The Jennings daily record., 1902-09-01

Il the comfortable fortress
part Of Castle Salvarez,
tt ttseonsisting Of two hun
b q battery amounting
at the city Of Bolivar,
1. on the Orinoce was
in the tum5ledown
rmed a poor shelter
eeded shelter least.
Y ers of the Republic
withorS mixture;
i pd sorne were In
ha ity were half
Of whites and
: anf Win Indians. There
1other typa if-breeds. too
NtteRly WORTHLESS fol 5 as soldiers,
md thOe0ughly untr6stworthy, the re-
Ault s0f . mixture Of negro and Indian
blood. Thare were many Of these in
H. Cogoni valley. and they frequently
1nado trouble. Their patriotism was
AOthing. They were ready for any up
x1ning Or deeds of violence for which
1hsy were well paid. These were the
zambos. the distinctive name OF their
type.
The forces Of General salvarez we're
fairly well armed and disciplined
brave. and thoroughly devoted to the
Republic. They adored their brave
commander. and were ever ready to
follow him, ever faithful, unf1inching,
accomplishing
General Salvarez was very wealthy
man. In fact. it had been said that he
could not count his wealth. Taking
this to mean that the value of his crops
depended on favoring weather and the
worth Of his great herds Of cattle out
OnAtherii8nos, or plains, rose and fell
1ncr$as or diminished by favoring or
IuMt6ward circumstances, then the say
ing was true. Be that as it may, Don
Jose Salvarez was a wealthy man,
friend Of President Crespo.
But Of all the valuable possessions
Of Don Jose Salvarez, none compared,
In his estimation, with his lovely wife,
DonA Maria, or his daughter, Senor-
ita Jacinta.
Senorita Jacinta was the brightest
Jewel Of the Coroni valley, and no one
knew this or appreciated it better than
Senorita Jacinta. She was the toast and
often the sweetheart of the officers of
the garrison. and with whom she would
frequently promenade under the frown-
ing guns, with her mantilla thrown
loosely about her well-rounded form.
and her black eyes swapping with the
passions Of her southern blood.
Senorita Jacinta, at the time our
story opens, was about Is years of age;
but maturity comes early to the girls
- ot,.in Tor o,e
physical developement compared we'll
with that of an American young wom
an Of 90 or "a.
/ have spoken of Jacinta as some
times being the sweetheart OF an officer
in her fathers garrison.
But 1t was not only the officers of the
. garrison that loved Jacinta. Pedro
eancisco. the wealthiest land and cat
ner south of the Orinoco save
Salvarez, had wooei her
billy; but Jacinta was repub-
uG&n, ~ Francisco leaned toward
Spain, and She would have none OF
him.
Though Jacinta had had many low
Ors at her feet, her own heart had
never yet been touched. Vet so
quick was her nature, 80 warm
her blood. that it needed but
spark to kindle the fame. Love at first
sight is more than a possibility with
girls of Jacinta's temperament. 1t is
the rule. And when once that fathom-
less depth of fire and passion should
spring into volcanic action, who can
tell the consequences of herself-and
others!
The castle of General Salvarez was,
like all other houses of wealthy men
In the Orinoco valley, situated on high
ground, to keep it up out Of the floods
that sometimes cover the land. 1t was
great square building, partly of stone,
partly OF iron, and partly of cement.
But there was to come time when
this repose was to be rudely Interrupt
ted: when the soul of Jacinta was to be
torn by grief and anxiety; when for
moment she was to know the consum-
Ing spower Of love; when the voice so
sweet in song would trelnble as it
pleaded for mercy.
And there was coming time when
The peaceful valley of the Coroni would
run with blood; when the hateful pas
Ssions OF wicked men would wreck
1speace and happiness; and when even
'Ahe Orinoco itself, as it flowed maies-
eally to the sea, would carry with it
- crimson testimony of the conflict
tween Right and Wrong. between
a6eion and Patriotism. between Heav-
~ and Hell. For the hand Of God is In
- battle, and when the swords of the
allndsfs OF Right are weak. He
f34GDA powerful sustenance to the
gol14 strength, or sends some mes
ooS0f His power to stay the course
powers OF EVIL.
Il - ~ General SalvarezSw sitt'ne
3 NAady porch. smoking his after