The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1896-01-20
THEY MoURNBD A SPARROW.
A Remarkable Funeral in the City of
Havana.

"a ENGhATAADle HI Tic WY VI
Havana.
What is a historical fact in Cuba and
what appears to be second edition of
"Who Killed Cock Robin2" is an interest
ing story related by Colonel Fernando
Figueredo, a noted Cuban leader.
1t appears thatyear ago Spaniard with
an idea Of rendering valuable service to
the city OF Havana brought from Spain
large number of sparrows, similar to the
English variety, and which were thought
to be useful SIS a city bird in forming an
army of diminutive city scavengers. I'm
agine his surprise and anger when upon
arriving at the city he was charged an e1-
cessige duty on the little birds. In fit
of passion he liberated all the birds and
became involved in trouble for trying to
evade the custom duties.
The sparvows invaded the city, where
they multiplied IN surprising manner
They proceeded to wage war upon a small
city bird, which they drove entirely from
the city limits. For this act the Cubans
called them the Spanish bird, and in time
began calling the Spanlards 'gorrion,"
which means sparrow. On this trifing
subject a very bitter feeling obtained
foundation. 1t was carried so far that the
Spaniards recognized the sparrow as the
look upon the eagle, and they Zealously
guarded the welfare of the midget.
After the outbreak of the revolution in
1868 the bitterness in this line as well as
others became intensified. One day
sentinel on guard at the palace in Havana
found the body of dead sparrow, which
had fallen from one OF the trees in the park.
With the greatest care ard reverence he
took the little body before a council of
volunteers then being held. The volunteers
dehberated over the death of the bird, and,
on the impulse of the moment, they passed
resolutions of respect for the deceased
sparrow and made an assessment among
the members of the volunteers whereby
they raised $50, 000 the idea being to give
the little Spanish sparrow most imposing
funeral. a skillful silversmith was sum-
moned before a committee and ordered to
make q beautiful casket of silver, 20 be
deliberately trimmed with gold, for the bird.
The handsomest hall in the city was OBJ
tanned and the diapers put to work to pre-
pare it for the reception of the sparrow,
which was to lie in state. In the center of
this hall richly decorated catafalque was
erected, and on this the little casket con-
tanning 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
forced to officiate at the ceremonies.
While the body was lying in state the &C.
cupants of the houses on the streets on
which the funeral proce ssion was to march
were ordered to have their houses draped.
When the day of the funeral arrived the
volunteers were o1t in full force and the
procession was one of the most imposing.
During the march several persons lost
their lives. One was observed on the
sidewalk laughing and presumably ridi-
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 in
mates being seen by the volunteers, was
also shot. After lengthy march the
casket was returned to the starting point.
About this time an unfortunate cat, pre-
sumably of Cuban inclination-as a
Spanish cat would never have been guilty
of such an act-was discovered on house
top eating one of these sparrows. The
amazed feline was seized, tried and after
speedy court-martial was brought out into
the public square and four skilled marks
men were selected as executioners. After
the criminal cat had been executed the
body was buried in unconsecrated ground.
Pittsburg Dispatch.