The Cairo bulletin., 1908-07-01
THE HAUNTED
S TRY BOX
A Porto RIcan Romance.

/
try box" of Fort San Cristobal the an
cient Spanish-buit fortress which
guards the entrance to San Juan, Por
to Rico:
"A number of picturesque sentry
boxes built of masonry and appearing
like minarets are placed at points OF
vantage in and around the fort. Ons
of these on the sea front and reached
only through long and dark tunnel
from the interior of the fort is popt
larry known as La Garita del Diablo
or the Devils Sentry Box. usually
though incorrectly, translated the
haunted sentry box This name was
given TO it by the Spanish soldiers
for the reason that a number of sen
tries stationed there disappeared in
a most mysterious manner, and were
never again heard from Their dsap-
| pearance was ascribed to the devil,
who was supposed to have come and
taken them away.
An American officer was once on
| duty that took him into the remote
interior Of the island, and while spend
| ing one night in a small settlement. he
engaged in conversation with a num-
Der of the inhabitants of the place.
One old man, on learning that the of
ficer was stationed at Fort San Girls
tobal. became especially interested
and in the course of the conversation
told the following story:
81 used to be soldier in the
Spanish army and was stationed at
Fort San Cristobal \ number of sol
diers, while on sentry duty. had mvs-
teriously disappeared from the sentry
box down by the sea. and we had all
become convinced that it was haunted
by the devil, who, we thought, used to
come and steal the soldiers away.
lone stormy night 1t fell to my lot
TO go on duty in the Devils Sentry
Box, as we called it, at midnight. and
IT was with some doubts aud mis-
Rivings that | went with the corporal
of the guard and relieved the former
sentry. When they left me ! listened
to the sound of their footballs rever-
bcrating from the walls and ceiling Of
the dark and narrow passage, ever
growing fainter and fainter as they
receded, until, finally, the noise of the
storm and the sea completely drowned
IT, and | was left alone with the mad
elements.
1T was a wild night and one well
IN 10 fal ta 4 ~ I1
that the Devils Sentry Box always in
stiled into the man on duty there at
night | was not afraid. but | felt
creepy, as a person does when he ex.
poets something TO happen which no
human power can forestall-some-
thing supernatural
Presently my attention was at.
tracted by some lights in a small tav-
orn on the shore below the fort, where
many of us were wont TO go when off
duty for a glass of rum. Then | be
gan to think that | might be able to
climb down over the rocks to the
shore get a glass Of rum at the tavern
and return to my post before the cor.
poral Of the guard should make his
tour Of inspection at one o'clock.
The more | thought of it the more
determined I was to go, so finally,
leaving my rife and belt in the sentry
box climbed over the wall and down
on the rocks. and so made my way
with great labor and difficulty and no
little danger. 10 the little house. where
the occupants were merry-maliing with
dancing and drinking. ! soon fell to
and enjoyed myself with them.
When one is dancing with a fair
senOrita he sometimes forgcts the
passage Of time-as did on that fatal
not until long after one
O'clock did | begin to think Of re-
turning to my post Then. realizing
that the corporal had made his in
spection and had found me gone from /
nay post and with my rife and belt /
left behind I saw only a courtmartial |
and the garrote staring me in the face, |
"'To go back was out Of the Gues. |
ton There was only one thing left |
for me 10 do, and that was TO desert. |
My heart sank within me. If ! should |
be captured the same fate would be 4
meted ont TO me; but, / reasoned. IL /
were to 20 back the fate would be a /
certainty, whereas. if / deserted, at /
least | had a chance Of keeping out Of /
sight of the authorities. | deserted. /
and before morning was out of the city 1
and on the way to the mountains
81 have lived in this little hamlet |
'or years and have never been back
10 the capital since that day. nor have
ever told my story to single soul
until tonight, but now that the Span
ards are gone | no longer fear for
ny life
Thus we have the story Of the
Devils Sentry Box from one of the
very men who so mysteriously disap-
'eared from it, and 1t would seem TO
,e more probable that the other dis
appearances could be accounted for in
i similar manner, were the truth
,nown Quien sabe?
"Caut. Hyde mentions an interesting
act that although for centuries Porto
iico was considered the legitimate
lrey of freebooters. and was attacked
L various times by regularly organized
= petitions OF the English and the
,utch during times of war. with more
IF less SUCCESS. Port FL MORO has