Lynchburg Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1829-185?, 1851-07-10
MISC CELLANEOUS,


BY Ell EsTRANGERo.
l am Cuban,-a Creole of the glitter.
ing star Of the Anu les. Where the little
Rio Canine winds its silver thread down
through the rocky hills east Of Matanzas,
to the bay, still stands the house where |
was born; grand, massive old castle, built
ere the red cross of England waved over
the ramparts of the Moro. But its walls
echo to the tread Of strangers |, the
last son of my race, am an exile in foreign
land,-sentenced to death at home; here,
prescribed as an "adventurer," "rob-
ber," a "prate!" My beautiful wife,
my Sabinita-lies low in the grave. Ny
boy,-ihe hope of my young manhood
was struck TO the heart by the lance of a
brutal soldier, because he would not tell
whittier his father had fed; that father on
whose head price had been set,-a price
which the liveried blood-hounds coveted!
The lands of my fathers, seized by the
same tyrant bands, have been sold to a
stranger. The fragrant coffee fields where
in l wantoncd, in my happy childhood. are
titled by those who have no associations
there to love, save the sordid guin they
may yield "And why is this 2" the reader
asks. | will reply, and would that in
lines Of living fire each word might be
Written to burn evermore before the peo-
pie ofa country otAe oppressed, now free
and happy, though such "pirates" as La.
fayettee,-a De Kalb--a De Grasse-n
D'Estaning-a Pulaski Montgomery
aided in gaining to her that freedom.
When Tacon, iron-hearted and iron
handed, was Governor orGeneral Of Cuba,
had attained my majority; and as soon as
| was released from the surveillance of the
guardian appointed by the Government
Il should have promised that | was an or
phan,) l married one whom had loved
from my early boyhood, and never bloom
ed a lovelier flower beneath tropic sun
We loved-wcre happy. | was rich, land
though taxed heavily, under constant
Government espionage, moved on through
a few years in peace. When Tacon had
gone, and after Espeleta,-less a tyrant
but more villain than frst,-comc in, times
began to alter. Privileges Of the slight
est kind had TO be bought Did | wish a
pound Of powder and shot and gun to
kill the pheasants that flew across nv
fields, license was required, for which
l had to pay tax, heavier than ever
was laid! Not a grain Of coflee---not a
leaf OF ffobacco--not cane of sugar grew
that was not counted-not taxed. Muir.
mur not, ye 1.-THE paying men of England
DO not complain, ye men Of Russia, whose
lives and fortunes are cast on the very
breath Of your Autocrat Do not fee
discontented, ye sons ofthe Crescent, (ne
home dLasioa,J whose lives depend upon
the bowstring and tickle mind of an irnpe
rious Sultan! Ye are safer far, and hap.
pier too, than the Creolcs of Cuba, who
exist under the control of those who, born
aiar off, have no sympathies with. no ties
to bind them to the soil of the Island
But, back to my tale. The time of Es-
pcleta passed away. Laden with riches,
wrung unjnstly from the people, he re-
turned to Spain, rich IN all save honoy, and
that was hidden by the tears and blood Of
those whom he had wronged. Ancona
followed. But he could not stay-he was
too honorable. The blood of the Cid
flowed in his veins. He was recalled
ODonnell came-the defendant ofa Gel.
tic, brave people. Years Of connection
with corrupt government had mingled
alloy with the gold of his naturc-yet he
was not all that the "mother governmentv
wished. He could not be all villain !
He was cruel-he needed not the value
oflifc-yet lie was at least human. He
would not hire spies to enter the bosom OF
happy families-he would not kill on sus-
P,caon He, too, was recalled, and Al.
coy camel Then clouds-red as blood
and dark as the beginning of storm when
day closes-arose over the people of Gu
ba. The burdens of the people were new
er felt till then ! And did they murmur,
a hired spy was near to catch each word !
Every sigh they breathed-a threat, whis-
Pered between closed and grating teeth,
was reported; and what followed Death
or exile, and confscation Of property-the
garote, a volley Of muskctry, or rapid
flight from the land of their birth Yet,
why do wander from my own history-it
IS brief, and ! will not trouble you long.
When Alcoy came, my boy, Castillo, was
ii years ofage. My wife was beautiful;
though malron. My overscer died, and
| lerployed a new one, who came well re-
commended, even as gentleman whom
poverty forced to ask for such situation.
Regarding poverty as misfortune rather
than as a crime, | treated him as a gentle
man, and as friend That man was a
spy Of Alcoy's Not word passed from
my hps-not a murmur at injustice did
utter that he did not record, and send to
his master, as afterwards learned, One
nlght-never shall forget, for my poor
wife was lying low with a fever, on a
couch from which she never rosa mer-
chant from New York. whose vessel lay
in the harbor of Matanzas, was nv guest.
He came to arrange for the purchase Of
my crop-and while entertaining him,
made remarks contrasting the freedom Of
his government with the tyranny Of that
under which / suffered. My overseer was
present. and marked every word. When
my guest had retired for the night, hast
ened to the side of my sick wife 1t was
the last time ever saw her. After we had
left him, the overseer mounted nv best
horse, and rode full speed to Matanzas, to
report to the Governor all that had said.
1t was nearly morning, and still | sat
by the side ofmy suffering wife. Sudden
ly faithful servant rushed into the room.
and told me that the overscer and a guard
ofsoidlers were riding toward the house.
In aninstant knew all-comprehended
my danger. and SO did my angel wife
"tly, my amorel' she cried; '.it viii be
death ifthey seiz you.'
Il cannot, and leave youl" was my re-
ply.
They will not harm me-" she answer
ed-"go, will get well, and with our boy
will iollow| ! kissed my boy, and pre-
mn rr,I sxx A.r Il