Daily press. [volume] (Newport News, Va.) 1896-current, 1907-08-30
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The Little Cuban.
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nIlDuStcllng expedition w Iupa, elSn-
Ing us stephen White.
The captain Of the vessel made an
effort TO dlssuadc him.
Drop the idea" said the officer. ITS
nll very sentimental to tall; of patriot
Ism and Cuban liberty, but you don't
know the crowd as well rs do. There's
jealousy, envy and dlscord They
won't give you show. It's rags. star
Walton and not even lllankcc ut the
end of It, Better 20 back home"
but have no home" was the reply.
"1Ioot toot. You've had row with
the old man AMI got your back up. He
has been too still with Won. perhaps,
but yon can make II up IN half an hour
Come down Off your high horse n bit,
my boy"
II couldn't 70 back. Thanks. cap
tain. for Your Interest in me, but I'll
take in Il few months OF this, anyhow.
1t ought to stcndy me down. / guess
I've been n little Wild"
That's your crowd" laughed the cap
lain ns the band OF insurgents that had
met the steamer to unload the arms
began quarrcllng among themselves.
IL guess It's pretty tough crowd"
replied White, "but I'll try to chum up
With them some way. Thercll be rows
enough to keep me from thinking of
other things things back in the States.
So long ana thanks again. May meet
you If you come again"
The Cuban patriots were the gencr-
ais. the coloncls and the captains.
Now and then II volunteer was made
n lieutenant, but the general policy
WINS to keep them below that rank.
White refused all promotion. AS II
scout he was soon called n daredevil.
As nHlitcr he went into battle laugh
Ing. The Spanish offered reward for
his head. and the patriots became jcnl.
Gus of tho reputation he was making.
He brought them Information time aft
or time that meant success. but they
acted on II half bcartodly or not at
all. There was II feeling In the battul-
lon that he must be suppressed or lie
would become dangerous rival
that Is. he woull yet do something to
earn his commission.
Between the trocha drawn across
the islnnd and the dense forest where
tho outposts Of the Cuban army" Turk
cd In idlcncss and fear most OF tho
time was the house OF old Gonzales,
with the pretty and mothcrless daugh-
ter. The old man was trying to stand
neutral. though born Cuban. The
daughter flrtcd with the officers OF
either side. but was believed to bc
loyal 10 the cause. Young White was
one of those who thoroughly believed
IN her. Now ard then as lie went on
one of his scouts he was caller mt
tho house. Perhaps there was n ilirta-
ton. Perhaps there was even talk Of
love. The situation was far from pro-
sale. Tho Spnnlards discovered that
White was n caller at the house. and
they laid traps for him. but always In
vain. The patriots nsccrtaincd the
same thing. ana who 1t was that called
and had more than ono talk with flu
thcr and daughter will never be
known.
"No, no. we VIII not do It." they
said Mt the first offer of gold TO bctray
the American. but Mt the third they
accepted. They accepted and smiled
In the face of their victim as he came
again. 1t was Spar!s,i gold, hut
It had not come to hssan through
Spanish hands. The American was
too forward. He was bringing In too
much Information. lie was becoming
too inslstcnt. When the patriots had
had skirmish they wanted 10 rest
on their laurcls for month. He did
not want TO rest day. Then one
day he was reported missing. A day
later II was known that the Spaniarls
had got him. He had visited old Con
tales and walked into their trap-n
trap set on the Information sent to
them by patriot. Yes, the man With
price on his head. the man who
had been called the american devil"
the man who had ambushcd and
slain more of the enemy than any
score OF patriots and who had been
In the front Mt every engagement, was
a prisoner Mt last. There was re-
toicing in the lines about Havana
White was n prisoner of war. en-
titled TO lie treated rs such. but they
burned the solcs OF his feet. they
broke the bones of his fingers, they
stretched him ON the rack. And then.
crippled though lie was. though never
abating one jot OF his courage. they
placed him In an old sugar house. n
club tied to his wrist, and then
turned loose their bIoodlounds on
him. Two of them were dead when
they opened the door. And outside
of the cabin OF Gonzales the old IA
Their and daughter sat In the shade
and watched the black clouds OF Il
thunderstorm coming up.
"dc was brave man. that Senior
Americana" said tie daughter. "and
perhaps we should not have sold his
life as we did"