The Tiffin tribune. (Tiffin, Ohio) 1868-1887, 1870-05-06
THE TWO FLAGS.
An Incident or the War In Cuba.

inserted as low a. Ina any nrst-claSs paper
THE TWO FLAGS.
An Incident OF the War In Cuba.
BY EDWARD RENAUD.
"A DOOR unfortunate seaman had been ap-
pretended 0n a charge OF being implicated
in filibustcTing expedition, and was thrust
into prison, and afcerWard condemned to be
shot. He was an American, the son Of Eng
lislI parents. and Notwithstanding the most
d strenuous exertiOnS OF the English and
] American COnsuls the Spanish authorities
seemed determined TO sacrifice this poor
I mans life. On the morning appointed for
his execution he was marched out to the
usual place amidst a great show Of bloody
4 solemnlty. He was fmmediately followed
! by Mr.. Ramsden, British Nice-COnsul, and
J the American Nfce-COnsul. To makes still
/ further protest in the prisoners favor, Mr..
Ralnsden read document, protesting I'm
The name OF England and America, declaring
/ that the prisoner was altogether innocent OF
the crime which had been laid against him,
demanding hislmmedfate release and declar-
ing, II the unfortunate mans life was taken,
those who took IL would be guilty of muir
der, and would be anSWerabie alike tO the
/ Governments OF England and the United
States OF America During the reading Of
! the document, which was done with CALM
ness and determination, the prisoner tainted
from excitement, and there We're strong
islI troops, who manifested a thorough deter
ninatiOn 10 force the authorities 10 take
this man : life in spite of all TemOnsirance.
A consultation followed, and Mr.. Ramsden
and the American Consul were eventually
Informed TINT their FssInOnst rance came too
late; the prisoner had already been SELL
tenced 10 death for having taken up arms
against Spain, and that the sentence must
be carried into effect. With this the order
was given to the firing party to 'Presonu" |
II was tile work of an instant, aud Mr.. Con
American
rushing with the Iiags Of their respective ma
tiOns, before the leyeled rifles OF the Spanish !
troops, and in front of the unfortunate man, |
shouted, !" ii old!' and wrapping the English |
flag around himself and the prisoner, and |
addressing the officer in charge of the firing |
party, Mr.. IsamSden said: "CentleIncn, as a /
Consul Of her BTittannic Majesty, i cannot /
stand 10y and see this foul murder of an in 1
mOcent man. IL is my duty 10 protect his |
life, and II you take his ilif,y0u must take IL
through ness!' placing himself Immediately /
In front 81 OF the condemned seaman, his /
eyes sparkling, while his manly form heaVed /
with the Indignation his speech had so he |
TOicaliy expressed. The American Consul, |
wrapped In the s.s5tars and Stripes" of the /
Union, stood abreast with him, and for some /
moments the Spaniards stood aghast, the 1
conduct Of these two COnSuls being more 1
than they could comprehend. The emotion L
81 tlc prisoner was extreme; he was sup
ported right and LEFT by the ConSuls, and the |
poor fellow shed a profusiOn of tears from
NFearinesS and excitement. A consultation
was again held, and the prisoner marched |
back 10 jail under an escort, the cOnsulS sup
porting the unhappy man all the way along.
The fitrOre was beyond description. After
dark the prisoner was reprieved, and finally
shipped of the country, through the indeiat-
lgable eXertiOnS Gf tht. COnSuls l-huHS Ec-
press, Kingston, Jamaica.
Prone from the black -browed Moro-the cas-
tle-colOred crag-
Dropped i'm the drowsy nOontide the red
and-yellOw flag,
And in the seetliing city the sun with fiery
glare
Flashed on a SEA of faees-a Thousand bayo-
nets bare.
Soldiers with sulIen faces-a doomed mar
trembled nigh
While molly throng from every side pour
ed forth TO see him die;
And all the mighty multitude beheld with
bated breath
The scene OF coming slaughter-the many
throated death.
But by the pallid prisoner, bare-headed and
stern browed
Strobe forth two valiant c0nsuls before the
surging crowd;
One waved COlnmbia's banner, and one the
Union Jack,
While all were filled with wonder, and warn
ed the brave men back.
bands,
Paced the proud consuls, holding the en-
signs in their hands.
Present 81 The three stood silent, one mo-
ment face 10 face
rhe eonsuls calm and steady, and the pris-
oner in his place.
a sudden flash ofcrimson, of red, and white, {
and blue
rhe trembling captive covered between the
dauntIeSs two;
rhe two stood draped together beneath the
banners fold
rhe proud twin flags of fFreedOm-ofth the New
World ard the Old.
Then, turning stern and naughty upon the /
ordered line: /:
'By these broad Ilags 1 claim him and keep j
him-he Is mine
Thus England and Columbia stretch arms I
across the seas '
70 shield him, 'Strlke the prisoner: You I
strike through us and these!" 6
Thus outspake he OF England. Like lions !
brought 10 bay,
The twain with eyes defiant looked round !
the stern array.
There fell solemn silence; the rifie-barrels :
Shone
,till at the doomsmen's shoulders; men :
shuddered and looked ON.
i'll in a clear voice, crossing the bullets '
threatened track, {
san. out the sudden mandate to march the q
prisoner back;
md as the shining escort fell back and faced I
about
from all the crowded plaza went up one
mighty shout. $
mighty storm of ;'iras, that rent the sul;ry
skies. 4;
ireeted the gallant ntcOnsuIs-the deed thigh !,
emprise,
till louder, ever louder, went up that vast I
acclaim
rom all the mighty plaza bathed I'm its }
MONDAY fame. g
inward to future ages, far down the teeming
years, 4
hat sea of upturned faces sends forth its &
storm of cheers; Il
.ong shall the deed be honored, and proud &
ly handed down, v
o crown the victor consuls with Fame's en- p
during crown. e
Iail to the hero consuls! Hail 10 the noble
twain =,
VhO dared for truth and duty the bullets Il
deadly rain!
Tow strong TO face the mishty-how great TO
guard the weak
re these, the great twin nations To whom "" ""
the helpless seek, r
till shall our arms protecting be stretched il
across the sea a
till shall the tyrants fear us who set their
captives free; n
trapped in a mighty mantle from hatred's S
cruel scars "
he blood-red Cross of England, COlumblas Il
Stripes and Stars! o.