidate the President into settling his accounts.

The dramatic confrontation Billy brings the costumed actor to the presidential palace, posing him as a U.S. naval official. A tense, bizarre negotiation ensues, culminating in the actor delivering a thunderous, theatrical monologue that terrifies the President into surrendering the money.

The final escape With the funds in hand, Billy meets his sweetheart, Claire, at the docks. As they board their ship, Billy cuts the city’s power, leaving the President in darkness as they sail toward a new life in New York.

The People

Billy Barlow is a sturdy, determined New Englander who refuses to be cheated. He is motivated by professional integrity and a desire to marry Claire, and he navigates the corruption of the Haitian government with a mix of technical skill and audacious bluffing.

President Hamilcar Poussevain ("President Ham") is an erratic, powerful, and suspicious autocrat. He treats his country like a personal fiefdom, delighting in his own reputation for crime and fearing little except for voodoo priestesses. He ultimately meets his match in Billy’s unpredictability.

Claire Ducrot is the young, charming daughter of a hotelier. Raised in a convent, she is initially sheltered but possesses a quiet, resilient courage, choosing to risk starvation in a foreign land rather than remain separated from Billy.

Harry St. Clair is a famous film actor, the "King of the Movies," who is vanity-driven and eager to perform. Though he is an unwitting participant in Billy’s ruse, his flair for the dramatic and his convincing uniform prove to be the perfect weapons against the President.

In Its Own Voice

"In Hayti, as soon as it begins to make money, any industry, native or foreign, becomes a monopoly of the government."

The author explains the cynical political landscape that Billy must navigate.

"He came of sturdy New England stock and possessed that New England conscience which makes the owner a torment to himself, and to every one else a nuisance."

This description highlights the source of Billy’s relentless drive to be paid what he is owed.

"I would rather starve with you in New York, than die here without you."

Claire expresses her commitment to their plan to elope.

What It's Really About

At its heart, this is a story about the intersection of personal agency and imperial power. It explores the frustration of the individual worker trapped within a corrupt system and the lengths to which one must go to ensure justice. The "Big Stick" policy referenced in the title serves as a metaphor for the aggressive foreign policy of the era, which Billy adopts as a personal tactic. The book questions whether international relations and personal disputes are truly distinct, or if, in a world dominated by power, the loudest and most confident actor is inevitably the one who dictates the outcome.

Why Read It Today

Readers who enjoy stories about clever underdogs outwitting powerful, corrupt figures will find much to admire in Billy’s grit. It reads like a fast-paced caper, blending the tension of an international incident with the lighthearted absurdity of a theatrical performance. Those interested in the history of American interventionism will find the narrative’s casual, period-specific assumptions about "the Black Republic" and the role of the U.S. Navy to be a striking, if sometimes jarring, artifact of the early 20th century. While the dialect of the local officials and the casual imperialistic tone reflect the era's attitudes, the central conflict—a man fighting for the value of his labor—remains remarkably relatable. Billy is a character who refuses to be a victim, and his path to freedom through sheer force of personality is deeply satisfying. The prose is warm and precise, lacking the bloat of many contemporary thrillers, and the ending leaves a lingering, wry impression about the nature of power and the courage required to claim one’s own destiny.