Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1900-01-06

Dye-SOne age. W nat LhSut nave nap
pened in those three months! What
had happened? Had there been war?
And he down here at this end OF the
world, guarding cemetery OF deserted
streets that apparently even the dragged
Cuban rebels did not want! He
dreamed of Madrid, and awoke to
doubt if there ever had been such q
city.
There was no means OF transporta-
ton for the garrison by sen, aud the
Commandant thought seriously of the
desperate expedient of taking his
whole force overland to Guantanamo.
He would be false to his trust, but at
least he would discover if the world
still moved.
That very night. however, the death
like stiffness of the deserted town was
broken by the crackle OF musketry.
The garrison welcomed it with Joy
born of long enforced inaction. The
whist,ing of the bullets seemed posi-
lively cheerful to the long-sufering
Commandant, and his fighting spirit
arose. The Cubans, for such the gar
rison knew the attackers to be from
the shrill cries that came out OF the
gloom, made no determined assault,
and after keeping up brisk fire for q
few hours, melted away into the dark
ness of the jungle. The SpaniarGs
had recognized occasionally the voices
of some of their former very dear and
very loyal friends, the inhabitants Of
Baracoa. Three of the garrison had
been killed, and several wounded. but
the Spaniards were in better spirits
than they had been for weeks. The
spell of isolation was broken. The
Commandant cheerfully estimated that
he could hold the place for long
time.
Days went by into weeks again and
still the garrison guarded Its trust,
still without the slightest intimation
Of the doings of the great world out.
side. Sorties were met effectually by
rain OF Mausers. The Cubans evil
IDENTITY were in force, and they silently
and gradually surrounded the town
on three sides. The Commandant
could not bring on a pitched battle,
even if he wanted to do so, and he
grew annoyed that the Cubans did not
try to rush the place. 1t seemed that
mankind was conspiring to keep him
in what amounted to solitary confne-
ment the rest OF his life. The yearn-
ing for news became unsupportable.
lieutenant" said the Comman-
dant. "take flag of truce cut to those
bcggars, and Swallowing large guam
titles OF Castilian pride) give their
commander my most distinguished
consideration as worthy bro.her-in-
arms and ask him to lend me news.
paper. If he hasn't got one, find out
something anyway"
The Lieutenant went on his mission
and was considerably puzzled by the
attitude of the Cuban officers. If he
had been conyersant with Yankee
slang, he would have said that they
appeared to have something up their
sleeves They were not unfriendly,
and their commander indeed chuckled
constantly while tho Spanish officer
was going through his negotiations
for the loan of a newspaper. Efforts
to induce him to talk, resulted onl,Nd
vague limitations thai. San were occur
GUS events lieutenant was forced to GO
back with the message that if the
! Spanish Commandant would kindly
give up the vain although very brave)
attempt to defend Baracoa, and sur
render the garrison, he would have
all the news he wanted to digest for a
month.
The next day the Commandant pro.
posed an armistice, which was cheer
fully agreed to, and Cubans and
Spaniards fraternized pleasantly,
swapping cigarettes and drinks; hut
not all the Establishments of the
Spaniards could extract word of
news. "No surrender, no news" was
the watchword, and the garrison re-
tired sadly behind their earthworks
and waited patiently for the Mausers
to begin to bark again.
In these straits they came to the
Commandment, young commits.
stoned officer, with proposition. He
had discovered tiny embarcacion
chata, dismautled, half buried in the
mud, aud like sieve as to her hull.
His idea was to try to make the
crazy craft seaworthy, and with three
or four men round Cape Maysi and
make Guantanamo. bringing back
with him, if not aid and comfort, Mt
least news. The Commandant jumped
ut the idea.
On the morning of Friday, June II,
1898, there were lying at anchor in
tho calm waters Of the outer Guatana
mo Bay the United States battleship
first class) Oregon; the Uuited States
battleship Second class Texas; the