The Irish standard., 1886-10-16
ASTORY IN THREE CHAPTERS
How the Love and Prayers Of Antonio
Huelva, Suffering Soldier,
Were Rewarded.
SWEET LITTLE CAMILLA TELLER.
He Opened the Door Gently, and was in
the Arms Of His Mother
and Camilla.
CHAPTER /.

!
terranean ports OF Spain. troops were
constantly being embarked in patches
of from twenty-five to three hundred
| for the ill-fated Island OF Cuba to take
the place of few Spanish soldiers who
had fallen into battle, and the many
more who had been overc ONE by fever
50 powerful is this enamy that not one
i fifteenth OF the thousands Of volunteers
sent to Cuba return to their OWL be-
| loved Spain and many OF even this
remnant that returns are doomed to q
lingering sickness, and perhaps death.
in a hospital-the dread Of every Span
ish soldier.
AS a general thing these soldiers axe
either of the poorest families, or are
disreputable characters OF what is
ranked ass q better class. On being Ell
rolled they receive fifty dollars as a
bounty; it they are one Of the few
whose health does not fail before the
completion of their six years service
they receive an amount eQualling about
two hundred dollars and free passage
to Spain If invalided beyond recovery
in that climate, before the conclusion
Of their term Of enlistment, they are
sent b elk to Spain at the first oppor-
tunity; and il their friends have not
sufficient means 10 support them III
their sickness they are compelled to SO
to one Of the hospitals in the northern
part Of the country.
This, certainly, is not a very bright
prospect for the young man beginning
life; still there is the opportunity,
Same receive their fifty dollars, amt,
after spending it, desert, to change
their name and re-enlist for another
bounty. While there are others WHO
give the fifty dollars to 81 widowed
mother, perhaps, and then go away
with the hope that they will live
through the six long years, and be able
10 come back again With his dearly
earned two hundred.
With the little draft Of ofbronzeti, hardy
youths, that sailed foI CadiZ, for trans
portation to Havana. from Alicante:
was Antonio Huelya, the only Child OF.
one Oh the many poor widows OF THAT
city, BY her work in the cigar narll'--
factories, for which Alicante is noted
she had support: d the boy until he i,r-
rived at an age at which '3e ccn!d sup
port her il. comparative GonfOrt in her
declining years. But by sickness they
had become involved i'll what was to
them All immense debt: and the little
stone house standing among orange
trees III the suburbs OF the city, was
about to be taken from them. Some
thing had to be done. The house that
had been theirs for so long must not be
lost; and there was butone way to save
1t. This last resort was adopted, and
Antonio HueI, sailed away from ali
he loved. to the lonely, Ilaru life before
him
But we'll as the young soldier loved
the mother, there was another who
claimed perhaps the greater part OF the
melancholy nlooding his unfortunate
situation brought upon him sweet
little Camilla Te4lez Many laced and
titled officer would have been proud of
this pretty love of the private soldier.
But she, too. had to be left behind, and
for six long years. Antonio did not
watch the city till IosJ in the distance
No: his eyes were too full Of tears for
that: but he stood with his face to-
wards the spot where Camilla had waved
her last aaieu, until others, who had
left no such precious being behind, had
turned from tie indistinguishable OBJ
jects of the city Of Valencia to the
nearer objects along the coast as they
were passing.
In Cadiz, while waiting for the trans
port, which was to take them to Cuba,
Antonio associated aS little as possible
with his prof1igate comrades. While he
was at liberty lie wandered alone, about
the fair city, sauntered through the
parks, and wished he were back in the
fairer parts of Valencia, with his own
little ''lark gldncily" Camilla. Often
lie would wander into the grand Old
cathedral and kneel before the perfect
ly beautiful image OF Cadlz's patron
saint. praying for his betrotbed i'll the
far south of
..Spain. renowned, romantic land"
to him most perfectly beautiful; to HIM
most worthy Of love.
Than the ship sailed with it's freight
OF victims for Cuba-a cargo Of men
dooln' 4 to days, week, months, per-
haps sears. Of suffering, aud I. lonely
grave iii that distant land, instead Of
the happy home they had been hoping