The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1896-02-02

shortly afterward message. transmitted
by The Champions commander. informed
the British consul that within swe-ty-feur
hours the city of Valparaiso would be
bornharded by the feet The other foreign
consuls We're duly notified OF this iaten-
ton, as also were the city authorities. The
merchant vessels were unrroored forth
with and hauled further up the bay, out OF
range Of the enemy's guns, and all for
eigners were ordered 10 repair on board
the shipping. while the Inhabitants were
warned to seek safety in the hills back of
the city.
The next day at noon the bonaba~iment
was 10 begin. but nothing came OF il. for
which the inhabitants We're indebted 10
the Champions commander who in the
nick of time persuaded Montt to abandon
the plan of destroying the fine city. He
advised him to capture the smaller north
ern ports first. and after having secured
ample reirforcements, return, land a large
body of men in the neighborhood Of VAL
paraiso and march in and take formal pos
session OF the city. This plan was adopt
ed by the insurgent commander and prov
ed advantageous, as plainly demonstrated
by later events. The ports of CoQuimDo
and Caldera were easily taken by the
squadron, and by the time Antofogasta
was reached the government had Dispatch
ed several transports with troops TO that
place and 10 Iquique TO oppose the insur-
gents Many of the troops deserted and
joined the ranks of the opposition. lured
by the offers Of good pay and substantial
food. which they had never received while
serving the dictator's government. At
eIquique a fierce battle was fought. the
government forces valiantly defending the
port TO the last until they were finally
obliged to surrender.
The saddest calamity to the Insurgents
was the sinking of Months flagship the
Ia saAe fV.T of< fsnx- hx-
one of the new torpedo boats built in En-
gland, which arrived in Valparaiso during
the revolution and while the squadron
was in the northern ports. Two hundred
persons lost their lives In this catastrophe
Capt. Montt. Clifford wythe and some Of
the other officers were ashore sitting at a
pending court-martial and thus escaped
with their lives.
Gradually, but firmly, step by step. the
insurgents gained their cause. One trans
port after another was captured, until
there finally remained TO the government
only the swift steamer Imperial. which
after being chased for fourteen hours by
the Esmeralda made her escape. The
steamer Maipu was taken out of Valpar-
also harbor at night by stratagem of
the adherents of the opposition party. and
turned over to them with all the troops
on board.
At last there came the closing events of
the insurrection, the landing of the forces
at Quintero. the battles of Cocoon and la
Piacilla, and when Balmaceda discovered,
only too late. that everything was against
him and that his cause was helplessly lost,
in utter desperation he took his own life.
Herminia Andrade had watched the long
struggle with the keenest interest, cher
ishing all the while golden hopes and in
dulging In bright fancies of the future.
but alas, fate was against her. In an en-
lIIlnfpFrr N al
been attached to the Esmeralda since the
sinking of the Blanco Encalada. was
dangerously wounded and when his ship
arrived at Valparaiso and the opposition
party had taken possession of the city he
was sent to the hospital. Herminia arriv-
ed from Caldera just in time to be at the
bedside of her lying lover All her ten
der care and nursing could avail nothing
Slowly but steadily Clifford sank, and the
day after her arrival, early in the morning
the fatal moment came.
Clasping the hands of the weeping girl
who was bending over him, he kissed her
for the last time.
Darling" he murmured in broken ac-
cents. you have never forgotten me. May
God bless you for all you have done for
me, and be with you till we meet again
beyond the river, where the darkness shall
be over The next moment Clifford
Wythe lay dead.
In the Hospital de Carload, in Valpar-
also, among the Sisters of Charity, Her.
NINA passes her time tenderly nursing
the sick and afflicted, and none is more
beloved and revered than She The silent
grief over the untimeiy death OF her lover
has made her reserved, and the traces of
a troubled past are plainly visible In her
still beautiful but pensive features
In the window of her little room at the
hospital she tenderly nurses pots of flow
ering forget-me-nots. in remembrance of
the one she loved so we'll, and the tiny
sprays, plucked by his hand on that me-
morable Christmas eve lie withered and
faded between the leaves of her prayer
book. JOHN r. MICHAELTS