The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1897-02-08
partial.


II was the.editor OF ,he Universe who
smoke. as he half turne u his pivot chair
and Iooked. me over wit a critical stare
'of inquiry. The quest bn was natural
enough. as ! had come TO him with
special recdmmendation for that very
reason, and yet 1 felt the blood
bound more rapidly through my
veins ut the simple enquiry. Been
in Cuba before? I',should think
SO. How many tines had 1 made
the assertion during the last few
months, 1 wonder? And why was
it that the question so'qltetly asked by
the stout, comforta5ie-iooldng man
with the gray hair and bushy gray eye-
brows. under which lurkcd those keen,
'inauiring eyes, should have affected
me so much?
1t was like the sudden fiashlof lime
light through magic lantern, for, as
lie spoke. there arose before me again
the bay OF Ii Hasnna, sparSling1in the sun,
with its white houses and its green
trees. and, above all, one particular
house, standing alone, and just visible
as il nestled IN it's bower of tropical TO-
liage. Had been there, indeed? Rath-
or he might haye>asked where else had
/ been that was sowcll remembered, or
came back so oftep,to my mind? Fool
ish, you will say, of course? i sup
pose il was. Consider that was only
twenty-four years old, and that there
was warm southern blood in my veins.
.Yes, sir" SAID, for the vision had
been only nomentmy; II was there for
nearly eighteen months"
"You know something of the place
and the people, then u suppose. Do you
speak Spanish"
speak Spanish?" This time it was
the soft liquid sounds OF a sweet
voice that seemed to ring family like
a far-off echo in my ear as 1 replied:
Eyes, i speak the language fairly well,
] believed"
The editor glanced at the letter which
lay open on the table before hi. ."Gel.
Walker tells me you would be willing
10 take trip to the island again, on a
special mission. You have friends
among the revolutionary party, he
says"
"A good many, understand, as well
as in the capital itself"
Theeditor looked me over once more,
as II finally making up his mind as to
my suitability; he glanced once more at
the letter before him, and then, as IL he
had decided. he turned TO me with q
different expression on his face as he
said: well, / guess you ought to be
ubIe to do what we want, and, from
what the colonel says of you, fancy
you're the sort of man we want to do
it,"
The result of 1t was that, after an
hours Interview, left the Office of the
Universe under an engagement to pro-
coed to Cuba on board a small steamer
that was privately chartered for the
conveyance of warlike stores to the rev.
olutionary party in the island-in other
words, filibuster. / could have
wished for nothing better at the mo-
nient. As / have said already, i was
young. and. as have admitted, was
little hot-blo ,ded. The expedition had
oil the charms ornovelty and adventure
10 recommend il. / was to be well paid
for undertaking it. and il would at
least give me a chance of possibly be-
ing once more in Havana, and of paying
another visit to the white house which
In imagination had seen glistening
among the trees.
As left the office that afternoon,
seemed to my self 10 walk on air. The
day chanced to he q dull one, yet felt
tie warmth of tropical sunshine in
my blood. had really no time for
dreaming. however. as the opportunity
was one that might not soon occur
again, and Ind 10 be ready TO sail that
very night. Fortunately my own af-
fairs required int little arranging. To
collect and pack few necessaries of
my own., md 10 purchase a few that
were likely 10 b. needed on such an ex-
pedition. could easily be accomplished,
even in the short time at my disposal.
Before nine O'Clock. the hour named
by ms friend, the editor. found my
self travelling. bag in hand. walking
quickly throngh several waterside
streets unfamiliar TO me, which | had
been instructed would lead me TO tho
pier from which i was 10 start. IL was
raining slightly. End there werc few
people in the streets. fel., somehow,
as passed down the echoing sidewalk,
That this was fortunate. and found
myself glancing suspiciously from side
TO side. as / went. More than once /
felt inclined TO laugh at mysel. rs rec
cgnizcd how thoroughly | had entered
into the spirit of the part, ard, even
here in this great American city, was
rehearsirg the role of conspirator
against the authorities in Cuba.
! emerged from the narrow street nt
last, and could see the nlos;s OF vcs-
tcis looming up darkly in front. while
caught n glimpse Of dark water be-
tween. that moved slowly without a
sound in the shadow. 1 advanced a
few steps. pcering into the darkness
In search OF some one who might tell
me whether This wns Bcnsons wharf,
but the place appeared 10 be deserted.