The Milan exchange. (Milan, Gibson County, Tenn.) 1874-1978, 1876-01-27
THE CUBAN'S PRIZE.

Toward the close of a hot, sultry day,
small ,swift-sailing sloop-of-war, close
hauled, was moving with silent grace
in the wake of a large schooner, al
whose masthead was borne the colOrs
of the Spanish Republic. In the gold.
en- light of the setting sun the names OF
the two vessels were plainly visible
That of the sloop was the Emerald
that of the schooner, Del SOlida.
That the Spaniard was fleeing from
the Cuban-fo such was the nationali
ty of the sloop-was evident from hel
endeavors to increase her already re
markable speed.
Upon the deck of the Emerald clus
tered score of dark-faced sailors
while apart from them, leaning
thoughtfully against one of the three
guns which the vessel bore, was a MAJ
upward of twenty-five years OF age
clad in n well-wOrn uniform, and pos
sessed of handsome, manly counter
ance, Enthusiastically of the Cuban type
His dark eyes scanned the gilded wave
lets of the Caribbean and the graceful
schooner alternately, their expression
expectant, exultant. 1t was plain tina
the distance between the two vessels
was rapidly lessening, despite the eX
ertions of the crew of the Del Solida.
One Of the sailors, huge, honest
faced Cuban, past the middle age
presently approached the Captain anC
touched him lightly upon the shoulder
Had [ not better fetch the long gu1
=, 10
tano?n the old sailor asked, rs The
young commander turned his face to
ward him.
"Not Just vet, Diego" he answered
smiling at the impatience of the veteran
gunner. 1--WE arc drawing nearer thu
beauty each moment, and there is yer
time enough for you to give her a les
son from your pet, with greater Ger
tainty of its being effective. Besides, /
we fire upon her now, she will doubt
less return the shot, which will stand ;
chance of crippling us TO as great an eX
tent as herself. When we are suth
ciently near to make the shot sure o
doing good execution we will fire. TO
the present | am content to know tina
we are surely overtaking her, and tina
she must ultimately succumb to the su
perior fieetness of our Emerald"
Diego bowed and turned away, bu
abruptly returned to the side of the Cap
tain, and said:
1--WE are certain of Overtaking tn
schooner, but are we equally certain o
conquering her crew, Capitano Despil
faro?"
The face of Benito Despilfaro, tn
young Captain, flushed as he replied:
1--WE have an equal number of men
and are you willing to acknowledge on
Spaniard, in an unjust cause, to b
equal to one Cuban, fighting for tn
liberty and honor of his country?"
Diego's eyes seemed to emit fire a
he realized that he had doubted tn
prowess of his countrymen, and hi
deep voice rang with patriotism as h
replied:
Equal! why, would face a doze
of the towards myself"
The Young man smiled. His word
had effected their purpose.
Half an hour later the sun had sun
from view, and the golden moon rose
his place. Then Benito Despilfaro CAV
his consent TO the request of the impa
tient gunner. Diego sighted the om
nous long gun, and presently sent ii
thunderouS roar over the waters. Ann
iouslv the Cubans watched the course c
the shot, which, true to the guidance c
the old mans eve, crippled the bulwark
of the schooner and struck the main
mast at point a few feet above tn
deck. For an instant it swayed to an
fro, then, with crash it fell TO tn
deck, entangled in maze of canvas an
ropes.
In the dim moonlight men could plain
" be seen cutting away the rigging, an
in few minutes the demolished mas
fell, with splash, into the sea. tn
Cubans anxiOusly awaited the retur
shot which they knew would be forth
coming.
The schooner, deprived of so large
portion of her sail, now moved slowly
and each instant her foe drew nearer
There was no hope for escape by fligh
for the Del Solida now. Suddenly sh
luffed, and from her starboard side
double flash emanated, and the roar q
the two guns reverberated over tn
water. The shots came dangerousl
near the mast of the sloop, one Of theT
crashing through the bulwarks an
humming within a yard of Benito.
"You can give her one more shot be
fore we are near enough to board hel
and aim to dismount one of her Lar
board guns ere she brings them to bca
upon US" was the command of Captai
Despilfaro, uttered even as the shot
from the enemy buried themselves !
the sea astern of the ship.
AS directed, Diego brought the r,
loaded long gun TO bear upon one of tn
larboard guns of the Spaniard, and ono
more the gunner's "pet" sent its she
upon its errand of destruction. A Shot
of admiration for the skill of Diego wer
gun towards which he had directed tn
shot was dismounted amid the fiyin
splinters from the grazed deck of th
schooner.
The cry of admiration turned to
murmur of amazement as the cripple
vessel suddenly lowered sail and drifte
idlv upon the swell of the sea, seemin!
lv awaiting the approach of her 70,
For a minute the moon was obscure
by a cloud, and the schooner becan
invisible, save from her pinnacle hgh
When the moon again appeared Il
Del Solida rose and fell upon the pulls
ting sea within cables length of Il
Emerald, and the objects upon b
deck were plainly visible to the crew
the latter. Standing close to the br
wsrks nearest the sloop, was the Ca