The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1898-05-08

The man lies" murmureG one of the
officers
Bring hither the son of Jose Man
uel, was the next order.
With that another skeleton, young
one, stepped forward.
I am here, senior and l wrote the
note. That is all We two senior. I
wrote and my father ran. He was
stronger that day. than even my
younger bones"
The cCmmandant compressed his lips.
He turned to the sergeant and said:
AT sunset have these two men shot,
The two men merely spat upon the
ground. For them death evidently had
no terriers. As they were led away they
made the sign of the cross again and
again on their naked breasts. A hun
dred starving wretches followed them
in silence.
When we were again alone on the
balcony-a broad, square balcony it
was-the cOmmandant noticed my look
of inquiry.
The story can be briefly told" he
said. You are simply the witness of a
tragedy that had its beginning on this
very balcony one month ago I sent
word by the priest to lady in Havana,
an English lady, that we had 1000
starving people in this town. Could
she help us? Always generous, bene-
1icent, self-sacrificing, the lady re-
sponded in person. She came by the
coast steamer landed at broad noon,
traNersed the two miles over which you
came q few hours ago from the coast.
bringing with her seven ox-cart loads
of provisions, clothing and medicine.
With her came her. daughter young
girl just over from England. Their
charity was distributed from this very
balcony to the starving people. Out OF
1850 people, 1900 were given food and
clothing and medicine. She promised
the other half equal relief as soon &c
she could go to Havana and return
again with the stores. On the night be-
fore she was to leave u.s. the ladies and
gentlemen of the leading families here,
together with the officers of my staff,
proposed to give the good samaritans a
banquet. The proposal was accepted.
All gathered for the banquet on this
balcony. l draDed the front of the
house in Spanish colors, and hung out
all the available lamps. That illumi-
nation was our ruin. Thirty-four sat
down to dine. Only 80 lived through
the first course. OF a sudden a hail
storm of bullets was poured into our
midst. a bottle OF wine in front of me
flew into bits. Not whole plate or
whole glass was left. we sprang up
and fled into the house. Not all of US,
though. No. Three men-three of my
best officers-had fallen from their
chairs. dead. The other-O, Cod"
The commandante could not continue.
He made a gesture, indicating that 1
was to step into the house.
In his room he opened a huge ward
robe, took out a jacket, tiny coat,
such as might be worn by soldier boy.
The sleeves were loaded with the gold
lace and golden stars of a colonel in the
Spanish army. On the left side of this
jacket or coat was a ragged hole.
The bullet entered here" the COM
nandante said, sorrowfully. 1T pierced
her heart. The poor mother carried her
dead back to Havana. That is all
L understood. A fatal volley had been /
poured into that dinner party by insur- !
gents on the hilltops. The house was in I
the center of the town, and the ,amps !
Illuminating the Spanish colors, had +
rendered the balcony the best of tar /
gets. These Spanish officers and an in |
nccent young English girl, a Samari- (
tan, were murdered.
And by whom? BY the insurgents.
who We're guided to the hilltops by two
Of the very reconcentrados whom the
victims had saved that day from star
walton. One had written q note inform
ng the insurgents of the circumstances.
time and place of the BANQUET The
other had delivered the note to one of l.
the murderers. Father and son were
equally guilty Of ingratitude and
treachery. The discriminating note had i
been found on the dead body of the in
Surgent captain, carried into town by
the soldiers of Spain.
THE FINAL SCENE.