davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1917-11-15
CHAPTER XII
WHEN THE WORLD RAN
BACKWARD

LNSTEBAN went about his plan destroy
IL ing Pancho Cueto with youthful
energy and zest. First he secured, at
some pains, half stick of dynamite,
cap and fuse and a gallon or more OF
kerosene; then he assembled his follow
ers and led them once again into the San
Juan.
This time the ride to La Joya was
longer than before, and since every men,
ber OF the little band was prescribed, Es'
teban insisted upon the greatest caution.
But there was little need Of especial care,
for the country was already depopulated,
as a result of Weyler's proclamation.
Fields we're empty, houses silent; no liv-
ing creatures stirred. except in the tree.
tops, and the very birds seemed fright
ened, subdued. 1t struck young Varona
queerly. 1t was as II the whole land
was in mourning; he saw nothing but
blackbirds, somber-hued vultures. dismal
Judea birds with their ebony plumage and
yellow beaks. Far up the valley a funeral
pail of smoke hung in the sky itself; that
was where the Spaniards were burning
the houses of those too slow In obeying
the order Of concentration.
Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1917-11-15
CHAPTER TX

IS FOR the Rasputin, in the hosptal
where had been taken after its recovery
ce orders allow crowds which
one would flock in numbers to have last look their
he called But
crowds did not manifest curiosity the
the about whom much fuss had been
whose death the whole Russian world
breathe freely than had been able years
mr. the clergy satisfaction openly
. hysterical who the
end of of the wkeds who had lived
question discussed connection with the death this
sinister whether he be allowed
burial lie had been after ALL but secarian hereto the follower
which not only reproved by the orthodox church,
ais, the The synod
itself the subject when the advice of the Metropo
tan of Perograd of the friends Raspun
the
Some ladies who had been the first his having
which be attached to his
the permission the ecclesiastical
hours after the body had been discovered Madame w.
one hysera the followers
to be celebrated her apartments
his soul She to fetch his daughters
sixteen years of who living with him
taking them her declaring
henceforward consider and treat them her children
apart from this small group of blind admirers
regretted him. the of parasites that had surrounded
exploited him. BY those anomalies
place in Russia, Mr. Manussewtsch ManuoH
had the indirect of his DEATH appointed together with
police the details
murder of his former friend OF the
led nothing No had wish end otherwise than in
oblivion. Every political Russia agreed thinking
the disappearance this dangerous the
battle important for the safety of its future existence
would have been victory the battlefield against foreign
The of the muderer though nowhere
blessed by all sincere Russian patriots who cried when they
heard that Raspun Thank God that this advenurer
h dead and long live the Tzar!"
wish could think that the extraordinary incident which
have described has to end and that together with
Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1917-11-15
novel of love- hidden and rebellion beautiful mys.
Cuba during the exciting days OF the revolt against

it issued and tried to smash the door:
but at the second blow he heard a gun.
shot from within and the wood spintered
outward almost into his face. Simulta-
neously, from somewhere outside the
house, arose the notes of a Spanish bugls
call.
Young Varona waited to hear no more.
Nor did his men; realizing the peril into
which they had been led, they boted from
the house as fast as they could go. There
was no need for questions; from the di.
rection of the sugar mill came beloved
orders and the sound of men shouting to
their horses. Evidently those were troops
and trained troops, too, for they took
no time to saddle; they were up and
mounted almost before the marauders had
gained the backs of their own animals.
There was no opportunity to choose =
retreat across the fields Esteban spurred
down the driveway toward the main cal.
zada yelling to his men to follow him.
The approach to La Joya was by way
of notable avenue, perhaps IA half Inile
in length and bordered by tall even rows
of royal palms. These stately trees
shaded the avenue by day and lent It
a cavern-like gloom by night Near the
public causeway the road was out through
IA bit of rising ground and WAS walled
by steep banks overgrown with vines.
Into the black tunnel formed by the
palms the fugtives plunged, with the
clatter of hoofs close behind them. Those
of the Volunteers who pressed them
hardest began to shoot wildly, for this
typically Cuban refusal to stand ground
enraged them beyond measure.
The Battle in the Dark
Esteban's party would doubtless have
made good their escape had IL not been
for that other guerrillero returning from
its raid; but, as it happened, the two
forces met in the sunken road. Nothing
but the darkness and the headlong ap-
proach of the fleeing men saved them
from immediate destruction, for the col.
lision occurred between banks too steep
for horse to climb. and with that yen.
ing pack too close behind to permit Of
retreat.
Instantly there began blind battle in
these desperately cramped quarters.
After the first moment or two friend and
foe We're indistinguishable and the men
of both parties began firing or thrusting
at whatever loomed nearest out Of the
gloom The narrow rsvine quickly be-
came a place of utter confusion, VOL
cano of blasphemies, a press of jostling.
plunging, struggling bodies. aorsso
reared and bit at one another. Riders.
fought stirrup to stirrup with clubbed
rifles and machetes; saddles were emptia6
and the terrified horses bolted. SOM
them lunged up the banks only % ~
BILE down again. their thyeshinG lin,he
sharpshod hooes working mqrp
than blow Or q '11ZIs ~
Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1917-11-15
TN1DNVVT,C BEACH
X -

rod shall be considered a rebel and shall
be dealt with as such"
1t was that inhuman order of concen.
tration. the result of which proved to be
without parallel in military history-an
order which gave its savage author the
name of being the archnend of nation
reputed peculiarly cruel Neither Este
ban nor Rosa, however, grasped the full
significance Of the procamation; no one
could have done so. No eye could have
foreseen the merciless butchery Of non
combatants. the starvation and death by
disease of hordes Of helpless men. women
and children herded into the cities. Four
hundred thousand Cubans driven from
their homes into shelteress prison camps;
more than two hundred thousand dead
from hunger and disease; fruitful land
laid bare of all that could serve as food,
and changed to an ash.gray desoation;
gaunt famine from Orente to Pinar del
Rio--that was the sequel to those printed
words of "Weyler the Butcher" which
Esteban read.
Eight days. When is the time up?'
Rosa inquired.
Bless you this is already two weeks
old" her brother told her
"Why, then. it means that Wen be shot
if we're caught"
Exactly But We shan't be caught,
eh? Let the timid ones take fright at
the squeaks of this old blackbird. Let
them go into the cities: we shall have the
more to eat" Esteban crumpled the
paper in his hand and dropped it. Mean
while ! shall proceed toward my settle
ment with Pancho Cueto" His very
careless confidence gave Rosa courage.
Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1917-11-15
Copyright. 1917. Harper & Brothers
CHAPTER XI (COntinued)

ESLlE BRANCH broke in upon his
~ gloomy prcoccupation by asking
How much money have YOU"
"Less than ten dollars"
Z You're rich My landiady cleaned me-
Is it the practice of benehcent mon
arches TO provide transportation for
their departing guests?".
"Undoubtedly."
Branch coughed dismally. "Itll be all
right IL they just buy me ticket to the
nrst fog. One more hemorrhage and I'll
wing my way aloft. God! I'd hate to be
buried at sea-"
Cheer up"' OReilly reassured him, IT.
ritably. There may be ice aboard"
"Ice!' Leslie gasped. "Oh, bullets"'
In marked contrast to the difficulties
Of entering Cuba was the ease of leaving
Ah' A ship was sailing from Nuevitas on
the very afternoon when the two Amer
leans arrived, and they were hurried
aboard. Not until the anchor was up did
their military escort depart from them.
With angry, brooding eyes O'Reilly
watched the white houses along the
s"amps slip past, and the hills rise out
OF their purple haze. When the salt
breath OF the trades came TO his nostrils
he turned into his stateroom, and, taking
The crate of cocoanuts with which Gen
eral Antuna had thoughtfully provided
MN, he bore it to the rail and dropped 1t
overheard.
rheumatism was foolish disease,
anyhow," hS muttered.
Great newsw Esteban Varona an
hounced one day as he dsnounted after
foraging trip into the Yumuri. I'VE
met some of Lacrets men and they told
US that Spain has recalled Captain Gen
erai Campos. lie acknowledges himself
powerless to stem the flood of Cuban
revolution. What do you say to that?
Does that mean the end of the war?'
Rosa eagerly inquired.
Weyler's Appearance
.G Hoh, no. They have sent a new man
nes IN Havana nova dark little old
iehow who never smiles. He has long
muse and big chin; he dresses all in
o'acK-a very 'jew-bird in appearance.
from what / hear. His name is Weyler
Valeriano Weyler, Marquis of Ten
erhe.' Esteban laughed tolerantly, for
- yet the name of Weyler meant nothing
to him.
NO wonder we knew nothing about 1t,
'~id the girl. "We hide like animals and
>"e see no one for weeks at time. |
sonetimes wonder how O'Reilly will man
age to lind u.s."
oh he'll manage it somehow" Este.
otn declared cheerfully. Then he ran an
eproving eye over the new bohio and the
<~ Earden plot which Evangelina had
eeousiy begun. Were not 20 badly
Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1917-11-15

Rasputn the who him and who him
for their have also Unfortunately this
fails the that else spring
in his place halns mind does of all loyal Russians.
Rasputn taken individually, did deserve notice. He
of the influence which attributed him.
and his peponderant the councils of the Tar
of those whose tool he had become
spread the notion that he had acquired and that thanks the
religious enthusiasm which he had conrved among
small circle of influential he had installed
himself in the confidence of his sovereign Unfortunately for
Russia these people not only had accmpes in their evil deeds
but also had the spread their opinions the public
the ability make these opinions into all the different
the They dcredted the imperial family they
dscreded the of the day. they dcredted the
POLITICAL and shall a national,
necessity suppress them, together with the adventrer whom
they had forward and thanks to whom they had been able to
play unmoesed for the most nearous of
Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1917-11-15
CObO Remembers Rosa

Cueto nodded his complete approval OF
this program. "Oh, decidedly" said he.
This spirit of violence must be stamped
out or none of US will he safe. Let me
tell you I myself live in constant dread
of that young villain, Narona. hope
YOU haven't forgotten him"
Forgotten him." Colonel Cobo fin.
gered "A lately healed scar which further
disfgured his ugly face, then he cursed
frightfully. IT'S by Gods mercy alone
that I'm alive tonight. And | haven't
forgotten the girl, either. She'll have
to come in, along with the others. The
boy may stay out, but she can't He
licked his lips. wait until | have fin
ished with this valley. I'll drive the
Numui next, as a hunter drives Il thicket
for his game, aud nothing will slip
through"
His thoughts once turned upon Rosa,
the colonel could talk of little else, and
,'ueto realized that the girl had indeed
made deep impression upon him. The
uverseer was well pleased, and when Cobo
finally took himself off - bed he followed
in better spirits than he had enjoyed for
some time. For one thing, IT was agree
able to look forward to "A night of un'
disturbed rcpose. Pancho's apprehen'
sions had fattened upon themselves. and
he had been living of late in a night
mare of terror.
But II seemed to him that he had
barely closed his eyes when he was
awakened by tremendous vibration and
undecided whether he had been hurled
from his bed or whether he had leaped
thither Still in a daze, he heard a shout
from the direction of CoboS room, then
a din of other voices, followed by a rush
of feet; the next instant his door was
flung back and he saw, by the light of
hgh-held torches, Esteban Narona and
a ragged rabbe of black men. Cueto
knew that he faced death. He uttered
a shrill scream of terror, and, seizing the
revolver which was always close at his
hand, he fired blindly. Then his foes
were upon him. What happened there
after took but an instant. lie lodged a
blow from Esteban's clubbed rife only
to behold the fash of a machete. Crying
out again. he tried to guard himself from
the descending blade, but too late; the
sound of his hoarse terror died in his
throat, half born.
Gnrnr;sal
Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1917-11-15

la Joya. however, was still tcnanted
when early in the evening its rightful
owner arrived; the house and some Of its
outbuldings showed lights Esteban con.
cealed his men. While the horses cropped
and the negroes rested he fitted fuse and
cap to his precious piece of dynamite.
1t was likely. he thought, that Cueto had
provided himself with bodyguard and,
knowing the plantation house as he did,
he had no intention OF battering weakly
at it's stout ironwood door while his
quarry took fright and shifted away
Now while Estcban was thus busted,
Pancho Cueto was entertaining an uu.
welcome guest. In the late afternoon he
had been surprised by the visit of dozen
OF more Volunteers, and inasmuch as his
relations with their colonel had been none
Of the friendliest since that ill.starred
expedition into the Yumuri, he had felt
a chill Of apprehension on seeing the re-
doubtable Cobo himself at their head.
Tyrants' Work
The colonel had explained that he was
returning from trip up the San Juan.
taken for the purpose of rounding up those
inhabitants who had been dilatOry in
obeying the new orders from Havana.
That smoke to the southward was from
fires Of his kinding; lie had burned n
good many crops aud houses and pun
ished good many people, aud since this
was exactly the sort of task he liked he
was in no unpleasant mood. He had de
manded of Cueto lodging FOR himself and
his troop. announcing that a part of his
command was somewhere behind and
would rejoin him later in the night.
Cueto himself welcomed his visitor in
all humility; he put up the soldiers in
the bate" OF the sugar mill, and then
installed Cobo in his best room, after
which he ransacked the house for food
and drink and tobacco.
Later he and the colonel sat long over
their supper, for the latters eXultant
humor continued. Cobo, it transpired,
was delighted with the new captain gen
eral, man of blood and iron, "a man
after his own heart. This Weyler, he
predicted, would put an end to the III
surrection; there would be no more of
Campos's weak, merciful methods, which
were, in reality, nothing less than en-
couragement to revolt. Cueto, Of course,
agreed,
Were sweeping the country as with
a broom. and already Matanzas is bulging
with refugees the officer told him.
''They call themselves pacificos, but they
carry information and aid our enemies,
Well have no more of that"
"Wili IL not be a great expense to feed
so many people?" Cueto ventured.
Let them feed themselves. Is it our
fault that they make such measures
necessary? By no means. Once we have
them safe. we shall exterminate all whom
we encounter In the country" The
speaker drank deeply of Cueto's good
Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1917-11-15

in him a terrible anger. Second only to
his hatred for the guerrilla chief was his
bitterness, against the traitor Pancho
Cueto, who had capped his villainy by
setting this new peril upon them; and
since Rosa's safety and his own honor
called for the death of both men, he had
sworn that somehow he would effect It,
1t was. Of course, a difficult matter to
get at the colonel of volunteers, but
Cueto still lived i'm the midst of his black
ened fields, and it was against him that
the boy was now planning to launch his
first blow.
Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1917-11-15

will appear in daily installments be
ginning Saturday.
This interesting life story of one of
Pennsylvania leading jurists and pub
lie men is replete with revelations of
political activities and with delightful
characterizations of noted personalities,
all enlivened by the writer's quaint
humor.
Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1917-11-15

Unfortunately, the Staying of Raspun did destroy the
who had used him. 1t did not put end to the
abuses which had brought the chaos which
found itself at the moment Of its trial The himself
the loss of ensign that
the regiment that carried it about has shared its fate.
Russia's Enemies Still Lire
This has brought forward the best and the
the speak, sepa-
rated the bad the elements which contained
done with unsavory traditions and has the
Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1917-11-15
The Mandate

The mention OF Cobo's name had mo-
mentarily distracted Esteban's thoughts.
Now he collected them and said:
wait! l am forgetting something. See
what Lacret's men handed me; they are
posted from one end of the island to the
other" He displayed "A printed bando, or
proclamation, signed by the new captain
general. and read as follows:
tricts, or those who reside outside the
lines of fortifications of the towns, shall,
within period of eight days, enter the
towns which are occupied by the troops.
Any individual found outside the lines In
the country. at the expiration Of this Pc
Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1917-11-15

constitutional
its
misa
Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1917-11-15

wine and smacked his lips. TITS the
kind of work | like. determination!
They have had their warning. From now
on we shall spare neither man. woman nor
child. The men are traitors, the women
breed and the children grow up"
Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1917-11-15
I&A IR&ASPUIINc@DE3XIIGp@SA 2z]]>>c<;!D!s gX!Z:I!];G

Rnsputin Vas the Last Representative of the Old
Regime, and His Appearance on the Horizon
of Russian Social Life Was but the Flicker of
What the Princess RadziUiH Calls a "Detest.
n able Past" NO,D Past FOreuer
Unfortunately, the Staying of Rasputin Did Not
Destroy the Persons Who Had Used Him, Nor
q did 1t Put an End to the Many Abuses Which
Had Brought Russia to the State of Chaos in
Which 1t Found Itself Before the Revolution
Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1917-11-15
Surprised

quick! Soak the bed with oil and
fire it," Esteban directed; then he ran
out into the hall TO investigate that other
shouting. He found the chamber whsnes
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1917-07-08

were being sought in the highways and
byway3.
The situation was complicated by
allowing number OF infantry bat
talions TO recruit in the same area at
the same time. with the result that the
new men came in driblets, valuable
time was lost and much money wasted.
I'm some cases it has taken well over a
year from the date when they were au-
thorized before battaions were dis
patched oversee due very largely 10
ineffective recruiting methods. Bat
talions were allowed 70 continue the
heart-breaking quest of recruits long
after they should have been amalga-
mated and sent to England. Such ANAL
carnations came ultimately, battalions
retaining their identity when leaving
Canada only when 500 or more strong.
The high cost of recruits was a di-
rect consequence of competition among
battaliOns recruiting Independently in
the same territory at the same time.
The government allowance was not
adequate 10 maintain the pace and had
70 be supplemented by private funds.
There is to-day in Toronto a GER
tain group OF fifty recruits referred to
as the $4,000 squad because il is
estimated that the cost of recruiting
them averaged nearly 5000 each. the
money coming from private funds Of
officers and their friends. Perhaps
the estimate involves some exaggera-
ton. but many units have added TO
their ranks only at a cost of $50 or
more per recruit
Some idea of the waste of such n
system may be secured when il il stat
ed that. with men coming forward free
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1917-07-08


Toronto, June 1t.-Competent Cana
dian military authorities are convinced
that under ideal conditions men will
out previous soldier training can be
fitted for infantry service at the front
in between four and six months.
OF course, ideal conditions are diff
cult to secure, and this record has not
been attained with any of the Cana
dian troops. Plans have been worked
out however, and probably will be ap-
piled to the men drafted under the
selective CONSUMPTION system to fit
raw recruits for active service oversee
in less than six months. The problem
essentially is one of organization.
Canada's experience makes tina.
abundantly clear.
The world has marvelled at this coun-
try's achievement at Valcartier camp
and the dispatch across the Atlantic
Ocean of a fully equipped expeditionary
force of $4,000 men within two months
of the outbreak of war between Great
Britain and Germany. But the magni-
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1917-07-08
IL Firemen Receive
Medals from Mayor

Medals for valor were awarded to
twelve heroes of the Fire Department
by Mayor Mitchell yesterday at the an
pual exhibition of the Fire Department
in the stadium of the College of the
City of New York. The members OF
the Russian War Mission were the
guests of honor.
The medals given for heroic rescues
of the last year and their winners are
James Gordon Bennett medal and depart
ment medal-Fireman first gradel John
Walsh, Hook and Ladder Company s.
Hugh Bonner medal and two department,
medals-Fireman first grade) Joseph Maher,
Engine Company 50.
Emily Trevor-Mary b. Warren medal and
department medal Fireman first gradel
John J. Falls, Hook and Ladder Company 20
William L. Strong medal and department
medal-Fireman first gradel Michael Sloane,
Hook and Ladder Company 3.
Henry P. Wertheim medal and department
rnedsl-Fireman Second Rradel John Devine,
Hook and Ladder Company 3.
Brooklyn Citizens medal and department
nedal-Fireman first grade) Ferdinand A.
Boyer. Hook and Ladder Company l0S.
William S. Hurley medal and department
rnedal-Fireman first gradel Leland Wal
lace. Hook and Ladder Company lOS.
Thomas T.. Crimmns memorial medal and
department medal-Fireman first gradel
Richard Mar gels, Hook and Ladder Conn
pany 8.
Department medal-Captain John +. Far
ley. Hook and Ladder Company g.
Department medal-Fireman first grade)
Thomas Kilbride. Rescue Company |.
Stephenson medal-Captain James j.
Mooney. Hook and Ladder Company l20.
College efficiency medal-To each member
Of Hook and Ladder Company 10.
Administration medal-Captain Charles w.
Rankin. Engine Company 30.
A parade showing the evolution OF
the fire engine also gave opportunity
for a study in styles of firefghters
uniforms for the last century. Draw
ing an old hand pump wagon used in
New York in 1910 were veterans Of the
Fire Department OF Civil War times.
On a three story frame structure
erected in the stadium field the firemen
thrilled the 5000 who watched with
spectacular rescues, and as a grand
finale the building was set on fire.