The Cook County herald. [volume] (Grand Marais, Minn.) 1893-1909, 1897-01-09
L0ve's Sacrifice.

slow, measured tread OF the sentinels
The silence Of the Eight vas suddenly
disturbed by the sound Of step ap
preaching. The sentinel called:
Halt! Who goes there?'
! Friend" answered a voice, giving
the countersign.
The sentinel lowered his musket and
allowed the newcomer to pass. The
! lieutenant, for sIch was, his rank,
/ passed on to the colonel's headquar-
i tiers to report the success Of a danger
I GUS mission. AS the light fell on hin,
/ it disclosed the features Of a young
man whose face Impressed an observ-
er as that Of person possessed Of a
determined character and 6 noble ma
| ture.
After giving his report he retired to
his tent, to be awakened in a few
hours by 4 merry voice, exclaiming:
! "Hola, Enrique, what joy to see
thee safe! Now tell me all the news"
The lieutenant graspe,l cordially the
hand Of the young man who addressed
him and said:
II am very glad to see you Ricardo,
for am sad at heart
"Unburden your heart to me, dear
comrade," said Ricardo.
Enrique answered by relating the
following:
"Six months ago, when sent on a
, dangerous mission to Cienfuegos, l
was introduced to a beautiful Cuban
girl, Juanita Gomez, the daughter Of a
merchant who remained true to Spain.
Surprising she shared her fathers sent
iments, sought every opportunity to
see her, for I was madN in love.
Finally I declared myself, but she re.
fused me, saying she would rather die
than wed an enemy Of her beloved
Cuba; she further assured me that she
was betrothed to a captain in the in
surgent army.
"You can imagine my anguish; life
seems unendurable; for this reason, I
have sought death in every engage
ment and begged permission to per-
form the most dangerous services l
am an orphan, and no one will grieve
at my DEATH" e..
Afer a few moments Enrique said,
to change the conversation:
"Oh, Ricardo, how unjust the world
is! Some nations, although considered
friendly to us. still seem to have all
their sympathies for the Cuban rebels,
not any, or very little, for the Span
iards, who deserve it fully as much.
We are here, far from our beloved
country, breathing pestilential at
mosphere, our numbers decreasing by
yellow fever and other diseases; sur
rounded by enemies who will seldom
meet us in open warfare. We never
know when some treacherous bullet
from an unexpected quarter will end
our lives, not as we desire, but as the
victims of hidden shots. - 49,
"How many mothers in far-off,
beautiful Spain will forever mourn the
loss Of perhaps an only son, without
even the consolation of 8 grave to Wis
it and weep over We also deserve
the. worlds sympathy as human be-
ings, irrespective Of difference Of opin-
ions. Spain, once so powerful, is now
In great trouble. and it does no nation
honor to strike the unfortunate
Ricardo was about to reply, when
ne heard some unusual commotion,
and, on seeking the cause, saw a
young and handsome man, travel
stained and weary, who said that he
had just escaped from tie insurgents,
who held his bco1hers as prisoners.
He wished to join the Spanish army
and avenge the capture Of his BROTH
ers. 1t could be seen that he was a
gentleman, and he was readily be-
Heved.
The next morning when all were as
genlbled it was discovered that the
young stranger was missing. and it
was at once surmised that he was a
Cuban spy. This caused the greatest
anxiety, as they knew that their
position and number Of men would be
communicated to the eremy. ~
Before the day was over they We're
attacked by the Insurgents, who found
them. however, well prepared. The
Spanish army was victorious and took
a number of prisoners, among them
being the young stranger Of the day
before. He wore captains epaulets,
and his pallid face showed that he
realized his fate.
He was kept closely guarded, and
the next day was condemned to be
shot at sunset. ~
Some time before the hour set for
an orderly who said that lady de-
sired to see him. He gave orders to
have her brought to his tent land
= WucA SIG dppcdIcu, ulSCOFelcu ludL IL
was his beloved Juanita, the beautiful
Cuban girl.
When she saw him she clasped her
hands and, with tears of agony run
ming down her checks, implored him
to intercede for her lover, Capt. Bar
rera. She said that if his love was
really true and disi7terested lie could
prove it now by this noble deed. En-
riQue's face turned white as death at
her words, and he answered:
"Senorita, would give my life to
serve you, but what you ask is almost
impossible, and / have no power to
alter the sentence; still, promise you
to do what I cam
Juanita grasped his hand in graft
tude and left the place consoIed.
After she had left Enrique sat with
bowed head deep in thought. Sudden
" he jumped up with a, look Of deter
mination, and then sat down again,
and wrote two letters.
At sunset Capt Barrera was brought
4 n11t and nlaced in DOSitiOn to meet his