Weekly Chillicothe crisis. (Chillicothe, Livingston Co., Mo.) 1878-19??, 1881-05-05
THE CONDEMNED CUBAN,

1t was a fearful night on the coast
of Cuba, for tornado had swept along
the sea and shore with relentless fury,
leaving death and destruction in its
merciless path.
And yet, though sheltered by the
fOrest-clad point of land jutting out
from the main land, a small vessel was
getting ready to leave the quiet inland
waters and put to sea,
The cause of thus daring death by
the commander of the vessel was be-
cause at the peak the lone star flag of
the struggling Cubans lluttered in the
breeze, and sentence was most severe
upon those found serving beneath its
folds.
The little vessel, once { New York
yacht, had run into the Cuban coast
after dark, bearing arms, ammunition,
stores, and Il few good men and true
for the patriot army of Cespcdcs in the
mountains.
Having safely delivered her cargo
into the charge of the unfortunate
General Ryan, her American command
er determined to put to sea in the face
of the storm, for he knew that Spanish
gun-bOats were watching for him, and
that capture meant certain death by
the garrOte or rifle.
"Stand ready all to make sail. The
q ctnrn, will bn mara tnnrniful tbnn tbo
Spaniards,' called out the yachts cap
tain; and the crew of half Il dozen
men and two junior officers sprang to
obey, when to their ears came the deep
boom of a gun.
All paused, for what could it mean?
Certainly it was not the roar of
thunder, for its mutterings were heard
away to landward.
Could another Cuban craft be run
ming in and the gun come from Il Span
lard in chase?
No, it was the deep boom of Il heavy
gun, and those on the yacht looked at
each other in awe as it was repeated,
for they knew that the bra2en throat
was pleading piteously for help, and
that a hundred lives-pcrhaps many
more-hung on the answer to that ap-
peal
"Thcy are minute guns, and they
are calling for pilot" said Enrique
Delmonte, Il handsome Cuban, who
was second in command of the yacht.
"Will'any go to their aid?" asked the
American commander.
"No, they are Cuban pilots, and it
must bea Spanish man of-war that
needs them"
at seems Il pity TO see them wrecked
even if they are our enemies. Iark!
How pleading are those guns~ answer
ed the American.
"Enemies though they be, they shall
not die, for l will save themp
"You, Enrique Delmonte?"
"Yes, my captain, for as you know,
my boyhoOd's home is near by, and |
know these waters well. viii you put
me on board, for you are going to sea?'
said the noble young Cuban.
at is fearful risk for you to run,
Delmonte; you are already under sen-
tence of death, and"
81 will die in a good cause. Come,
let us lose no time for from the sound
of those guns, the vessel is drifting
in rapidly"
The American captain offered no
argument further, and the anchor was
raised, the sails, reefed down, were set,
and the little yacht sped like huge
white bird away from its safe nest to
battle with the wild waters and winds
beyond.
1t took the united strength of the
captain and Enrique Delmonte, who
acted as pilot, to hold the yacht on her
course, for the seas washed over her
decks in torrents, and she staggered
fearfully beneath the rude shocks of the
waves.
At length the channel was safely
passed through, and the open waters
reached; then, not half a mile away,
came the vivid red flash of a gun, and
the deep boom rolled across the waters.
at is large vessel, and evidently a
steamer from the light rig the guns
flash showed said the captain.
81 know that vessel well, captain, for
three years Of my service in the Span
ish navy was passed on her decks, and
l would rather lose my life than see
her go down."
Enrique Delmonte spoke with great
eanestness, and the American felt
that no had some deep cause for wish