The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1898-05-15
HER LIFE FOR CUBA.
ROMANTIC STORY OF MARIE nEvAs,
A MODERN JOAN OF ARC.

Deau w ME LeuuluS ~ r1Rht
Against the Troops of spain.
From the Chicago Inter-Oeean. 4
Marie Rivas. a pretty Cuban girl died a
martyr to the cause of cuba, and her grave
upon the sloping side of one Of the range
of hills in the interior of the island Is
marked by a small fence. The Enclosure is /
sacred to the memory of a girl who died
on the field of battle, leading her country
men. fighting for liberty and freedom from
Spanish rule and tyranny
known in the ranks of the Cuban patriots
as Antonio Rivas, this girl for more than
six months prior to her death braved all
the hardships, and exposure Incidental to
soldiers life, and 1t was not until her mu-
tilated body was about to be cast into a
trench for burial that her sex was dlscov-
cred. Although cold in death she retained
firm grasp upon the Cuban flag which
she had wrapped around her body. It was
this which led to the discovery of her sex
| and the consignment of her body to a
grave by itself overlooking the field of car
mage where she had given up her young
life.
| A little over two years ago Felix Rivas
and his son. Macmillan, joined the Lnsur-
| gents. The wife and mother, with two
| daughters, Marie and Isabelle, were left to
| take care of the small plantation and the
| half dozen slaves which were on 1t. 1t was
| ample 10 afford the family a comfortabl
existence. They raised tobacco on the PLAN
| tatioh and when they were all at home
their united attention was given to cigar
| making, the product being sold to one of
the largest exporting houses in Havana.
The prolongation of the war, and the ar
/ bitrary acts of Gen. Weyler, were left in
| the quiet home of the Rivas. One after
| noon as all We're working In one of the
| tobacco sheds a squadron of Spanish cav
| airy swooped down upon them, and, with
| out the slightest provocation, shot down
| the slaves and the mother of the two girls.
| Alone, without friends, those with whom
| they had been brought up dead at their feet
| and fate of father and brother unknown,
| their home and all that they possessed in
| the world in ashes before their eyes, the
two girls fled from the scene of horror and
desolation and made their way to the
coast where they were given passage to
the United States on the tug Dauntless,
| that had landed munitions of war for the
| patriots. All they took with them was the
| few scant garments they wore. Fortunate
| ly, they fell into the hands of friends and
wanted for nothing. When the girls told
of the dastardly outrage that they had
been subjected to at the hands of the hire
| lings of Gen. Weyler, a number of insur-
| gents made their way to the scene of car
mage and buried the dead that were left
| behind.
1t was just such scenes as this that
brought death and desolation to thousands
| of unprotected, defenseless women, chill
dren and slaves throughout the entire
island. Not hamlet or village escaped,
unless il were protected by band of pa
triots. and then in many instances these
were forced to retreat leaving women ind
children at the mercy of the military lri-
gands.
A year ago Marie and her sister left
New York for Cuba. Prior to their de
parture Marie had expressed her determi-
nation TO return TO her home and be of
such assistance as she could to those of
her -countrynen who were in the field fight
ing. One obstacle confronted them. They
both knew that if they were to return as
they We're, they would be recognized and
deported at once or sent to one of the Ha-
vana prisons. So, disguised as boys, they
started on their journey. When they ar
rived in Havana they were closely scru-
tinized by the customs officials and would
have been denied a landing had not the
captain of the steamer vouched for them
10 the authorities and the police The
|
to lend them every possible assistance, ard
he explained to the Spanish officials that
they were, boys who had taken the pas
sage lust for adventure, and would accom-
pany him on his return voyage. With this
assurance they We're given the freedom OF
Havana. They did not larry in the city
long, however. The insurgents held Glen
fugos and the girls made their way there
4 without delay, in hopes that they would
,Nf heir faf l1sal~ or h
err The same night they left Havana SIS
laborers bound for one of the banana plan
tations of Santiago.
| Once across the line of the trocha and
past the Spanish outposts, the girls felt
safe. They left the railroad at a small
station twelve miles from Alvarez, and,
tramping across the hills, once more View
ed the scene of desolation that marked the
home of their childhood. While crossing
the hills they frequently met small de-
tachments of insurgents. They were I'M
molested on their way, as they explained
that they were in search of their father
and brother, who We're patriots under Col
Nunez They were advised not to 80
across the hill into Alvarez, as 1t was held
by Spanish troops that had been defeated
on the hill the day before, and for them
TO go into the enemy's camp would mean
almost certain arrest and Imprisonment.
They refused to listen, and when they
reached the station at the crest Of the
hill they were taken in charge by Mai.
Cayaris, one of Gen. Maceo's officers. 1t
was explained to them that it would be
worse than folly for them 20 proceed on
their Journey. Isabelle was sent to Sagua
la Grande, while Marie, or Antonio, as she
called herself, was sent to the next val
ley, where the command Of Col Nunez was
in camp.
Marie reached the camp in safety. When
she made known the object of her visit TO
Col. Nunez he said under the impression
that he was actually talking to a boy,
Antonio, your father is perhaps dead. He
was taken prisoner and sent TO one of the
prisons in Havana. Your brother is some
where in the valley fighting for Cuba"
She changed her garb and made her way
TO the small town of Riz, where she chang
ed her attire and took the train back to
Havana. She was not recognized and
went direct TO the prison pen at Moro
Castle, where she asked for her father. To
her unspeakable horror she was informed
that her father had died of fever. This
the girl knew was but a subterfuge to
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