The Rathdrum tribune. (Rathdrum, Idaho) 1903-1963, 1916-08-11
"SENORITA
MOLINA
A Story of the Cuban
Revolution
By ESTHER VANDEVEER

While the revolution that brought in
dependence to Cuba was brewing tn,
government Of Spain through the gov
ernor Of the island used every effort
to secure the adhesion of prominent
Cubans. Among those whom it was
deemed desirable to win over was a
lawyer named Enrique Fernandez, who
] was becoming prominent in his profes
S sion. One Jose Molina was summon.
. ed one day before Captain General
, Weyler and ordered either to win Fer.
nandez by argument or bribery or
force. Weyler at the time had unlim-
Tied power, and his orders were not to
, be disobeyed.
Molina was an elderly man and the
rather OF family of children. one of
whom, Rosa, was grown. Fernandez
was about thirty years old and nm
married. Molina invited Fernandez to
MS house that he might have an oppor-
tunlty 10 persuade him to align him
selr on the side of the Spanish govern
ment. Fernandez accepted the invita-
uon, 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
SER could not accomplish by argument
MS daughter might bring about by
persuasion. The father therefore held
private interview with her, at which
he said:
MY child, I have been ordered bv
the captain general to bring Senior
Fernandez to the support of the Span
ism cause either by argument or force
have tried the former and failed.
Inc latter course remains. l must tell
my guest that the Spanish government
demands his adhesion or his life. At
times woman may accomplish by per-
suasion what a man cannot effect by
argument. If 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
CuDa- 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
nandezs adhesion to the crown by first
winning his lover"
Il do not would rather suffer than
nave you do anything dishonorable."
Again there was silence. at the end
or 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:
TEL 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 a cause with which
you do not sympathi2e yourself"
Rosa did not dare tell him what he
wished to know. If she should do so
he might betake hirlself beyond her
FATHERS reach. and the latter would
have to suffer for his failure. She
would not tell an uIEtruth Rising from
her seat. she went into the house, leav-
Ing Fernandez wondering what all
this meant
Senorita Molina sought her father
ana told him that she had tried to in
1uence fernandez, but had failed be-
cause she was untitled to plead q
cause to which she was bitterly oppos- .
I'd. Molina sighted. but the sigh was
his only reply. Rosa was much trou-
oled. She asked him many questions.
4 he reported failure to the governor l
would he be imprisoned? What would
De her next move In respect to Fernan- {
iez? What did General Weyler mean {
~ using force to secure the latters {
ldneslon? She received no reply. t
whether her father was himself I'M t
certain in regard to these matters she c
lid not know. The only information J
he received was that either her IA J
her or Fernandez must suffer. q
Rosa left her father to shut herself
lp In her room that she might form
ome plan of action. Would it not be
'est for her to tell Fernandez of the t
ituation and trust to him to find some (
way to save her father? This would t
'e trusting too much to man whom '
he had known but a short while. If f
lie should take himself off to the revo- r
ntionists Rosa would feel that she had b
Betrayed her father.
Fernandez. who suspected the source j.
I this pressure which had been
rought TO bear upon him, would have Ii
eparted had he not been interested in y
hese persons who he believed were fl
lade the unwilling tools of the Span- C
'h government More than this. he W
'as powerfully drawn toward Rosa. Il
occurred to him to pretend 10 be
ncertain as to which cause he would oil
spouse In order that he might gain 10
me for observation In the hope that Il
e would be able to solve the mystery. al
o long as there was any hope Of a hi