The Windham County reformer. (Battleboro, Vt.) 1876-1897, 1896-03-20
THINGS In THIS WORLD OF
OURS.
AN AMAZON.

|
Fight stood Her Ground Alone And
Died With u Cheer For Her Country on
Her Lips.
IIayana Corr. Cleveland Leader.)
The Cuban amazons recently have
been playing quite a prominent part in
the fights between the insurgents and
Spanish troops. These women many
of whom have their husbands in the
ranks of the army have exhibited on
frequent occasions courage, endurance
and fighting skill to greater extent
than very many of the men. The
amazons of Cuba are not as a rule re-
markable for personal beauty or clean
Illness. Anything in the nature of Il
dress, contents them and they can dis
pense with shoes, much more hosiery.
As rule they are colored and not
young, strong of limb and quick Of
tongue, smart at repartee and able to
use a machete, rifle, revolver or knife
with the best of the men. They are to
be found in nearly all the insurgents,
camps, and are increasing in Plumbers.
| When not otherwise engaged they tend
| the sick and wounded, mend and wash
| clothes or cook the meals when fires
are permitted and food is procurabe
When regular supplies are inadequate
to the demand, which is not ipfre.
quent, the amaZons chew sugar cane,
are thankful at getting it and ride or
tramp pluckily along with the regular
Cuban troops. When there is fighting
to do they go into the thick of it with
energy and dash.
How AmazOns Can Die.
There is, or was, one woman at
least, among them who may deserve
more than passing notice. She came
TO the front in recent engagement
between the Spanish troops and
number of insurgents at Olayita. The
fighting began with the usual wild
firing at long range, but gradually the
combatants, few in number on either
side, by force of circumstances got |
nearer to each other and then, as usual
when they began to see the whites Of
each others eyes the insurgents went |
to cover and the triumphant soldiers
pushed onward in pursuit
But all the insurgents did not melt |
away. One of them, a tall, fine look
ing woman. bright of eye. well built |
and looking heroine from the top of
her head to the soles of her naked feet,
stood her ground bravely calling first
tauntingy and then in grand despair,
upon her fleeing companions to fight
like men. They paid no heed to her
and the Spaniards crept closer and
clio ser from bush to bush as they pressed
Then the woman determined
to to show men how Cuban amazons
can die. With her back against
tree she steadily loaded and fired her
taking cartridges from the
bosom of her cotton dress, almost the
only garment she wore So long as
that gun worked she pumped lead at
the Spaniards, keeping them well at
bay. But the old carbine finally got :
cut of order and she threw it away ,
With angry contempt. drew a revolver
md shouted, Long live free Cuba.
She killed Three. }
The Spaniards, seeing the carbine
brown to the ground, made stimuli
aneous dash forward. firing repeated
Y as they did so. The Cuban woman d
almly awaited the approach of the :,
nemies of her country, and when
hey were we'll within range Of her
PISTOL the amazon gave another cheer
or Cuba and again opened fire until I
he fell, pierced by four Mauser bullets h
hen there was another rush forward
( the Spaniards, and the dying s
'oman, half rising with difficulty on o
er elbow. fired her last shot at the
earest soldier of Spain, killing him
instantly, and sank to rise no more "
nth a faint cheer for free Cuba on her fl
ps.
This is only one of a number of in
tances of how the Cuban amazons II
an fight and die. Another amazon,
no recently kept at bay the Spanish |
oops, was the daughter of the insur- !,
ent leader Soccorras She fought to q,
lie last as gallantly as any of the men, .
nd when her last cartridgeswas fired
lie gracefully gave up her revolver to u
ne Spaniards who had surrounded :,
err, remarking as she pointed to three ~
Dldiers she had killed, ~ hope you :.
i'll make as good use of it as | have. " Je
HE WATER TREES OF AUSTRALIA. -