The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1894-01-21
THE DON PROFESSORS SPECIMEN,
TRANELE2Snt SERIES.
Nv EDGAR L. WAKEMAN.
'lCopyright, 1894. All rights reserved)

80 Y Veuga con NOL- lOOue you Win
that blessing,
The little gray old man who had uttered
the invocation and the little gray old
donkey beneath him, were sorry looking
objects in the wondrous summer night
moonlight which poured through the riffs
OF the giant forest trees, there in the
almost unknown mountain district of
Southern Cuba.
The very radiance of the moonlight
added years in appearance to the Woe
becone face Of the rider, despite his deep
and almost spar king black eyes. II sill
vered the white of his hair, the gray of
his travel-stained clothing and ponderous
patched painters; while what little of
the shaggy hair of his donkey, whose
head was already touching the ground
with slum berOus intent, could be seen,
took on the same weird and spectral APP
pearance.
Stranger still in the moonlight was the
figure confronting them. 1t was Of a
bare headed and bare-footed man, clad in
blackened linen and the skins of wild
beasts He was almost a giant in height,
huge of frame, and his great round head,
curiously begrimed. was nearly covered
with a wiry beard and shOcky, glossy
black hair.
Though his left hand was extended with
a gesture of friendliness, in his right was
grasped a Cuban. machete 1t least three
feet in length, whose two-edged blade was
broad as its owners tremendous palm.
The arm that held this savage weapon
was mighty and corded, and the timorOus
rider suddenly reflected that, despite the
mans hearty welcome, this arm and
blade could in a twinkling sever his own
and his donkey's heads at one swift
stroke
"Hagame ell favor de comido refu-
giar3" MAY | crave food and shelter?)
asked the rider in a quavering tone of
supplicatiOn.
"Desmontesen Y tomen los dos ambos :"
(Dismount and receive both > responded
the immovable figure with the machete.
The little old man was not yet sure of
his strange host He looked anxiously
about him upon the blinking night-fires Of
a weird and unaccountable camp He
seemed about TO turn and plunge down
the tortuous way he had come. Then with
a glance at his faded beast, he began
without dismounting and as il completely
distraught, a stream of personal explana-
tons in most lugubrious and disheart-
ened tone of voice.
Good sir, ] am Don Eduardo Gonzales
Professor Gonzales, of the Royal Uni
versity of Havana. / am sometimes
known among my fellows as "a natural
ist. More often / am known, =" he con-
cluded, as if recollecting his present for
lorn and helpless condition, and as he saw
the man before him was grinning broadly
"Dy the merry youth of Havana, as a fool
ish old ass. They are right, sir; they are
right. / am completely lost and without
your generous aid l shall never return
alive to dear Havana with these priceless
specimens :"
The little old man here broke down
entirely, and after affectiOnately and
whimperingly patting the ragged pan
niers, wiped tear or two from his dusty
eyes, gave his donkey vicious dig with
his heel as though that patient animal
were the cause OF all his misfortunes and
turned to the huge forester with an air of
supreme resignation, which plainly said !:
professor or ass, my race is run / am
ready for food and shelter or drawing
and quartering at once. Whichever il is
to be, make no delay"
"A sad historyl" said the forester still
smiling. II am also feared and hated by
some; called fool by Others. But l am
free and happy here in the mountains
with my comrades; while you-Bien =
caram ba you are still a slavew
Don Eduardo drew himself up as
haughtily as his sore limbs would per-
init, but the other continued, scarcely no.
ticing the unconscious assertion of pro-
fesslonal dignity, as he threw the pan
niers over his arm and began leading the
donkey and its rider into camp. SSYou
have heard of Matagas2"
"Jesu Maria! You are not Matagas
the outlaw"
Isl, 81, senior; none ofhern
The old don trembled violently, and
would have fallen to the ground had not
Matagas supported him
And worth, that is, my head is worth.
10000 pesos to any one who will present it
safely, with his compliments, to his ex-
cellency, Gov. Gen. Sabas Marin
The professor groaned outright
Have no fear; have no fear. We are
all honest carboneros here" continued
Matagas soothingly. Look there beside
that choza. DO you seel There is my
wife, Tomasa There is my daughter
good-for-nothing, bird-catching Juanita y
Reassured, the don peered sharply
among the camp fires and huts. He saw
yellow old crone doing in the shadow
of hut-doOr, and beautiful girl of
splendid stature sitting beside her. soft ly
drumming guitar, while a score of
strange birds few in and out of rude will
low cages, hanging against a near tree
trunk, now and then posing and fitting
about her head, her arms and face. Fear
instantly departed from the old don's
face, and his dark eyes lighted glori-
ously.
''Six-seven-n he broke forth in
almost boyish glee, land not one in nv
collection!n
Matagas turned quickly and almost
savagely, but observing the naturalist's
eyes alone gloating upon the twittering
birds, he smiled again and nodding his
head little said sadly and ruminativelv
Eyes, yes. | understand it somewhat. /
was once in the Royal university" and
then, aloud TO the don, you see YOU
are as safe with us as in your own bed
Even Matagas could not harm a guest
where these are, Don Eduardo2"
mo, no, nO!n responded the professor
impetuously, as though the outlaw
thought only of the birds, and alighting
from his donkey with youthful alacrity.
Il pray you take me at once to Juanita
and the birdsl''
"Manana !-manana Tomorrow, senior.
Juanlta and the birds will wait You shall
first have food and rest"
In few moments more a mestizos at
the call of Matagas had tethered and fed
the donkey, and Matagas had conducted
the professor to a comfortable hut Water
and wine were first brought, and then
some substantial food. AS the don rave
nously began his meal, the outlaw started
to withdraw, but his guest, now that the
genial influence of wine and ungrudging
hospitality was upon uim, begged him
patrOnizingly to remain.
Where might he be How many folk