The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1898-08-14

Drok0 out MrB. Rousseau had implOred ne
husband to abandon the estate, saylnR thu
they would lose their lives az well as their PROF
erty. But he had replied that no had too niue
at stake. his standing in the community az we
as his property. and he would remain 1t wa
her picture that hung ON the wall in the othe
room. The risk and perils Of the war ha
proved too much for her. She fell III, and ha,
now been dead nine months. The silent plan,
was explained and the neglected garden.
The triumph OF the American arms increase,
rather than diminished the anxieties Of tn,
planter. He feared that II our soldiers wer
withdrawn chaos would reign In the PROVING,
and he would lose everything.
THIS MAJOR cAIIED A BRICK.
The commission got back from Santiago the
following afternoon. 1t was reported by the es
cort that the Spanish officers had spenta as mucl
time In drinking Cuban rum and talking will
their friends along the trail as in travelling
Soon after their return to San Luis Major Fer,
nandez called with elaborate politeness or
Lieut.. Miley. expressed regret that he should
have thought it his duty to obtain proof OF the
fall OF Santiago. and said he would be ready In
the morning to arrange the details OF the sur
render and disarmament.
When the Americans rode into San Luis they
found a thriving town surrounded by fields Of
corn. melons. and potatoes. In the suburbs
there were many matched huts. but on the
principal streets adobe and frame and even
stone houses were to be seen. Major Fernan-
dez lived in a substantial house on the main
street. into which, with a low bow and O wave
OF his hand. he invited the officers and the cor
respondent. The Major was as punctilious and
kindly a Spanish gentleman as could be found
In Madrid. He was dressed neatly, his
lnnn Wnl NJ fha Hnauf and hfa honlo
were as white and small as a woman's. In the
garden back Of the Majors chair could be seen
an immense zinc bathtub freshly filled. Two
kittens. a white and a gray one, with red rib
bons around their necks, played in the path.
and a black poodle with its tail curled over it's
back strayed in and out during the negotia-
tons. ut which the Majors wife was present in
deshabille. Sometimes she prompted the
Major, and he acknowledged her remarks with
n bend OF his head and a pleasant CLINT in his
big brown eyes. The Majors two little
boys, each with n Madonna child face.
sat in chairs listening, or by his side,
when he patted their heads aff~ectionately.
Once the mother came and kissed the elder
boy quietly. The younger hustled the poodle
dog away when he shifted at Lieut.. Miley's
boots. A canary sang sbrilly during some OF
the Majors grandiloouent little speeches. Rum
80 AN AASSSt NhNN - DiASA
and bitter. were passed around. The boi polloi
OF San Luis hung over the ratings OF the
veranda and were driven off when the troubled
but ever polite officer aroused himself from the
state OF semi-stupefaction into which the sur
render had thrown him. All the Americans
sorry for the Major, he was such a brick.
Lieut.. Miley, having received the Majors
to a paper in which the Spaniards
agreed to submit and give up their arms. de-
cided to press on to Palma Soriano. which was
said to be q hotbed Of loyalty. II was not in
the Majors military district, and he warned
Lieut.. Miley that he must expect trouble from
the garrison. He had heard that tho volun-
tcers and guerrillas Of Palma Soriano were a
hard lot. and had boosted that they would fire
on the American column. The Lieutenant
pleasantly at the warning. and said he
thought there was no danger. Palma Sori-
ano was twelve miles away. The trooper
with the white flag rode 800 yards in the lead.
Then came one troop of cavalry. the other hav-
ing been left in camp near San Luis. and the
mule train brought up the rear. Last
all sorts and conditions OF people who
to go to Palma Soriano and were glad
to avail themselves of the protection of our
cavalrymen.
Half a mile from the village OF Conception.
near a sharp turn in the road, the column was
halted. Even the white flag came to a stand
still. Word had been brought that the Span
in the Conception blockhouse would
surely fire on the Americans il they should adj
vance any further. Capt. Ramus and another
Spanish officer. whom Major Fernandez had
detailed to act as an intermediary. were sent
on. In half an hour they returned to say that
the Americans could go into camp at Concep-
cion for the night, but until a palaver had been
held must not enter Palma Soriano as an armed
body. Tho Mayor OF Conception. an old negro
and a great parsonage who had managed to
live in amity with both Sides. selected a slope
for the camp and hurried of some OF his sub
lects to bring water for the oldiers from the
Cauto River.
PALMA soRIANo's LOYALTY.
Before supper Lieut.. Miley and Mr.. Mendoza
rode into Palma Soriano. whose housetops
could be seen from Conception, to pay their re-
spects to the officer in command. Major Ro-
mualdo Garcia, and THE SUN correspondent
went with them. There was no doubt OF
Palma's loyalty. The whole town turned out,
soldiers and civilians, women. small boys, and
and swarmed in the streets like a rab-
at the heels of the horses. Now and then
r hiss could be heard. and there were
many Rlowering faces. Palma Soriano did not
AXE kindly to the idea Of surrendering: at least
he volunteers and guerrillas who had the pri-
Tate vengeance of the Cubans to fear did not.
The regulars. officers and men. who had not
been paid for a twelvemonth and were sick OF
war. were not much averse to laying down
arms. although the unexpectedness of
he demand hurt their pride.
Major Garcia was n man Of different stamp
rom Fernandez-he was an ~uneducated SOL
who had risen from the ranks. but having
been a grocer's boy in his youth. and later a
partner In the business. he was a man OF more
than the commandant at San Luis. 1t
vas agreed that the volunteers and guerrillas
should be paroled in the morning and that the
300 strong, should march with their
lrms to San Luis and there give them up.
Lieut.. Miley was back in town soon after sun
Use. and the real negotiations began. It was
lot all plain sailing, both the Lieutenant and
dr. Mendoza having to exercise the greatest
act and to listen patiently to long haranKues
bout details that only children and Spaniards
would haggle over. But the thing was lone at
asst. Major Fernandez had to be seen again
It San Luis. and he distinguished himself by
-Ii