The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1898-05-03
KEY WEST THE SLEEPY
Continued from Sixth Page.)

Spanish type, with a lace Ike d pICluI C.
She assists her father in the school, teach
ing English and music to little girls and
bows. some of whom are too poor to buy
books and too proud to go barefoot, SO
the pastor tries to furnish both books and
shoes To JUL Denlofen Cuba libre is the
incentive Of her daily life
I'VE do not expect to make musicians
Of our pupils" the pastors daughter said
But we bought an old plano for $50, so
we COULD teach them patriotic songs as
well as hymns They know all about Cuba
Every day they pray for Cuba hbre-
At word from their poung teacher the
fifty little boys and girls dropped on their
knees and repeated in Spanish their pa
triotic plea for Cuba Iibre, followed by the
Lords prayer. Without wealth or worldly
influence the pastor and his pretty daugh-
ter are nevertheless Carrying on a great
work. With the Bible and the Cuban
nag they teach religion and love Of coun-
try. 1t is a neat little church building,
and in the adjoining ground is the pas
tors house-the first Cuban Protestant
parsonage ever ybuilt. In the rear of the
house is the school room.
MISS DENLOFENS STORY.
ct also help my father in church work"
said the young teacher. 1--WE have 200
members in our little church. All Cubans
are born Roman Catholics, you know.
But during the war Cuban men have left
their church. II is not just the war. 1t is
the cruelty of Spain in the starving of our
people, and so much cruelty, that drives
~
They do not go to church at all, so my
father persuades them TO come to US.
We found it so in Havana, and it is so
here. We have manw friends in the In
surgent army, and in every way we can
we help them. The young men know that
my father is their true friend, and / also.
l have avery, very dear friend in the
field He sent me his coat-all worn, you
know l would not dare tell how it came
to me, and you could never imagine what
/ did with it."
There was a little pause. Then with smil
ing frankness, she continued: 81 put the
coat one day, with the sash of stars, and
a hat with the Cuban star. Then had my
photograph taken and sent it to him. You
see it would help him to be true, and
brave and hopeful"
OF such is the inspiration given by Gu
ban girls to their ragged, barefoot in
surgent sweethearts, fighting for the indie
pendence of Cuba. In the pastors house
are dozens of photographs of young Gu
bans in the feld-young men of splendid
show the proud Castilan blood of Spain.
Hundreds of this class have gone from the
in the ragged, barefoot army of Maxine
Gomez. And it is this class of men who
will build up the free republic of Cuba.
SPANS FLAG NOT THERE.
So far as is known there is not Span
ish flag in Key Wst, though three are
four men here suspected of being Spanish
spies who are being carfully wathced.
Three month sage the Spanish CONSUL
departed on leave OF absence. turning
over the office to the vice consul, who ten
days ago quietly packed up and left for
New York. There had been for some time
mandez and the Key West people, who de-
clared, however, that the vice consul was
quite safe so long as he kept quiet. But
Senior Hernandez was not inclined to keep
quiet. On the contrary, he frequently re-
garded it his duty to defend General Wey-
ler's method of warfare-the eXtermina-
ton Of women and children by starva-
ton. The vice consul had been a Cuban
and married a Cuban for his wife, and
formerly ives engaged in the grocery bust
ness in Key West When-he became con-
verted to the support of Spanish sover-
eighty in Cuba he sold his grocery and
was appointed vice consul. Like most con
verts, he was extremely partisan. He
spoke English fiuently, and his previous
relations with Cubans rendered his SER
vices valuable, and he was soon practi-
cally at the head of the consulate, as the
consul spoke no English.
FLEET CAUSES A STIR.
After the fleet came there was naturally
much excitement and war talk in Key
West. Senior Hernandez ceased to defend
General Weyler's RECOMMENDATION meth
DDS but he insisted that Americans were
unjust to Spain in their estimate of the
Spanish rSople. One day the Spanish flag
was hauled down, as usual, at sunset and
the same evening the vice conul left Key
West for New York. Few people knew OF
his departure until the next day, when,
much to the surprise Of all Key West,
big American flag and a Cuban flag were
flying from the Spanish pole that Senior
Hernandez had neglected to take down. 1t
was then discovered that everything had
been removed, leaving the rooms bare Of
furniture and official papers.
The most prominent and well-known in
stitution of learning in Key West is the
convent of Mary Immaculate, where a
school of 300 pupils is conducted by the
Sisters of the Holy Name. The convent
building is a picturesque structure of
stone, with broad piazas on every side and
surrounded by beautiful grounds. The
rooms are large and airy. and the first
floor may be thrown into one hall the
entire length of the building. From the
apper story there is a magnificent sea view
around the whole island.
CONVENT AS y HOSPITAL.
About a fortnight ago the mother supe-
rior formally offered the convent to the
government for a hospital and the ser
vices Of herself and the sisters as nurses
in the event 0; war between she United
States and Spain. The offer was made by
the mother superior in a personal call on
Captain Forsyth, who informed Captain
sampson. in command of the feet, through
q formal note. Captain SIMPSONS reply
was one Of acceptance, in case hospitals
should be needed. and expressing Tor his
officers and men their appreciation OF the
generous offer of the sisters. Whatever
arrangements the government may be
compelled 10 make II regard 10 hospitals
al Key West, there could be nothing in
location equal TO The convent. and no tenn
porary building could be comparable w.,h
this in comfort and being eooi. because of
the thick stene w&,ls ard the thoroughly