Evening star., 1898-07-30
How He Was Lionized in Madrid and
Cadiz.
A GUEST ON CAAARA'S FLEET
All the Time He Was Collecting
Valuable information.
INTERESTING IF TRU E

Gibraltar Correspondence of the London News.
The following story from Cadiz throws
an interesting sideltght on the Spanish
American war. 1t ought to be interesting
and instructive to Spanish we'll as 10
English readers. My description of the
hero is given from personal acquaintance
About six or seven weeks ago there ar
rived in Madrid a wealthy Mexican gem
tlemau. His speech, manner and dress
showed him to belong to that class of
wealthy and aristocratic Spanish-Ameri-
cans that travels about Spain much in the
luxurio Is style of English noblemen of
the last century making the grand tour of
the continent, ie., accompanied by cour-
iers, hiring whole suites of rooms at ho-
tells, sending presents to prime donne
spelling servants with their largesses, and
III short, throwing their money broadcast
An "Americano'-a Spanish-American-is
looked upon in Spain much in the same
manner as Milford was looked upon
in France last century. People admire him
fer his wealth-:eal or apDarent-and at
the same time look upon him a pigeon
10 be plucked, and despfse him accordingly.
Wei. SCnor Fernandez del Campo tas
shall call him) came TO Madrid just after
the war broke out and hired a suite of
rooms the first floor N The first hotel
of the Spanish capital. He was soon a
great favorite in society, and was known,
drawing room. He was a man of about
thirty-seven, good looking, a typical Span
lard. with oval face, raven black nair
thick black muStache, black sparkling
eyes and firm chin and lips, showing char
aCter and determination.
The Mexican minister TO Madrid vowed
that he had never heard of Fernandez del
Campo. But who viii believe that the
Mexican minister was unacquainted at
least by name. with one of the largest
land owners in the state of Chihuahua
sri. Dr.
Ard on the part of the diplomatist is not
silence the highest elo4uence? Fernandez
himself replied to ailuSiOns to this subject
that he had no further object tnan TO write
his impressions of Spain in the "Etoile
Beige. But that was a little too thin
Fernandez replied tEat he knew French
as well as his native lsnguag@a fact 10
which can teStity-he having spent three
years as boy at the Lycee Napoleon, i'll
Paris But that no argument, because
ne spoke German equally well, and a Lon
don correspondent introduced to him at the
Casino found that he had learned English
srammaticaly, and with little practice
would soon become proficient.
A Mexican Alliance.
For the last fortnight rumors had been
afioat in Madrid about :. Mexican alliance
against the United St, .es. I was in Ma
drid at the time, and 1 remember reading
several nice articles on the subject One
OF the best was, IL nix. in the Imparcial.
The writer show that such an alliance
would be useful to Spain and Mexfco i,ut
chiefly 10 Mexico. IL was lust IS these
doctrines were rfpening IN the minds of the
AddTIienoS that Ferns ndez del CamDo
came among them lie did not stop lcng,
however, and after 4 few days he told
everybody that he would go to Cadiz
wnere there was something to see. Every
body N Madrid was very sorry. States
men called on Senor Fernandez ,le! ,'anno
with offers of introduCtions to the gov
ernor of CadiZ and the admiral in com
flah" OF the reserve squadron. The Mex
lCdn confidential envoy tfOr even that III
Tie was given HIM declined the introd1c-
tons rather haughtily. If the Duke de
NaJafd. he remarked, and Admiral Ca
5Iata want 10 see me they know where TO
IAN me- l shall be staying at the Hotel
Fernardez 1el Campo became the lion of
ss'lz- ihe day after his arrival major
Who sat next 10 him (by caance of
GoUrsel at table d'hote asked him whether
n Wouid Ike 10 see the governor Fernan-
1eZ Sald ne would be very happy and a
Few minutes later he was Comforting with
the Duke de Natara. You will find ca
diz dull place after Madrid. I'm afraid. -
remarked the duke; but We will do our
btst 10 show you everything. BY the way.
You would ike, of course. to see Admiral
Camard He told me he would be bapDy
10 see YOU You had better call on him
tomorrow morning" Some days after this
Admlral Camara called in uniform at the
Hotei De Paris and asked Fernandez del
Campo 10 dinner. MY dear admiral" said
Fernandez. 4 think you had better be my
guest lhls evening Very WELL" said Ad-
InlFal Camara, but only on condition that
you dlne with me this week. / will ask
s1me suitable company TO meet you"
Joke Fernandez.
This conversation took place in the hall
OF the Hotel de Paris, and was witnessed
ny an English newspaper correspondent.
Ine latter subsequently met Fernandez in
the reading ROOM but the Mexican. ike a
thorough gentleman, changed the conver-
sation the moment it referred to military
matters, Are YOU staying long In Cadiz,
Sen0r FernandeZ?' asked a naval officer
who sat beside the Mexican at Admiral Ga
mara table "A few days" was the reply
should like to see your squadron of. -
"A lew days exclaimed the officer: won
mean a few weeks. We cannot possibly be
ready before a month. and you NAV take
II mat We shall not sail from Cadiz before
SIX weeks Don't write that to the Etoile
Bc!ge. called out another officer and the
"Aele table laughed at this joke at Fer
nandez's expense.
lie is no more a newspaper correspon-
dt nj than | am. whispered a naval officer
who had just handed his card to Fernan-
dez del Campo. with invitation to honor
the Ofhcers Of the Rapido by dining on
nodrd w!tn them few days hence. Fer
nNndez remarked another, lis an officer
IN the Mexican army. and he may soon be
hShtlns in our camp against the Ameri-
cans / nave heard all about it from Ma
That night Fernandez challenged some OF
MS new friends to play and he lost a hun
dsed duros with them at monte Like a
tIue caba!lero, however, he bore his defeat
cheerfully- If his friends mentioned their
own day, he would entertain them to din.
ner and take a hand at cards with them
He played and lost again. and his guests
came 70 the conclusion that a Mexican. al
Ieast at cards, was no match for a Span.
lard The dinrer on board the Ranido
parsed on very gayly. Fernandez was
taken over this splendid fast steamer pur.
CHASED. you may remember. a few DAYS
PTIore the war from the Norddeutscher
Lloyd by the Spanish government Tbe
oihcers confessed they had some difficulty
managing such a leviathan. the Gerrnar n
engineers who took her out from Bremen
to Cadiz having refused the most tempting
oHers 10 remain on board during the war
she Is very high built remarked one of
FernandeZs friends, land We do not muct
Ike all that woodwork inside her n 3
shell were to touch Ter she would blaze mr.
like fireworks" But we hone" reuarLod
the officers, Ito keep the Yankees ar a dis
tance. Come and our quick firing
gCnS."