The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1894-08-26

life and beauty OF Jne CUBAN metropolis.
If there were clouds behind the placid
features or Count Basil no one could
know it. Two trihes 10 such as he, might
have haunted his inner life.
One was that a black eyed serving
woman. or qUerida, or what-not. called
Griselda of Monte Carlo had been found
dead at the house Of an absent crOupier
with a stilettO in her breast; whereupon
some Catalonian gipsies had stolen the
body away, and buried IL over the hor-
der in Spain, after their own barbaric
fashion.
Again, as the steamer upon which the
young uobleman embarked left the har-
Dor of Barcelona, a shaggy fisherman
whom the sailors knew as Pancho, was
found secreteI on board. IN his posses
sion was noticed blood stained stilettO,
whose pattern and ornamentation showed
it TO have been the weapon of a different
man than he: for such as Pancho are
never fastidious about knife. He was
put in chains. Then a storm arose and
he was liberated for his giant strength
was serviceable. But his freedom was of
short duration.
Count Basil, restlessly walking the
deck late one moonlit night, had seen his
face and ewes full of gypsy vengeance as
the stowaway had crept steathily toward
his cabin. A word TO FL Capitano from
count was enough. The rest of the way
to Cuba Pancho sat in the hold, with
mighty iron links rivited TO huge grillos
upon his legs. But Pancho in the hold
forgot nothing.
At debarkation in Havana the differ
ence in the temporary relations of these
two men to society sent the man from
the hold to the changing of Cabana for
brief period, ana the other, with Don
Enrique, the generous banker and loyal
friend. to the splendid homes of the Span
ish nobility In Cuba.
In this atmosphere Don Enrique and
Count Basil lived; and five years fitted
away as in dream.
The impulsive, grateful heart of Don
Enrique had never openly doubted. AT
times sense of OppreSsivenesS came; op-
pressiveness and dread, as if the very
cords of fate were binding him to a revolt
ing presence and companionship. But be-
meath the DOn's life of dalliance was a
truly chivalrous soul.
Events had occurred that had also
touched deeper sentiment; a sentiment
of compassion. Attempts had been made
upon the life of Count Basil de Orense
In one of these he was badly wounded
The name of fisherman outlaw and con-
trabandist had been whispered as one
concerned in these mysterious affairs
But nothing came of Investigating save
this
A Catalonian known as Pancho Marti
among the pesCadoreS of Havana had
gained strange and secret power among
all the lowly in the Cuban seaboard cities
No one knew Just when he had come to
Cuba. He had stepped from the Cabana
chain-gang to harbor guadana thence to
tisherman'S coaster; and while he had
made rich hauls of fish in the Coves and
inlets, his wife, the negress Tomasa, fried
the sweet meated robalo and the Juicy
guaguanchO and sold them at homes and
upon the streets.
Marti finally disappeared, when the
widest tales of his subsequent sea-pira-
cies were everywhere told Tomasa re-
manned. In her hut beside the sea in
the Baluarte quarter We're often seen the
gipsies of Cuba Her own life was blame
less; and secretly dreaded as were her
companions, " Old TOmasa," as she was
called, went and came without hand or
voice being raised against her; while in
one noble quinta of Jesu del Monte,
where lived the family of Tomasa's one
adOred human i'll all the world, Donna
Felisa, she was still the beloved Cuban
many" one of the ravishingly beautiful
beings she had nursed from the cradle,
and whose own fair hand had signed the
document which had set the old black
nurse free.
come TO any mans life, had turned Don
Enrique's nature to whole-hearted trust
and tenderness, and this drew him closer
TO the only man on whom he felt he could
rely.
In the nightly carnivals in Havana
thousands OF gay equipages, filled with
richly attired and merry occupants, may
be seen upon the GALES and Prado. Ofi-
Gals and nabobs in the saddle loiter at
friends and acquaintances
On such an evening, when Don ENRIQUE
and Count Rasil were thus engaged, the
latter suddenly exclaimed:
santa Maria All Spain has not such
loveliuess :"
Don Enrique, following his friends
look and gesture of admiration to the
streams or carriages coming from the op-
posite direction down the Prado, saw the
OBJECT OF Count Baslls exclamation, and
with that glance he lost his heart: for
at the same moment, the most beautiful
and lovable senorita of all Cuba raised
her lustrouS eyes to his own.
Involuntarily Don Enrique saluted her.
She turned away, but could not hide the
bushes of not displeased recognition with
which her face was suffused. Following
the carriage at its side, a common sight
IN Havana then, walked old Tomasa look
INK duOlluSl4 lulO nCf former mistress
face; and Donna Felisa's gracious hand
rested kindly upon the shoulder of her
former slave.
"Jesu Maria That dream of fair
women shall be minem passionately cried
Don Enrique TO his companion, searching
the counts eyes for responsive accord
and chivalrous profers of assistance.
There was strange pallor in the mans
lace, ouJ he spoke no answering word to
his friend.
In the early evening of a February dav.
In lS45, celebrated American statesman
sat upon the colonnaded portico of the
old Hotel Almy, overlooking the beautiful
waters of Havana bay. AS the nominee
OF a newly created political party, himself
defeated of election as President of the
United States and exhausted by the tur-
mol of party warfare, he had for a time
escaped from them all, and, unaccompa-
MED, was recruiting his energies in this
sweet southern cline.
The Madrid government had directed
that the highest hOnors be paid him in
CUBA. Refusing all official and private
entertainment, he had accepted only a
single attendant and interpreter at the
courtesy of Governor General Tacon.
This man, brilliant young Virginian. a
tutor in many of the noble families of
CUBA, had become his inseparable COM
panlon; and, Just as around from the
lookouts of Moro tower to the nights of
FL Principe the evening challenges of the