The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1907-04-05
drawn, Col. Cheney, because I'll be
back here to claim it 20 days from

|
back here to claim it 20 days from
now"
81 hope you will" He then gave
her specific instructions and offered
her money for expenses.
Thank you, Colonel, 1 don't need
that. 1 have sufficient funds with
me-"
Cheney arranged for the vessel by
| telegraph, and that evening Miss
Dodge was gone. Three days later he
received a telegram from the vessels
commander saying Miss Dodge had
been put ashore at night about IL
miles west of Havana. Cheney
thought of the young lady a great
many times during the ensuing days.
He hoped all was well with her,
though he was dubious. The Span
iards would not kill woman, even if
she was captured. Miss Dodge was
too beautiful for that
| About six o'clock on the afternoon
of May 80 Miss Dodge walked into
Col. Cheney's Office as blithe and
| fresh as a lark.
/ Noou OFSuluS, Coi' NaShSJ =
Where's my draft for $2,5OO?"
We'll, am glad to see you back.
And the draft is yours as soon as the
| information 1 asked for is in my pos
session. But whether you have the
| information or not, l am glad you are
alive, and WELL"
Il told you, Colonel, the woman
would not fail. And say, Colonel, I've
had the time of my life, The Spanish
officers are the easiest things | have
ever seen. Why look at this!' She
| handed him a picture of a distin-
| guished looking Spanish officer Turn
ing it over, he read: ITO my guerrilla
amigo Senorita Teresa Ramirez. Ra-
mon Blanco, Captain Generate
well, by all that's great! How did
| you do it?"
| Then she told the story. She land
| ed, as was told by the naval officer,
west of Havana Cautiously she made
| her way to the city. Arriving there
about daylight she had her breakfast
out to store and bought sufficient
clothing to make good appearance.
| Then she went to the Ingleterra hotel,
and was soon at home. Her black
| eyes and naive manner did the rest.
| Before night she had a dozen Spanish
| officers dancing attendance upon her.
| A day or so later there was ball at
| the palace. Senorita Ramirez went
and was introduced to Captain Gener
al Blanco, and he was as easy as the
rest. From now on her task was a
sinecure. She drove all over the city,
walked through the forts and with a
camera neatly concealed in her skirts
| she took views of all the new works.
The road from Batabano was not
being fortified. because the Ameri-
cans were not expected that way.
| However, towards MatanZas there
were earthworks being erected and re-
SiStance would be met there. From
| the west and south, however, the
| American advance could be made. 1T
would be policy" said Miss Dodge, ito
make feint from Matanzas, to occu-
| Ply the Spaniards who expected them
that way, and have good sized forces
approach from the west and south"
Cheeny was astonished at the mil
itary knowledge of this young lady.
She was even planning the cam
paign.
"Yes, but, Miss Dodge, how did you
get away after securing all this in
| formation?"
THAT was where the fun came in,
| Colonel. The day after reached Ha-
vana I began to look for Cuban SYM
pathizers. There were plenty of
them there, but they were keeping
mighty dark. Every day or so num-
Der of them were apprehended and
shot down by Spanish troops 1t was
| awful, Colonel" Miss Dodge shud-
dered and paused for minute.
"One of the walters in the hotel
was a sympathizer. I found it out
and cautiously let him know who l
| was good assistance to me. After /
| had all the information I thought nee
| essary I began to plan my get away
as l believe it is called. There was
one young Spanish officer named Ed
uardo Beltran who fairly haunted my
| footsteps. He was very insistent and
made the most violent love I ever
saw. The American feet was outside
the harbor mouth blockading the city,
and 1 knew l must reach the ships in
| order to get away. One day at lunch
| con l arranged with Jose, my waiter
| friend, to be on the wharf about nine
o'clock that night. He was to have
| another man with him. would walk
down there with Beltran and when
| the time was ripe they were to bind
| and gag Beltran and then row me out
| to the feet. 1t worked beautifully.
Beltran came, as usual, and was as
sweet as could be. l proposed the
| walk and he accepted. The town was
| very gay, and, laughing and chatting,
we passed through the crowds to the
dock. At just the right moment Jose
and his friend appeared. In an in
slant Ell Teniente Beltran was bound
| and gagged and helpless prisoner.
The boat was there and we climbed
in Jose brought Beltran along, too,