The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1888-07-12
A ROMANCE in cusA.
How Sweetheart of the Fortress Com
mander Relieves Fever-Stricken
Garrison.

How q Sweetheart of the Fortress Conn
mander Relieves n Fever-Stricken
Garrison.
Senior Rameriz relates the following
incident to a Nashville AneeTScan re-
porter:
Il am a Cuban and l love Cuba, yet ,
the extreme heat of some months each ,
wear is unbearable. You remember !
the entrance to Havana harbor is
guarded by MORO castle. The garrison
numbers about two hundred men. Three
years ago last June the temperature
rose beyond all previous records, and
the suffering was intense. The authori- J
ties were dreading the possible invasion
of Cuba's deadliest scourge yellow
fever. News came to the city of the
breaking out of the fever at the castle.
Immediately steps were taken for the
complete isolation of the fort. No
boats were allowed to land from the
infected locality, and none were brave
enough to venture the casting of their
lot with the garrison.
The heat waxed in intensity as the
davs went by. Long had the distress
signal waved from the fort flagstaff.
The inmates were known to be dying by
the score, and in need of medicine and
supplies of all kinds, yet in all Havana
not one heart seemed brave enough to
make the venture of relief, which so
surely seemed certain death. Each
morning crowds gathered on the piers
and gazed sorrowfully across the wa
ters to the fated island. At sunset
each day we watched the gates open
and funeral corteges wind their way
down the hill to the little garrison
cemetery; we listened for the volieys
| of salute, their number denoting how
many brave fellows had succumbed
that day.
Zone morning the climax appeared
to be reached. The suns rays fairly
penetrated ones clothing and scorched
the skin beneath: No air was stirring,
and the water looked like hot and
| FURNISHED steel Ali Havana was
gathered near the shore watching anew
| the fatal spot where fellow-human be
| ings were bravely dying yet gave no
sign. As we alphabetically gazed across
the water, for the first time in three
| long weeks boat shot forth from the
pier of Havana 1t was loaded to the
gunwales with provisions and medi-
cine. and none in that crowd needed to
be told its destination. Our eyes
then sought the guider of the little craft,
and to our horror, saw the sole occu-
pant was a woman.
''Many blush burned red on heated
cheeks that moment. Then a uni
versal shout of protest came-teo late.
Our coward hearts, shamed by that
| brave woman's fearless act, awakened
us to volunteers. She paused an in
slant from borrowing and silenced our
murmurings with wave of her small
hand. i am alone, she said; from all
Havana not one regret will follow me.
'Tis better that should go than life
upon whose tenure hangs the fate OF
others. Good-by.'
1--WE stood silent a moment after the
clear voice ceased, and then a mighty
roar of admiration and adieu went
forth She bowed her head--we no.
noticed now how young and beautiful
she was-then silently bent to the oars,
and under that blazing sun rowed
straight into the jaws of death. We
strained our eyes across the water;
watched her strokes grow slower and
slower as the awful heat sapped her
very life, and finally pause exhausted
beneath Castle Morro's walls. Those
faithful souls, brave, and constant to
the last, refused admission, though we
could feel the hunger and longing ex-
pressed in their long-suffering eyes.
At length faint resistance ceased-they
eagerly came down to the welcome
boat-fairly lifted their angel of mercy
on waiting shoulders, and, followed
by others bearing the medicine to
| which many poor fellows, will owe
their live, are lost to our view within
the castle walls"
The Cuban paused. The in the lit
tie room seemed heavy and hot, so
thoroughly had we entered into the
spirit of the story. The senor's two
auditors felt the awful suffocation his
brave senorita suffered. We asked II
that peerless sacrifice really eliminated
in her death. 'Well, there's not much
more to tell. The first effect we no
ticed was the reduction in the number
of salutes over the soldiers graves;
then one blessed morning when a
breeze, all but cool, came straight from
| your northland, the distress signal was
, hauled down, and again the royal flag
of Spain fioated proudly from the bat
Elements, denoting that all was well
; within.
: "lnstantly the bay was dotted with
4 boats. We fiocked to the castle and
exchanged congratulations with the
governor and his sadly decimated gar,
rison. We learned that undoubtedly
y not a life would have been preserved
l had it not been for the brave maiden's
f timely succor. Now, there, gentlemen
Y is an incident of land of heat.
l '.Yes, what became of the grip
7 anxiously inquired the Long Islander
''She is the happy wife of the gov
3 ernor of the castle, and is the idol o
all Havana"