The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1898-06-08
SENT OFF TO CUBA.
Spanish Recruits Marched OFF With
out Heart-Sad scenes in Seville.


From To-day.
The great tragedy of the war In Cuba
and the quarrel between America and
Spain has an interest for all people, but
it has particular claim upon me, because
| in the days when the war was still young.
and the hopes of its speedy ending were
very strong, 1 paid long visit to the
south of Spain. There 1 had the point of
| view Of the people themselves, and in all
truth l can say that the lower classes did
not seem TO care much about Cuba though
they did care about the war. Of Havana
they knew little or nothing, but their sons
We're being taken from them to feed the
feVer and the cannon, and on this ac-
| count the hearts of the people were ach-
ing. 1t was very fine to talk about glory
in the cafes of the towns and the ventas
| by the countryside. 1t was altogether
| different to be called away from home
and leave parents, sisters and sweethearts
| for marshy district, where the fever
came and struck down men by the scores
where food was scarce and lodgings We're
| scarcer, Where the foes were not 10 be
| met IN the open, but came stealthily, and
| IN small parties, to fight, to kill and dis
| appear into the silence of the hills, where
| men who do not know the country could
| not follow. Let there be no mistake. the
| 81 CoASl part VI the men VINO went OuI to
cuba we'll knew that their chances of com
| ing back was very remote They had to
give up the happy, idle life so full of wine
women and song, and go and fight people
| who were patriots striving for freedom
| and 1t is not to be wondered that they
went without much heart, although they
| marched erect along the plazas to the
sound of the Spanish national anthem. and
| did not complain at being called from life
| to death. My notebook records many sad
| scenes of which I was a spectator in 1894
| and 1885, they are written even more in
delibly on my memory.
From these many sad scenes I recall
| but one | was in Seville where one rises
! early, because after II o'clock comes "the
| hours of fire" when a man who faces
| the sun risks a stroke. It could not have
| been later than a. I'm. on a splendid e!ay
| in June, but | was out strolling along
| the Plaza de San Fernando, and thinking
| how good 1t was to be alive and that if
! paradise were half as fine as Seville l
would be content to be very good indeed
| in order to deserve a place there. On a
! sudden I noticed that the square was MA
| ing very rapidly for the most part with
~old people that the women We're CRYING.
| that the men looked very sad. Then
| heard distant music! it became distinct
and a tramp of many feet came nearer
| and nearer, until a large company Of
| young recruits, preceded by a brass band.
| entered the square in marching order
| The women dried their eyes, there was
| some attempted enthusiasm but it was
| not a very great success. From the seat
| on which l stood l caught a good view
| of the recruits. They were a nice healthy
| lot of boys none of them, apparently
| much out of their teens, some few not
| very long in them. One two of the
| very youngest seemed to be rather sad.
| They held themselves bravely and looked
\ TO-.
and at the waving handkerchief, as though
to catch a last long glimpse al some be-
| loved face There was no cowardice; in
fact, they were fine, brave set of boys,
! perfectly prepared to do and to die. hut
| the sadness of the scene was sometimes
to remember always. They were not in
the square three minutes, and then had
all passed on their way to the station,
from which they would take train to Ca
diz, where the transport ships were wait
ing to take them TO the death without
glory that awaited them in Cuba.
/ did not knw their deslinatin at the
time. and SO l was startled by the grief of
the crowd. / turned to one old woman VINO
had remained when nearly all the rest had
left md said to her: 'Senora, where are
The soldiers going?" For answer she rails
ed her hands upward. ITO heaven, Senior"
she replied, and then the truth of the mat
ter flashed across me, and l understood
/
! dtsconsolate people. and the direction in
which the troops had gone. During the
next two days one or two more detach-
ments passed through the town amid
scenes similar to the one ] have attempted
to describe the impartial and the Her
aldo We're publishing bad news from the
seat Of war, and a feeling of deep deprea-
sion settled on the old city The theaters
did not do we'll business was bad, men sat
together In the cafes blinking at the blind
ing sun that almost burned them through
the awnings, and all talked of war. The
old peaceful mood the serenity that moth
ing could ruffle. seemed for the time to
have left the gay and careless Andaiusian.
But the change was not for long. Two or
three days after the last squad had march
ed through the town the bill-posters made
their appearance With the triumphs Of coll
or-printing for which Spain is famous and
placarded all the walls with splendid pos
tiers announcing the great bull-fght for
the Sunday week Guerrita himself. the
greatest matador Of Spain, aided by Bonn
bita, was 10 l!ll, and slraightway Seville
forgot 10 thlnk Of Cuba and of events. and
prepared itself with endless discussion Tor
the great day.