The Kennewick courier-reporter. [volume] (Kennewick, Wash.) 1914-1938, 1915-08-19
SENORITA
MOLINA
A Story Of the Cuban
Revolution
By ESTHER vANDEvEER

Z by kSIHkk vANOkVkEk &
OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES
While the revolution that brought in.
dependence to Cuba was brewing the
government Of Spain through the gov
ernor of the island used every effort
to secure the adhesion of prominent
Cubans. Among those whom 1t was
deemed desirable to win over was a
lawyer named Enrique Fernandez, who
was becoming prominent in his profess
sion. One Jose Molina was summon
ed one day before Captain General
Weyler and ordered either to win Fer
nandez by argument or bribery OF
force. Weyler at the time had unlim-
tied power. and his orders were not to
be disobeyed.
Molina was an elderly man and the
father Of family Of children. one of
whom, Rosa, was grown. Fernandez
was about thirty years old and un-
married. Molina invited Fernandez to
his house that he might have an oppor-
tunity to persuade him to align him.
self on the side of the Spanish govern
ment Fernandez accepted the invita-
ton, listened to his hosts arguments,
but was unconvinced.
Molina noticed that Fernandez cast
admiring eyes on Senorita Rosa, and
it occurred to him that what he him.
self could not accomplish by argument
his daughter might bring about by
persuasion. The father therefore held
a private interview with her, at which
he said:
my child. have been ordered by
the captain general to bring Senior
Fernandez to the support Of the Span
fish cause either by argument or force.
have tried the former and failed.
The latter course remains. must tell
my guest that the Spanish government
demands his adhesion or his life. At
times woman may accomplish by per-
suasion what man cannot effect by
argument II you could win over Sc
nor Fernandez you might save his life. !"
"But, father" asked Rosa, why are
you obliged to do this work."
General Weyler Is an autocrat in
Cuba. He may send me to prison or
to death, whichever he chooses"
The girl paled. She did not speak
for some time. Then she said:
do you wish me to win Senior Fer
nandez's adhesion to the crown by first
winning his lover
II do not. I would rather suffer than
have you do anything dishonorable."
Again there was silence, at the end
Of which Rosa threw her arms about
her fathers neck and assured him that
she would do anything honorable to
save him from the consequences Of
failure.
What made this duty odious to Rosa
Molina was that she was heart and
soul for the cause Of Cuba. One morn
ing she sat on the veranda of her home
with Fernandez and began to reason
with him why he should embrace the
cause Of Spain. He listened to her
while she spoke hesitatingly and with
out animation. and when she came to
a halt he said:
"Tell me the truth. Your heart Is
not with Spain; It is with Cuba. There
is some reason why you are endeavor-
ing to win me to cause with which
you do not sympathize yourself"
Rosa did not dare tell him what he
wished to know. If she should do so
he might betake himself beyond her
fathers reach, and the latter would
have to suffer for his failure. She
would not tell an untruth.- Rising from
her seat, she went into the house, leav-
ing Fernandez wondering what all
this meant.
Senorita Molina sought her father
and told him that she had tried to In
duence Fernandez, but had failed be-
cause she was unified to plead
cause to which she was bitterly oppos-
ed. Molina sighed. but the sigh was
his only reply. Rosa was much trou-
bled. She asked him many questions.
If he reported. a failure to the governor
would he be imprisoned? What would
be her next move In respect to Fernan-
dez? What did General Weyler mean
by using force to secure the latter's
adhesion? She received no reply.
Whether her father was himself I'M
certain in regard to these matters she
did not know. The only Information
she received was that either her Ia
Their or Fernandez must suffer.
Rosa left her father to shut herself
up In her room that she might form
some plan Of action. Would 1t not be
best for her to tell Fernandez OF the
situation and trust to him to find some
way to save her father? This would
be trusting too much to man whom
she had known but q short while. II
he should take himself OF to the revo-
lutionists Rosa would feel that she had
betrayed her father.
Fernandez. who suspected the source
of this pressure which had been
brought to bear upon him. would have
departed had he not been interested In
these persons who he believed were
made the unwilling tools Of the Span
ish government More than this. he