The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1896-02-05
A SPARROW'S SILVER CASKET.
Spaniards In Havana Raised 100000
to Give the Bird Funeral.
From tha Piftshnrp Dispatch

SDaQ1aTQS LII 11aNdud 0dlSeQ SOU, ,UUU
to Give the Bird a Funeral.
From the Pittsburg Dispatch.
What is historical fact in Cuba
and what appears to be a second edi-
ton of "Who Killed Cock Robin?" is
an interesting story related by Col.
Fernando Figueredo, a noted Cuban
leader.
1t appears that years ago a Span
lard with an idea of rendering a val
liable service to the city of Havana,
brought from Spain a large number
of sparrows similar to the English
variety, and which were thought to
be useful as city bird, in forming
an army of diminutive city scaven-
gers. Imagine his surprise and an
ger when, upon arriving at the city
he was charged an excessive duty on
the little birds. In a fit of passion
he liberated all the birds and became
involved in trouble for trying to
evade the customs duties:
The sparrows invaded the city,
where they multiplied in surpris-
ing manner. They proceeded to
wage war upon a small city bird
which they drove entirely out of the
city limits. For this act the Cubans
called them the Spanish bird, and in
time began calling the Spaniards
"corrion, which means sparrow.
On this trifing subject very bitter
feeling obtained foundation. 1t
was carried so far that the Spaniards
recognized the sparrow as the en-
biematic bird, much as we Americans
look upon the eagle, and they zeal
ously guarded the welfare of the
midget.
After the outbreak of the revolu-
ton in 1868, the bitterness in this
line as well as others became intensi-
fed. One day sentinel on guard at
the palace in Havana found the
body of a dead sparrow, which had
fallen from one of the trees in the
park. With the greatest care and
reverence he took the little body be-
fore council of volunteers then be-
| ing held. The volunteers deliberated
over the death of the bird and on the
impulse of the moment they passed
resolutions of respect for the de-
ceased sparrow, and made an assess
ment among the members of the vol
unteers whereby they raised 100000,
the idea being to- give. the little
Spanish sparrow an imposing funeral:
A skillful silversnith was summoned
before committee and ordered 70
make beautiful casket Of silver, to
be elaborately trimmed with gold,
for the bird. The handsomest hall
in the city was obtained and the
drapers put to work to prepare it fol-
the reception of the sparrow, which
was to lie in state. In the center OF
this hall a richly decorated. cata.
Ifaloue was erected, and on this the
little casket containing the remains
of the sparrow was placed.
All the city and military officers
visited the hall and paid homage to
the bird. The volunteers appointed
a strongly armed body to guard the
remains. A Bishop was forced to Of
ficiate at the ceremonies. While the
body was lying in state the occu-
pants of the houses on the streets on
which the funeral procession was to
march were ordered to have their
houses draped.
| When the day of the funeral ar:
rived the volunteers were out in full
force and the procession was one OF
the most imposing. During the
march several pc-ecns lost their
lives. One was observed on the side
walk laughing and presumably rldl..
culing the demonstration and one OF
the volunteers shot him down in his
tracks. A house was passed that
had not been draped for the occasion,
and one of the inmates being seen by
the volunteers was also shot. After
a lengthy march the casket was re-
turned to the starting point. :,
About this time an unfortunate cat,
presumably of Cuban inclination-as
a Spanish cat would never have been
guilty of such an act-was discovered
on a house top eating one OF these
sparrows. The amazed feline was
seized, tried, and after a speedy
court-martial was brought out into
the public square and four skilled
marksmen were selected as exeeu,
TONERS. After the criminal cat had
been executed the body was buried
in unconsecrated ground.