The Prince George's enquirer and southern Maryland advertiser. (Upper Marlborough, Md.) 1882-1925, 1897-01-15
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Imply against the wall, hardly daring
to believe his ears, and looking about
with vacant eyes.
A scantily-clad, sun-browned peas
ant woman crept softly forward, and
throwing herself down on the scorch-
ing stones, rocked to and fro over a
crimson-stained face which lay still
white upon her lap, and answered
neither word nor sign to her despairing
cries and bitter tears.
A priest came out of the shadowy
doorway, and, touching her shoulder,
lifted the woman gently to her feet,
while procession of dark-robed cler-
les carried their silent burdens away,
the crowd opening up and standing
bareheaded as they passed; and Mar
shall shivered as a woman's piercing
shrieks rang in his ears
Presently the distant sound of
marching feet rose from the streets be-
yond, drawing steadily nearer and
nearer, to running accompaniment
of Tpos! and shouts of delight, until
it swelled into the measured tramp,
tramp" of large battalion, mingled
with the clash of steel sheaths and the
jingle of arms.
At last the enthusiastic mob split
up, and, amid bursts of cheering, the
head of the insurgent column swung
into the Plaza through rolling cloud
Of dust. On they came, four by four,
and company by company, swarthy,
sun-scorched men, ragged and latter
cd, powdered with dust and grimed
with smoke line after line of broad
brimmed Panama hats and red sashes
defiling out of the narrow streets and,
as the ragged companies wheeled into
line across the broad Plaza, the Amer
lean could hardly repress smile at
the curious collection of arms. Some
carried Winchester repeaters, some
Spanish military rifles, others breech-
loading shot-guns or single-barrel muz-
zle-loaders; while a few had nothing
but big cavalry sabre belted round
their waist. The journalist knew
however, that, although appearances
were by no means in their favor, this
same battalion had beaten the best of
the Spanish troops in the open field.
Meantime there was pandemonium
of laughing, shouting, and cheering,
for, with true Spanish versatility, the
feelings of the citizens had changed
from horror and hatred to the widest
merriment and enthusiasm. An eager
crowd drove forward along the face of
the line, thrusting punches of luscious
fruit and vases of wine before them, as
they struggled to be first with their
gifts; and poor peon laborers gayly
invested ther last centimo in capitas
de cana, and only laughed when the
swaying of the mob spilled the liquor
from the quaint cylindrical glasses be-
fore they could reach the side of the
thirsty soldiers.
At last the leader, with his toes
sticking through the end of his worn.
out shoes, strobe forward, pushing
aside the enthusiastic group who
forced their gifts and attentions on La
Costa and the American, grasped Their
hands, saying: Comrades l salute
you," and caught the insurgent in his
arms. Afterwards the journalist was
heartily glad to withdraw with him
for rest and shade into the cool patio
of the alcalde's house, that worthy
having been elected with scant cere
mony.
That night banquet was spread
beneath the broad leaves of the ba
nanas in the patio, and, though there
was not much to eat,-there never is
in the track of marching troops,-thert
was abundance of wine, the splash Of
fountains, and the scent of jasmine ant
heliotrope. La Costa and the Amer
lean occupied the place of honor, but
amid all the wild merriment, til,
shrieks of the poor peasant woman, a:
she saw her murdered husband carried
away, rang in Marshall's ear; and h,
shuddcred at the ruddy wine, for hi:
nerves were shaken, and the ghastly
scene in the Plaza rose up before hin
in all its grim details. 1t does so YET
at times, in the silent watches of the
night.