Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1896-04-15
LIVE And DIE FOR,CUBA
Fair Patriots Offer Themselves
on Liberty's Altar.
s'TKE War ANGEL OF AYOLETA.s

Slain In Battle While Fighting Side BY
Side With Rebel soldiers-Hov Cuban
Girls In Florida Raise Money Tor the
Cause.
High on the -oll Of Cuba's noblest,
bravcst heroines stands the name Of Ma
tilda Agramontc Varona, who was killed
in battle the other day, fighting in tho
ranks side by side with rebel soldiers. Sho
was daughter of two Of the great fam
lilies of Cuba, hciress to the fame and ira
ditions of two old names of Spain and to
the remnant Of a fortune that was once
one Of the largest in the rich island. For
generations the men of her name have
fought the mother country. Every rebel
lion has found Agramontes and Varonas
under the banner of Cuba Libre. Her ia
Their and n brother gave up their lives in
the ten years war. Her remaining broth
ers and her unclcs enlisted under General
Maceo and left her alone on the plantation
in Puerto Principe, the only property left
of the vast estate.
Sho went to visit friends in q neighbor-
Ing town, and on her return she found tho
family residence burned, the cafe gone,
the servants murdered or scattered. A
Spanish guerrilla had crossed there and
destroyed the place. There was no place
lor the girl TO go, SO she asked the nrst
band OF rebels that passed that way to take
ner with them to Maceo's camp. Once
there she asked to De enlisted as soldier.
Inc chiei at iirse reIuseu, put her prothers
ana uncles told him she would starve 9TH
erwlse, and he relented and enrolled her.
She saw only one pa1tle.
AT Ayoie,a' near tHe Town OF t2uenedo
ne Duihes, the advance OF strong Span
:sh column oyertooS Macco's command.
Inc rebels were hopelessly outnumbered,
and baltic meant Il catastrophe. Maceo
was on his way to meet the bermuda, and
two-thirds OF his men were to be armed
with the weapons she brought. He called
Tor volunteers to face the Spanish army
and delay their march SO that the re-
mainder OF the column could escape. The
nrst to step forward IN answer to the call
were the Cnban girl, her brothers and I'M
clcs. They knew that the service meant
ueatn, but they went, ana the girl stood
! shoulder 10 shoulder with the Other volun-
tecrs ana hreu until she ieil. Inc SPAN
iards saw she was woman and called on
her to surrender. 'Primero muero" she
answered. Viva Cuba lihre"'
she fell dcad, with dozen wounds, and
no" ,he Oupans speak Oh her as Inc war
anger OF Ayoleta.
IL Is not given to all the heroines OF
Cuba to die as did 1.-The War Angel of Ago
!eta, but hundreds of pretty little Cuban
senoritas in this country by the toll of
their dimpled hands are playing no in
considerable part in carrying on the war
for the freedom of their native land,
There Is not Cuban colony of q dozen
households in this republic, whether in the
great cities or in tho towns and viliage;
along the south Atlantic and gulf states,
but there Is TO be found a club or society
formed OF girls of Cuban parentage for tho
purpose of raising funds for the cause of
Cuba. Their names have not appeared in
print, nor have their valiant services been
given publicity or received that need of
praise they SO richly merit, but they have
simply gone about their labor, with their
needles, around the flreside, making little
articles for sale, or giving their entertain
| mcnts or bazaars, singing their songs and
| dancing with their castanets, to raise
H.. s.. , IN ''s o. the =, ,s.