Wauwatosa news. [volume] (Wauwatosa, Wis.) 1900-1948, 1901-05-18
A BRAVE COWARD.
BY, capt. Paul Comstock.

to the village from the south; the other
an indifferent track along the coast
through the soft, burning sand and over
the Old lava beds, still kepT warm by the
tropical sun, enters from the cas-.
The village Is bnllt around fine.
smooth. crescent-shaped bay, few hun
drpd wards across, bu1 one must look 10
the sea or 10 the hills behind to please
the eye, for the people are poor ana their
matched hnts are poor and the place Is
miserably kept
From the horns Of the crescent, IL
either direction along the beach. run the
old rifle trenches. telling of fretful war
times, long ago. Three old hlockhouseS,
with embrasureS for the guns like eyes.
look grim and dark. as il doubling tho
apparent peace: these are older even
than the trenches; one on either horn of
the crescent, the other behind the nuts.
An occasional palm, that regal decora-
tion given 10 those south LANDS, rears it
self high above the gray, coiorieSs VII
lage, which, after ALL IS only collection
of hutS with a sandy stretch between
them and the sea.
As it is today. so il was III the time or
Cecilia and Sebastian.
Simple fisher folk though they may
have BEEN those soft-eyed. soft-vOiced
penple of the tropics knew how 70 love
and be loved and in Cecilia and Sebas-
tian the wild. fierce passion of the Latin
races seemed HldtcIIHS ltStlI "SoiHsl IL
self.
She was Is. an age rich with impulse;
the village belle and heanty-an honor
accorded her without chagrIn or bitter
ness by those who seemed less favored by
nature. and accepted by her i'll the kindly
spirit in which It was given-and the WI
lage knew the handsome Sebastian to be
fortunate man. They were to be mar
ried when his great net had caught
rnough-he cast and hauled and counted
the days-hut before the ringing Of the
wedding bells came the alarm of var
not war with IL foreign foe-but war
for liberty-it was the turning of an OPP
pressed people, and there must be no
towards. The nets were laid aside.
1t was proud, but sad, day for Cecilia
when her lover disappeared in the bush to
join the insurrect0s III the struggle for
freedom.
The sounds of war came close to the
village. What was at first said to be
bandit warfare spread as gangrene. n
detachment of the CmemyS troops Occu-
pied the hlockhouseS forming an outpost
in the chain of defense. and the lines
were drawn closely about the place. and
those who remained at home, the women
and old men, suffered.
In spite of the alert SentinelS, how
ever, there was an occasional home-com-
ing--a messenger from the fisher sol
! diery, bearing tales of bravery and OF
| suffering from wounds and sickness, or
one would come as Il spy-he would he
concealed in hut for day or two. then
away again sometimes by land, often by
| sea.
| At such times there often came mes
! sages for Cecilia from her brave Sebas-
! tian or accounts of his herosm and de-
yotion to the cause. Such accounts
brought a flush Of pride and love to the
pale cheeks Her heart beat in rapture
at the deeds of patriotism or futtered
| feebly at the danger and suffering,
Sebastian was her only thought. the
one thing in all her l!fe-aye, her life it
self-hcr soul was with him.
On night when there was no moon,
as she sat alone in her fathers hut, he
stood before her. With n cry of love
and pity and fright she flung herself up
ON his breast. No word was spoken.
Never was the poverty of speech so
shown. He held her long, both standing
in the darkness. hearing but the beating
Of two hearts. giving breath for breath.
Ii seemed dream. She stroked his hair
with trembling hands, her fingers moved
/ lightly over his handsome features. then
satisfied that it was he, she threw her
arms once more about his neck iiercely,
as If to crush him. The sound of a move
ment outside recalled the perilous Situa-
| ton.
Sebastian, peerins through an opening
in the wall OF the hut, saw the glitter OF
| arms and the shapes of men. They
closed about him; there Was no escape.
| He was torn from her arms 10 he emf
braced by the cold walls Of Il cell in a
hloclhouSe. 1t was good CatCh--a spy,
and an officer mt that-for his bravery
had been rewarded; there would he but
| one result.
Cecilia lay in a swoon until daylight.
| The trial--hah. But why trial: The
game had been played and lost. But
10y some strange plan the shooting was
delayed II week,
Cecilia was allowed 10 see him an hour
| each day. Her love made her brave. al
though the dreams OF the future were
! gone. There was to he no future when
life was really to begin. She was
| stunned, and passed between the guards
| with unScplnE eyes and deafcned ears,
| There were no words between the low
crS; it was all carcSsiug, The strain was
telling on both.
On the third day there was a decided
change in Sebastian. He who had held
himself So proudly. he who had been so
| brave, pulcd at the slightest sound. His
nights had been sleepless. Great circles
/ appeared under his eyes; he trcmhlcd as
he sat within the cell.
The veil was drawn from Cecilia
| eNeS-a kindly providence gave her sight
the poor. bleeding heart hlcd anew,
/ pierced by the arrow of modification:
her brave lover had turned coward: she
| saw he couldn't stand before the firing
squad, that hc could not meet the death
awaiting him. as hero. as the man
| whom She loved. should: rs the man
whom the village loved-hc. Cecelia'S low
| rr turned craven. the ptiful victim Of
| fear. She had pi,,.red him walking out
/ with hrm step, erect. with fearless ewes
M;weon the hlcS Of soldiers taking his
place unaided. readily in front OF the
rear wall Of his prison. New that con
ISOLATION was gone, lettering from weak
/ ness and shame, She sought the secluSiun
! of her home
There she lay on a rude coach. from.
/ bilng and Sohhing. thinking until the SIM
| rise Of the next day, Then she hnleckcd
| herself with flowers plucking some for
! Sebastian The world seemed brighter
| ana she awaited with impatience The
| time "1Cu She might again see her lover
Entering the cell. frightening il with
! her sweet presence. and bringing the
J fresh morning flowers caused Sebastian
! Ia notice the change She mt her rr, rt,,
/ hips 10 his ear, whispering words y bicL
! seemed 20 transform the mau-vorlS
that caused him 10 throw of The heavy
pail Of fear and dread. He stood agar