The Worcester spy. [volume] (Worcester, Mass.) 1898-1904, 1899-04-17
A LITTLE MAID OF MANILA.
A PitifuI Tale Which illustrates Spanish
Honor"

Correspondent of Chicago Record.)
When Manila had lowered the Span
ish colors to the conquering stars and
stripes and the gates of the city were
thrown open to our tired soldiers, every
one breathed a sigh Of relief that the
inevitable end was accomplished. The
tension being relieved, thoughts now
turned from the present to the future
we all were happy. But what a
gloomy outlook for the poor Spaniard!
After all is said and done, the Span
iards are human. Americans, in the
words of Horace "hold nothing that is
human foreign to their nature" So
it is we now listen, often with moist
ened eyes, to such tales as this one,
which gives the experience of two army
officers who were searching for a gov
eminent house to seize for their dwell
ing place.
Their summons at the gate was an
swered by a pretty senorita, who, in
reply to their questioning, admitted
that the house was a public building
which had been assigned to her fathers
use. Her father was not at home
nor her mother-no one. She was
alone.
The officers became interested in this
sad-eyed little maiden, clad in the SOM
bre garb of mourning, and by gentle
questioning and the kindly interest with
which they had listened, they learned
her history.
Her father was a colonel of artillery,
commanding those huge 12-inch guns
which are such conspicuous objects of
interest to pleasure-seeke on the Luz
Meta. When Dewey had destroyed
the fleet and held the fate of Manila
in his hand the Spanish governor rec
ognized that any resistance from the
shore batteries was simply an invita-
ton to speedy destruction. He issued
orders. therefore, that not gun should
be fired.
The artillery colonel received these
orders, but he remembered a clause in
the Spanish army regulations prescTib-
ing death and dishonor to any officer
who, in the face of the enemy failed to
do all that lay in his power to defend
and destroy.
The useless bombardment of about 100
shots from this battery, aimed at our
fleet, has been already exploited i'll the
pages of history. Dewey ignored it, en-
tirely, but the governor was incansed
and called the poor colonel to Ills pri-
vate closet and sternly demanded an
explanation. The colonel bravely an
swered that he had received his excel
lency's orders, but a higher authority
babe him act in the presence OF the
enemy.
The general sarcastically commended
his devotion to honor and duty, but
suggested, with a wicked smile, that if
the colonel of the 18th artillery were
found dead in his bed tonight ii might
prevent friction and avoid the necessity
of an execution at daylight
A few moments later a pistol shot
was heard in the street in front Of the
colonePs house, and the poor child
rushed out to find her father dead
lying prone on the spot where tho Off
Ger stood. He had acted under his COM
handing officers suggestion!
This was not all. The brother. a
bright boy of IS years, lost MS mind
through grief at the death Of his IA
Their, whom he almost worshiped, and
even now he is a raving mailman in the
dismal Spanish lunatic asylum in this
city. The loss of husband and son was
too great blow for the frail wife and
mother, who in a few weeks followed
her husband to the tomb in Pace
This little maid was left alone
in a city held by the enemy Alone,
without money, in now foreign landi
A timid young girl. $1,000 miles from
her native country in which She was
stranger
1t is needless to add that the child
was not disturbed that night