The Cincinnati daily star. [volume] ([Cincinnati, Ohio]) 1875-1880, 1878-10-11

and drew in volumes up the halls and
stairways and below, the cracking Of
merry flames was heard singing in terri
BILE concert of the holocaust that waited
above.
It was terrible to die that way, and #
there was no escape. no salvation in earth
nor sky; the pity of men who knew no
pity withoutthe mercy of fire thatknow
no mercy save that of death within.
"To the roof" said Don Ramon, and
pointing the way, himself hat in hand
and last. we mounted the stairs, bearing
with us the senseless forms of the smoke
blinded, alf-sutfocated women and
wounded men.
"Load and fire, amigos miosi We,
will fight the dogs to the last"
Of the ten men, eight were wounded
more or less; one, a pe01oe, was dead.
| We hauled the ladder after us, and just
as the trap flew down, we heard the last
barricade give way, and the yell of VIC
tory of the mob as it rushed, regardless Of
smoke and fire, to the rooms we had
abandoned. Around us the smoke was
rolling and still below, the flames Kissed
and cracked, and tongues of fire licked
the rafters, with the poison of ruin in
their touch. No escape, no hope, save
In God, for men were turned to brutes,
and Gods image was defiled; and then
with holy resignation the prayers of the
dying women, filed with tender sweet
petitions, arose, and with their cries for:
mercy to their Saviour were mingled
hopes of intercession from their patron
saints, the good who had gone before
them, and on whose feast-day they had
first seen the light of this world. The
flames were almost about us. had
quite despaired, and commended my soul
to Him who gave it, when of a sudden a
sharp, quick rattle of muskets was heard
again, and from below where the street
swept down to the shore a loud, shriU
cheer-piercing the sky as the notes of "a
bugle, filling the darkness with the voices
of men who battle for right-broke as
the daylight after the storm, and a new
hope filled our weary hearts. Louder,
louder it swelled, and then came the
tramp of ringing feet; then the sharp
quick note of an English command, and IL
knew it could only be, must be, the blue
jackets and marines landed from the ships
in the Roads, and clearing the streets be-
fore them. Rushing to the edge Of the
roof, saw that steady column of disci-
plined men, recognized Hal Irvine, our
first luff, at it's head, shouted his name,
and called them to the rescue in tones
that would almost have walked the dead.
Standing there, boldly relieved against
the back ground of sky, with the weird
reflected light of the flames and torches
playing about me, the central figure in
that picture of death, knew they must
see me. l marked the faces at the gleam-.
ing bayonets look up to me, heard the
men of my own division call me by name
drank in wild, frantic cheer If hope and
passion; and then, from somewhere,
heard solitary report, saw red glare,
and felt a sudden, sharp pain, as if bar
of hot iron, had scared and pierced me
and then dreamt of another cheer that
made the welkin ring with the harmonies
of paradise as fell into the arms of Maria
de Avila, who had followed me. And tha
rest for all time was blank.
X II
A month afterward, lying in a pleasant
room that faced the islands and the ocean,
with two tender nurses lowering around
me and bright-eyed, CHEEKY voiced friends
shaking my hands after the rough and
hearty sailor manner, listened to the