The Big Sandy news. [volume] (Louisa, Ky.) 1885-1929, 1917-07-27
A Story Of the
Spanish Armada
By ElINoR MARSH


like other people Of Irish descent. ex
cept that the mother did not have the
clear, peachy Irish complexion. while
the children were brunettes remark
ed to the farmer upon this dark skin
of his children, whereupon he told me
that there was Spanish blood In their
veins. Going to desk, he took out a
manuscript and handed It to me. II
was written IN woman's hand OH
parchment and evidently was very old.
was sufficiently interested In II 10
take a copy OF IT, Here II is:
| II was midsummer 1888, when one
morning | was picking berries In the
Geld and stopped to rest. Looking out
over the bay, l saw ship. Scattered
here aud there fur and near were other
ships. One OF them was 30 close 10
the shore that could see the standard
she bore, and It was strange one.
The ship, which was a large one and
with portfolios for guns. was coming
into the harbor. Her foremost was
gone, and what sails she carried were
In tatters
This was the year OF the famous
Spanish armada We In the north OF
Ireland had heard something about the
spaniards intending to Invade Eng.
land but we get little news from
land so far away, and we had not
heard that they had sailed up the Eng
lish channel; that there had been
running fight; that many OF the Span
ish ships had been wrecked In q storm,
that the rest, cut OF from returning 20
Spain over the course they Ind come
had sailed 10 the northward OF the
Orkney Islands and were coming
southwark around the west coast OF
Ireland to get back bone,
This ship | saw came into port eyi-
IDENTIFY in distress We had no means
OF defending ourselves. Indeed. wo
peeded no defense, for the ship came
In only TO make such repairs as might
enable her To make the voyage beck
TO Spain.
l went down to the shore, where l
watched a boat coming from the ship.
II landed near whore stood. and the
sailors carried Il man wrapped In ,blan-
kets on 10 the beach and laid him on
the sand. The sun was shining. and
the sand was warm and not hard to lie
upon. The sailors left, the man, 10
turned TO their beat and pulled back
to the ship.
went TO tho man and looked down
upon him. His eyes were closed: but,
bearing me, he opened them He was
no doubt very III or much reduced from
exposure. He spoke little English
and told me that he had been wound
ed lighting In the English channel The
rolling OF the ship greatly injured
him. and he had begged his com
rades 10 take him ashore, II not res
cued by some landsman he would pre-
fer TO die there rather than on ship
board.
He seemed greatly relieved to DO ly.
ing where he was, so left him 20 10
10 the house and tell father and mother
about him. ! took back 10 him Soma
milk, which no drank and seemed To
relish Father was not minded 10 savo
a hated Spanlard from death, but ut
last prevailed upon him to 20 with
me 10 the stranger, and when fnther
saw him and that he was very young
and well favored he would have chr,
ried him 10 tho house but the invalid
preferred 30 remain whore he was 30 |
long AZ tho SIM shone upon him and
the breeze famed his check
But when evening came he vns 10 |
moved 10 our house whore gave him |
some bread and honey for supper, and !
he was laid upon bed and atouce fen
into a sleep from which he did noe |
awaken till the next day al. noon. The
first question he asked vas whether |
tho ship that had brought him had |
sailed. and when todd that ~ h1d he
was much cast down, for be said TINT
he felt much stronger and would havs
returned 10 Spainfin her.
These things he communicated part.
H In English words and partly by
signs Ne one except myself could nm
derstand him, 30 whenever he wished
TO communicate anything he did Il
through me ] nursed him and prepar-
ed bis meals for him. and no would 1
not permit any one else 10 do anything
for him
BY thu time hs had recovered q
Spanish ship that had been wrecked,
but had been repaired, was ready TO
SAT- for Spain. and the Spaniard sent
word TO her cnmmander that he wonld
go with him as one Of the crow.
boat was sent for him, and no tadP
goodby to father and mother and the
I went with him to the place
where the boat was Whiting for him.
But we mover reached It. Looking
down from an efninence. upon the boat,
| tried TO permit him to go TO It, but
cotld not, nor could he leave me. We
whore vo were, and When
the night WIS coming ON the sailors
pulled away and left us
have written this that my children
and my children's children may know
how Y came about that the blood OF
Spain and Ireland was mlIkled In
them at the time OF the great armada.
My husband has long ago renowned
his allegiance to the king Of Spain and
Ia now NJ awful subject of King Janes N