The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1896-01-26

authorities great trouble to provide for
them; and as we take good care to as
sure the prisoners that they will be
served without mercy, IL caught with
arms another time they are good for
nothing again, when brought up before
our troops. Their morale is broken,
and they go all to pieces. You saw the
fight. was Ii not, as 1 said, a pretty
one?"
you speak," I rejoined ''as though
victory always perched upon your
standard. Does it. really. and do the
Spaniards never VIM" -..
why, of course, we are not always
victorious; but, you see. we take good
care not to attack unless we have the
advantage. Some times we are over
whelmed by superior numbers; but
even then, there is this difference; we
are battling for our freedom, knowing
well If defeated there is no hope; the
rank and file of the enemy are only
fighting because they must. blindly and
without reason. They have no incen-
tive: they are like the Hessians of your
revolution; only they are not even
hired, but compelled to fight. Yes, we
must eventually win, for we are fight
ing for principle as old as eternity,
as broad as the world. They? What
are they here for? Merely to uphold
the lettering throne of a baby king. not
yet out of the nursery. Pah! Their
hearts are as weak as their kings; as
weak as water. / am almost ashamed
to be found attacking such poltroons;
yet, when in the midst of the fray, 1
feel as If my arm could strike down
million of them"
The chieftain's eyes glared f1ercely,
his nostrils distended; he lifted his
head and shifted the air, like a lion on
the scent of prey.
Two hours of marching brought us to
the end of our journey. The last hour
was over rocks and fallen trees, across
the rocky beds of torrents and beneath
high trees that obscured the sky. Then.
without warning, a beautiful valley
opened to our gaze, set like bowl in
among the peaks of towering mount
aims.
The entrance to this basin was a
break in the mountain wall, which
rose jagged and forbidding on every
side. There was no other means of in
gress, and that was well defended by
cannon, planted to command the ap-
proach. Under the beetling cliffs, and
half-hidden by the rank growths of
wild bamboo, were numerous huts of
palm leaves. which gave shelter to the
Insurgents and their families. Once
within this vale of safety, the men cast
off all restraint. They picketed their
NtiStS, sdlItTeu lOgelneT the pluflueT
of the expedition, and then went to
seek the repose they had so fairly
earned. One would not have supposed
the hollow in the mountains was then
occupied by a band of some two hum
dred men, said to be fierce and blood
thirsty, rapacious and cruel. For chill
dren played contentedly in the sun, and
women passed to and fro, between the
houses to the springs in the edge of the
forest.
! was given one of the newest hurts,
where Antonio deposited my luggage,
and where / found all the Ccnveniences
of civilization at my command. Then
Don Maxine excused himself, assur-
ing me that the valley and all it con-
tanned was at my disposition.
Thus | found myself in one of the
Cuban stronghoIds. and by a perversi-
ty that is one of the characteristics of
man, no sooner was | well within Il,
than l wanted to get out! Yet that was
not so easy matter Two days went
by; a third was well on it's way to a
conclusion, when Don Maxine came to
me. holding a newspaper.
1.-THE case is out of my Jurisdiction
now" he said, with a savage grin.
See what the Spanish diarios say
about you. There is little hope for you
to get through their lines, after this.
Read"
1 took the paper. an official organ of
the government. published in the city
of Cienfuegos, and read the following:
"Oficially promulgated. The report
received last night that the battalion
of Captain Faustina Alvarez was at
tackled by an overwhelming force of
rebels, seems to be confirmed. The
rebel chief, the notorious and sanguine
monster, Gomez, the abhorred and de-
tested scourge of the mountain dis
tTicts. pcunced upon the ingeno of
Santa Clara about midday OF the 11th
The attack was n surprise, but the va
liant captain defended the post with
extreme bravery, after several sorties
finally setting fire to the building and
retreating in good order to the village
OF Santa Cruz.
THE losses experienced by the gall
liant captain were inconsderable, but
he considered il best to make a change
of base for future operations. The reb-
els lost more than. hslf their number,
left dead on the field, and among them,
as all friends of law and order will be
glad to know, the internal rebel, leader
of the guerillas, Maxine Gomez.
"a strange rumor is current that the
Yankee, Smith, who passed through
Santa Clara on his way to the mount
aims. gave the information TO Gomez
that resulted in the raid. lie was well
provided with official passports, and
was allowed free passage through our
lines; yet see. the manner in which our
clemency was abused, lie is said to be
with Gomez in his mountain retreat
this quondam official of the American
government,-and the consul general
at Havana is said to be cogndzant of
his actions. Let us be on the alert,
when he essays to return to the coast,
and serve him as we did the filibusters
of the 'Virginius.' Shooting is too
good; wild horses should rend him limb
from limb"
You see," said Gomez, with a grim
smile; the situation is complicated.
I'm left dead on the field; yet you are
with me plotting some new deviltry.
Now, how are you going to get out OF
it?"
This was a poser. AS I said in the
opening sentence of my letter, 1t was
not my fault at all. but that of the
xNf IL