The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1899-02-23

The newspapers OF Havana are n law
unto themselves. and II not 10y" cer-
tainly joke forever. They contain a
few mouldy. kilograms. Il number OF am
bilious editorials and large number
OF advertisements: but news. never.
No mention Is ever made beforehand of
any important occasion that is about
to take place in the city, and so 1t was.
we were sitting on the evening OF Feb
ruary 0. quietly enjoying the balmy air.
when friend dropped in and said:
what are you doing here? You should
go down to the palace" Not desiring
to miss anything that is coming our
way, we hastily called cab and started
to make a perilous flight down the
crowded highway OF Obispo street.
AS we advanced the carriages null
tipiied. the crowd thickened. the eX-
element grew more intense. and We
could feel It throb in the air, until
when our persistent and accomplished
cochero had forced his way through
the multitude out into the Grand Plaza
in front of the palace, an indcscribable
scene presented itself. a hoarse MUIR
muir, like the muttering OF distant thun-
der. hung heavily on the night. a sea
OF eager. excited. impassioned. upturned
faces. The ilickerlng electric lights
shone down upon a motley crew. Gu
ban gentlemen and ladies'. officers from
the army. officers from the navy. ne
SIocs. Chinese. beggars, men of peace
and men of war. the lame. the halt
and the blind. and always. the ever
present American girl. dainty and
charming as ever, but just u little
scared.
An obliging Cuban officer cxtricatcd
us from the mass and we entered the
palace.
One by one. we were permitted to
pass UP the long stairway, through a
line OF Cuban soldiers. fully armed. At
the top of tile stairway. the American
guard. We passed on through long
apartment, crowded with soldiers o..
both nations, 10 the doorway of the
sale de sesisones, and then the full
r!Gnifclnce OF II all burst upon us.
The floor OF the inner apartment was
covered with black and white cloth TO
deaden the sound OF the passing feet.
The walls we're mournfully draped with
black velvet. divided into panels by
strips Of silver embroidery. The ceiling
was covered with black velvet, studded
with silver stars, and across the top OF
the wall. opposite TO the entrance, in
large silver letters. was the simple
name. without comment or title. "CaliX-
to Garcia" Just under the name. stood
catafalque OF black and silver. Sur
rounding the catafalque were hundreds
OF lighted candles, and. in two lines. on
each side OF the candles. stood, at pre-
sent arms" twelve American soldiers.
In front of this catafalque, placed low
enough for the gaze of the thousands 10
rest upon his face In passing. was 4 cas-
ket. wrapped In gorgeous satin flag OF
Cuba. and containing all that remained
OF him who Is regarded here as one OF
the greatest Of his race.
1t was i spectacle. grand. imposing.
solemn and impressive.
At 1880 o'clock on Thursday. Febru-
airy 9. the steamer Nashville. wrestling
with high sea. entered this port. hav-
ing on board the rcmaIns OF Ma Jr Cen
cral CllIxto Garvia. of the Cuban army.
who died recently 1t Washington. d. c.
BY order of General Ludlow, the flags
on Moro Castle. the palace and all the
public buildings, were placed n; half
mast. while the forts and the men-of-
war fired thirteen minute guns. the ga
lutte for major general. The guard OF
,n,nv, pIinu .hn IA Ms. Of ,hn