The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1898-08-14

, surrender, and was prepared TO open fire on
( the Americans. 1t was explained that San
} Luis was patriotic to the core, and believed
} that the Americans wero working a confidence
game. The San Luis cominandant had gone so
far as TO announce that he didn't care what
Santiago had done; he was prepared to show
Spain that she had worthy sons at San Luis.
The ride to San Luis was trying. for the sun
was binding and whiting and breezes were
rare. At the ford Of the Ulloa River there was
a refreshing change. however. 1t was the
broadcast, deepest. freshest. and clearest stream
the soldiers had yet seen in Cuba and the
horses neighed with pleasure. Even the mules
Tipped their tails with satisfaction. Horses
drank deep OF the Ulloa and tho mule teams
had to be dubbed beyond its GOODNESS.
SAN LUIS WANTED PROOF.
Long before the Americans reached San Luis
an imposing cavalcade came Jingling Town the
road. 1t drew up with short rein and faced the
invaders. Every line officer at San Luis was in
that body. and each was agGravatingly stiff and
neat compared with the swinging, slack and
perspiring soldiers Of Uncle Sam. But in pro-
portion as the latter were passive and uncon-
cerned the Spaniards were fierce and menace
ing. They seemed to have been waiting for
this day OF defiance. Their chubby little horses
champed at the bit and snorted haughtily at
the big-rumped beasts on which our men were
/ NuAsS hNSNOolchc W WIG hIuLloA bulAu
came f~uriously down the road with a great clat-
ter until there must have been forty horsemen
questioning with bristling mustaches the
Americans.
Lieut.. Miley gnawed his lipto repress a smile.
With Mr.. Mendoza he rode up close to the
Spaniards. In their centre was an unusually
truculent individual. whose glancos scattered
daggers, and who seemed to have difficulty in
| preventing his horse from dashing into the
midst of the American cavalry. He was the
Major OF volunteers in the town. and by virtue
of the Office had to be aggressive. The officer
in was q plump. handsome little
man. in the prime OF life.
Mr.. Mendoza explained briefly what the mis- |
sion OF the Americans was, and the Spaniards
smiled scornfully and neutrality-suspicious.. Then
they all talked at once. and the Major OF vol
unteers made a series of stump speeches, saw
ing the air with his right hand. He admitted
that the commandant at Moron had telephoned
that Santiago had fallen, and that an
American column was advancing to receive the
surrender of San Luis. but there were tricks in
war, and the commandant at Moron was not
the man to see through them. The Major
waved aside the letter from Gen. Toral, which
Lieut.. Miley carried to smooth the way to ne
gotiations. and he evidently regarded Capt.
Ramus as one who had been hypnotized by the
enemy. 1t was suggested that the Americans
would not have the hardihood to penetrate into
the interior with a force of only seventy troop
ers If Santiago had not surrendered. but the
Major thought it might he the van OF an army
that would rather treat than fight. He did not
say as much. but such was his view. it was
afterward learned. Had the Spaniards heard
of the destruction Of Cervera's fleet? Capt.
Ramus would tell them about it. They nodded
at one another as If the Americans were out OF
their heads, and they refused to take any notice
OF Ramus.
The contumacy Of the Dons was funny, but
at the same time it was exasperating. They
refused absolutely to surrender and proposed
that the Americans go into camp under their
white flag and that a commission be sent into
Santiago to learn what the true situation was.
Itmeant a delay of thirty-six hours. but there
was no alternative. The Spaniards obligingly
found q camping site on the estate of a sugar
planter. James Fl. Rousseau, over whose eX-
tensive factory a French flag was waving in the
breeze. Mr.. Rousseau. because he spoke Eng
lish. Spanish. and French with equal facility,
turned out to be an invaluable aid to the Amer
leans. and he was also a generous and charm
ing host. Major Fernandez. who was in COM
mand of the regulars at San Luis. selected three
of his most trusty officers to go to Santiago,
and Capt. Lewis picked out a Corporal and a
trooper to act as escort. Solemnlyt the commits
sion rode of.
STORY OF A CUBAN PLANTATION.
During the afternoon Mr.. Rousseau invited
the officers and the chronicler OF the eXpedi-
ton to dine with him at 7 o'clock. They were
not prepared for the elaborate hospitality
which he dispensed in true planter style. How
their host was to set anything on his table but
canned meats and q vegetable or two in a coun-
try where food commanded gilt-edGed prices
was q problem to them. And perhaps it was to
him, but his resources proved equal to the de-
Tnanl on fhnrn A. ? ,snlnnI, M -,.... all -
TO the yeranda Of the one-stOry building which
did service as a residence. 1t was situated in
the rear Of the big sugar factory, whose ma
chinery the civil war had silenced: in front of
it was a cattle corral and on one side the farm
yard. The house had evidently been built for de-
fence as well as to live in. In a little plot OF ground
in front, screening the house from the corral,
were some shrubs and flowers. A Woman's
hand had evidently tended them once, but now
they were unpruned and neglected and the
blossoms trailed riotously. Into n low room
with white boarded walls the guests were
shown. 1t was almost bare of furniture, but
everything was scrupulously clean. In a cor
ner stood q piano with a linen cover buttoned
about 1t. Above 1t hung the picture in oils Of a
young and handsome man. A glance at the
host told that 1t was a likeness of him. From
another wall the face of a woman looked down.
In a back room. seen through an arch. a table
was spread with spotless napery. BY the side
Of each plate stood a bottle OF wine. The visit
ors could not have helped noticing this detail
to save their lives.
The host. with old -fashioned grace, assigned
each one to his seat. taking the head of the
table himself. and the dinner began. Eating
hardtack. bacon. and canned beef three times "a
day. the guests wore not counting on the feast
which was set before them in courses. They
will probably not forget it as long as they live.
First there was a rich vegetable soup. 1t was
followed by fish ~fritters. and then came q de-
licious dish OF meat stewed on the bone
which no one could identify. 1t may
have been some game of the country,
Afterward came roast pork, with fri
joles and yams, royal palm cabbage salad,
canned pears and peaches. rice pudding, coffee.
anisette and cigars. Mr.. Rousseau received
the compliments OF his hungry guests mod