The herald., 1898-03-13

face Of the Spanish volunteers-un-
trained and weakened from marching
through swamps-the Insurgents would
raise their machetes in the air, and
with the cry of liberty upon their lips,
tears streaming from their eyes in
the desperate realization of their posi-
tion-they would charge, a-horse and
a-foot, up to the very muzzles of the
Spanish muskets, carrying all before
them in the fury of the charge, hewing
down the volunteers like sugar cane.
One night Jose told me that his faith
er had sent a message saying that he
had been so near Havana the night be-
fore that he had set his watch by the
evening bells. And l am going to see
him tomorrow" he said, and showed
me the letter, written in Spanish, that
had come from the field appealing for
aid from the city,-especially asking
for ammunition.
The next day Jose took a load of
fruit out toward Mantanzas. The mule
moved slower than ever under his pam
niers, for they were filled with car
tridges. It was long afterwards that I
heard the boys story. Towards night
fall, when he had nearly reached the
Insurgents camp, the tired little beast
refused to proceed further under it's
heavy pack in spite of persuasion and
even blows. Jose loosened the bags
from the mules back and slung them
over his own shoulder. Where before
he had been only a peasant peddler, he
was now suspicious looking person,
and was sure to be detected if he was
seen by any one. He stumbled on in
the darkness, realizing his DANGER but
determined to reach his father. He fell
many times in that journey; his cloth
Ing was torn from his tired legs, but
he plodded on until a sentrys challenge
rang out somewhere III the night. Then
he started to run, still carrying that
heavy load; but two shots whizzed af-
ter him, one striking his shoulder. Ee
hid behind rocks by the roadside until
the lazy, half drunken Spanish sentries
had ridden away; then he started on
again.
He reached the campfire of the In
surgent detachment, where his father
waited his coming, and fell forward at
the feet Of the surprised men, whisper
ing that he had brought the bullets
and the loaves of white bread that his
mother had sent, and a flask of red
wine. The boy died two days later, his
wound inflaming and fever setting in as
a result of that terrible journey
through the marshes.
Hueda Hernandez was one of the girl
victims of the war. She was only eleven
years old, and lived at Cardenas. She
was playing one day with some other
children, when a stranger approached
and asked her to carry a package to
some one in the town. The little one
innocently consented, and was on her
way to the house indicated when she
was arrested and the package seized.
1t happened to contain letters from an
Insurrecto to woman relative Hueda
was charged with conspiracy against
the Government, and was cast into a
foul prison. I do not know her ulti-
mate fate.
The children of Cuba have suffered
by this awful war as never children
have before. War devastates homes
and leaves hearthstones desolate in all
cases, but this has been q war of ex-
termination. In the children of Cuba
Spain sees another generation Of
Cubans, even stronger in their patriot
ism than their fathers who have
gladly given their lives in the cause Of
liberty.
And so it is that the children of Cuba
have gone upon the battle field to fight
with their fathers. In the wonderful
war that the Cubans have waged, hold
Ing their island in the face of an army
three times their size, the child war
riors have played an important part
Their innocent lives have been added
to that vast altar upon which SO MANY
lives have been offered as a sacrifice,
KATE MASTERSON.
Copvrirht 1893 hv RachAIJar Cvod;oo+o