The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1897-03-14

lcges. You arc not at 10 command men. Down
TO tho ranks, afoot whore you belong, and b.
grateful II my soldiers condescend TO march
Den: Gomez is a disciple o; the Old French Car
such word as faii. For The man Who fails he las
no further use. Nor will hc listen TO excuses
III You have not succeeded, mnkc excuses to
y%oursclf; | have no time to listen to them"
He seldom invites counsel; he may listen to
opinions. hut lie invariably acts upon his own
Judgment, and no man living knows his plans
for the morrow. He 10 crratic In his marches.
and may order IA halt or AN advance at amy hour
OF the day or NIGHT.
Gcn. Gomez il cxncting in his requirement, Of
younger officers. bat mo- /. generous in his praise
world as !, man of iron. beneath his mask 81
s%tcrnrcss hcais q heart as tcndcr US Il woman.
He worShiucl MART, as one inspired. The trust
placed IN his hands by the dead mtr,yr is to him
more sacrcn Than anlth,nF Else ~ earth.
wao his right hand. ha,cp .could COT. prchcnd
t]ionicz,,s plans anl execute his, Orders through =
Those two leaders never misunderstood each
othcr. Tho shadow OF a personal %jralcus" never
crossed their liycs. Gomez derived far more
plc.sury from Mocoo's. successes than did the
victor himself. one of the siddcst hours OF his
liiir VA. when the. news was brought hiin of the
death OF this patriot brother. who know no fear,
and q; the son whom he loved better than life.
Tho Old Commandcr.in.chie IL equally fond
Of tIliNtn uuctiu. On returning from The
"Oricnt",', after accompanying Gen. Garcia In
his triumpial march through the !lo!guin dis.
in the province ~ Camngucy. lie asked many
questions. in regard to Garcia's strength ami
viapr. and when assured oi G'rcia,s health and
desire TO once more embrace him in "tuhn
cycs. '..Ah, he sighed. with ,d3y,o and
plenty OF cartridges Wr could soon free cuba
These two old. veterans of the tri.ycHr-' y.iT
NJ" exact o%proIit's IN arrcarancc and in, tenn.
desire. They both i've Tor one purpose alone.
! The freedom, OF their beloved country. and thc
future 81 cuba is today IN heir hands.
Gen. GOmcZS weakness. IL such IL would be
called. was his love FOR hi. srn Francisco. To
hi, father aud friends he was known u. Pan.
chito.' 4 dozen times u day Gen. Gomez would
turn The topic Of conversation to Ina beloved boy.
! Tho po--ihlc recognition Of hc.'!gcrrncy did not
interest him ,h.nlf 50 much as ,whgthcr " Pan
so with yUu to the theatres hid hr tell YOU Of
The paper he l. ed ing IN Monte Cristoi Are hJs
eyes as briEht and his face Hs brown as of old !
lie his not forgotten his. English! Tell me NJ
him and yon are my friend.
And whom The writer told ihc iicncrrl OF his
sons one grcS; dcsi.r to join his father and help
lglit. lnr Cuba. the old man .;rcw sad and silent.
sun ,cicnt ,'nur"gc 10 40 !;t,n hii lie knowing that
my boy breast Is cNi oecd 10 she bullets oi ih"
spsniirds. II he should fall in my sight It m b
unncrvc me: II 'pancl!to mus conc To this
island. Jet /, he to light with ten. N!,co or
some ,othcr force, than mine, Fac tccrccd
Although Gen. Gomez ,~nnfcSscs 20 ~ years. IL
ia hard to believe him more than 40. IIcis about
. feet q inches In height and straight a. an
arrow, with u slender. strongly knit frame. The
ball which passed through his leg a year ago has
caused him hut very little trouble. The glance
from his keen, penetrating eyes will make a
guilty man feel very uncomfortable Gen.
Gomez il seldom. seen in rcrosc or absorbed in
deep thought. The restless. wary look Of the
quiet or peaceful may be- the surround
ing-. HIS bearing IL seldom impressive, bu; a
strange. unaccountablc magnetism seems IA
cniarntc from this remarkable little man nj all
courage into tho hearts OF towards and Inakr-
the Culprit trcnIhle in spite OF himself. He Is =
man 81 moods. When, in 2 happy frame ~ mind
he viii lo"S you straight in the face and list"i
quietly 20 what you may have. to say. but IL an
noyrd his glance "a 70 one .iic and down. Ill,
hrows Knit and the point % his neatly trimmed
irCn-ray beard receives a peculiar pctIl.n,
beating from his restless. right hand. d OIL;
hear YOU he will say. But when cncoun'crr,
retire with Is little delay a. courtesy will permit
| pon tHc possible recognition OF Cuban mel
l. most sensitive. &C. have forbidden the Discus
sion II that topic in my camp be once said I,
reason we thought. that your great aud glo-iou'
republic would show a little consideration, II moi
n mos; pTs5 !i"sssv Of ali tppo s1p'f liberty S.r..SiB" @i % v%' h sn1.
long ago abandoned the hope. We realize fully
that no matter how uneven the contest VIC mus
hight II out alone. | want my officers 10 under
stand the situation. To expect only death, and {,
rely on nothing. hut our own individual effort
to free this unfortunate island from the CrIe
grip of SPAIN
The occasional illusions TO Gomez as an al
most unjust and unfounded. No man ever hci,
a cause more sacrcdly at heart. There IL N,
hardship. no exposure, no danger which he doe
no, willingly share with the commonest sUldie
In his army.
The poinp and glitter OF rank have no charm
In Comes eyes. Two small gold stars on ia,
collar %! his dark blue sack coat alone indiCAi,
that hc IL tommandcr.in-Chief of the 80 Army o
Liberation His gray trousers are much ia,
wor-" for wear, and a vest minus two or three
buttons partially covers a flannel ntgl.gc shirt
laced al the neck with "A small blue silk cord
som" fair fingers have worked a little tracing q
autumn leaves down the front OF the iawn-Col
Orcd shirt.
Twelve years Of this mans life have beer
given 10 free an oppressed people. II fate spare
him to witness the Independence OF Cuba, Come;
will ask Tor no greater reward.