The evening times., 1898-06-24

In less than twenty-five years from this
time there was not a wild peacock about
Santiago. But the gardens were filled
with them, and at the lattices the cring-
ing poor or the idle soldiery might stand
and watch their unfolding beauty. Natu-
rally it followed that in land where
native birds are few and not of brilliant
color the popular mind centered its inter-
est in bird life on the confined peacocks.
Then, too there was something in the
gorgeousnass of that bird that spoke of
the Spain that a Spaniard always dreams
of speaks of. writes of but never creates.
Simple folk began to weave tales among
themselves about the bird. In time they
consulted Ii as they would oracle.
Should simple fisherman be SO fortunate
in pa ssing the gardenway of a grandee as
to catch a glimpse of a pied or white pea
cock his catch at the next throw OF the
net would certainly be thrice what Ii had
ever been before. If it was not. the rare
white peacock was not to blame. but
some evil spirit of the sea. Was father
or sweetheart toiiing life away in the
cursed copper hole OF El Cobre. up there
by the Maestro range. the Haunting of
such and such a peacock's tail on such
and such a saints day meant bis freedom
in a twelvemOnth
Did male bird, with deep, lustrous
blue upper wings and golden green about
the neck savagely attack his grayish
white mate on the bright dawn of n holy
day then evil betide him who did not i'm
medately pray. If prayer were offered
at once then harm could not come of the
vixen spitework of the proud male bird.
. A Thousand and one things were invent
ed as the years passed to give the bird a
higher standing in the minds of the peo-
pie. Idle jest did part of it, design on the
part of those who control by superstitious
aid Father passed the tales to his child
and child to his child, and so on down
through the generations until fable
seemed to become fact. The peacocks Of
Santiago seemed to become portentious
powers capable OF overthrowing all the
effort Of man il not properly consulted
and rightly needed when giving warning.
The discordant, ear-splitting cry of these
vain birds became a song, their tail feath-
ers panoply of divine beauty. All this
In four centuries. while Santiago de Cuba
was rising to the doom of today.
The beaux of Santiago WOO with pea
cocks feather In their hand. so light
thing is love there. The bellies hide
glances of affection behind the glitter of
a peacock fan. SO slight thing may
blind warm eyes. Curious. though. the
native Cubans. the men with Garcia at
Manzanillo thirty years ago. with
Gomez today. have no love for the
found in the Spanish blood on the island.
The native of Cuba. when the son of CO.
iumbus came to the island. worshiped the
sun and the stars and believed in a Su-
preme Being The emblem Of the native
Cuban. wherever in four centuries one
has been used. has been star. some
times Increased in size until 1t resembIed
sun. In strange 'contradistinction the
emblem of the Spaniard or Santiago de
Cuba is a peacock.
Cervera at bay in the harbor of San
tiago. the gunners back of the ruined
forts. the soldiery battling with the in
surgents. can hear with little effort the
call of the peacocks of Santiago, can lin
ger in the sunshine by the flowery gar
dens and see an iridescent fash In the
heat of the afternoon. In that there may
be comfort. but for once and all time
the day Of the sacred bird of the Inflated
city Is drawing to an end. The star of
Cubra Libre is rising above the gleam of
the peacock's feathers.