Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1907-08-16
DAILY STORY
THE LITTLE CUBAN.


Percy Ravens was having his fling.
His father had had his fling, but did
not approve of the same course i'll his
son and turned him out. Percy Joined
tilibustering expedition to Cuba, sign
ing as Stephen White.
The captain of the vessel made an
effort to diSsuade him.
Drop the idea" said the officer. Its
all very sentimental to talk OF patriot
ism and Cuban liberty, but you don't
know the crowd as well as do. There's
jealousy, envy and discord. They
won't give you Il show. It's rags, star
walton and not even thankee at the
end of 1t. Better go back home"
But have no home" was the reply.
"Hoot toot You've had Il row with
the old man and got your back up. He
has been too stiff with you, perhaps,
but you can make it up in half an hour.
Come down off your high horse a bit,
my boy
II couldn't go back. Thanks, cap
| tain, for YOUR interest in me, but I'll
take in few months of this, anyhow.
1t ought to steady me down. l guess
| I've been a little wild"
That's your crowd" laughed the cap
| tain as the band of insurgents that had
met the steamer to unload the arms
| began quarreling among themselves.
Il guess it's a pretty tough crowd"
replied White, but I'll try TO chum up
| with them some way. There'll be rows
enough to keep me from thinking of
other things-things back in the States.
So long and thanks again. May meet
you if you Come again"
The Cuban patriots were the gener
ais, the colonies and the captains.
| Now and then Il volunteer was made
lieutenant, but the general policy
was to keep them below that rank.
| White refused all promotion. AS Il
scout he was soon called Il daredevil.
AS a fighter he went into battle laugh
| ing The Spanish offered a reward for
his head, and the patriots became jeal-
Gus of the reputation he was making.
He brought them information time aft
| er time that meant success, but they
| acted on it half heartedly or not at
all There was a feeling i'll the battai
would become a dangerous rival
that is, he would yet do something to
earn his commission.
Between the trocha drawn across
| the island and the dense forest where
| the outpoSts of the Cuban "army" Turk
! ed in idleress and fear most of the
| time was the house of old Gonzales,
| with the pretty and mOtherleSs daugh
| ter. The old man was trying to stand
| neutral. though a born Cuban. The
| daughter tlirted with the officers of
| either side, but was believed to be
| loyal TO the cause. Young White was
! one of those who. thoroughly believed
| in her. Now and then as he went on
| one of his scouts he was caller at
i the house. Perhaps there was a firta-
| ton. Perhaps there was even talk of
love. The situation was far from pro
sale. The Spaniards discovered that
| White was caller at the house, and
they laid traps for him, but always in
vain. The patriots ascertained the
same thing, and who it was that called
! and had more than one talk with IA
Their and daughter will never be
known.
| "No, no. we will not do it." they
said at the first offer of gold to betray
the American. but at the third they
accepted. They accepted and smiled
In the face of their victim as he came
| again. 1t was Spanish gold, but
| It had not come to them through
Spanish hands. The American was
| too forward He was bringing in too
much information. He was becoming
too insistent. When the patriots had
| had skirmish they wanted to rest
ON their laurels for month. He did
not want to rest Il day. Then one
day he was reported missing. A day
later it was known that the Spaniards
had got him. He had visited old Con.
Zales and walked into their trap-a
trap set on the information sent tc
them by patriot. Yes, the man will
price on his head, the man who
had been called the american devil,
the man who had ambushcd ant
slain more of the enemy than any
score of patriots and who had beer
in the front at every engagement, wa:
DIlSOller Ut ldSL. mere was re
jOicing in the lines about Havana.
: White was prisoner of war; en-
titled to be treated as such. but they
burned the soles of his feet, they
broke the bones of his fingers. they
stretched him on the rack. And then
crippled though he was, though nevel
abating one jot of his courage, they
placed him in an old sugar house.
club tied to his wrist, and thel
turned loose their bloodhounds OIL
him. Two of them We're dead wheI
they opened the door, And outside
Of the cabin of Gonzales the old fa
Their and daughter sat in the shad,
and watched the black clouds of
thunderstorm coming up.
HE was a brave man, that Seno
; Americana" said the daughter, "ant
, perhaps we should not have sold hi
life as we did"
"Pouf" replied the father "Wha
Y is one human life among so many