Ladysmith news-budget. [volume] (Ladysmith, Rusk County, Wis.) 1907-1927, 1918-08-09
Continued from last week

kjGTIHlu
for independence speak of "The Bat
tie of San Antonio de los Banos." 1t
is quite a stirring story to read and 1t
has but one fault, fault, by the way,
not uncommon in histOries-it is main
~ untrue.
In the first place, the engagement
was in no sense battle, but merely
raid. The number Of troops engaged
was. perhaps, One-fifth OF the generous
total ascribed by the historians, and
as a military maneuver 1t served no
purpose whatsoever. Nevertheless,
since the affair had direct bearing
upon the fortunes of several people
connected with this story, 1t LIS. per-
haps, worth relating.
Lopez and his troop approached the
town in the early morning. AS they
deployed for the attack the colonel is
sued private Instructions to certain
members of his command.
"O'Reilly, you and Senior Branch Will
enter one grocery store after another.
You will purchase that jam, those sar-
dimes. and whatever else you think
Miss Evans would like. Captain Jud-
son, you and Major Ramos will go to
the apothecary shop-I understand
there is q very good One-and look for
tooth.powder and candy and the like. L
shall see that the streets are cleared,
then l shall endeavOr to discover some
pickles; but as God Is my Judge, !
doubt IL there is such thing this side
of Habana."
Leslie Branch, whose temper had not
improved with the long night ride, in
quired, caustically: "Do you expect US
to buy the groceries? Well, I'm broke,
and so is O'Reilly. If you don't give us
some change, colonel, We'll have to
open q charge account in your name"
"Garamba !" muttered Lopez. II fnS
tended to borrow from you gentlemen.
Well, never mind-we'l commander
what we wish in the name of the rel
public"
Lopez attack proved a complete
surprise, both to the citizens and to the
garrison of the town. The rebel bugle
gave the first warning of what was
afoot, and before the Castilian troops
who were lettering off duty could re-
gain their quarters, before the citizens
could take cover or the shOpkeeperS
close and bar their heavy. wooden shut
tiers, two hundred ragged hOrsemen
were yelling down the streets.
There followed a typical Cuban en-
m
There was a mad charge on the heels
of the scurrying populace, a scattering
pop-pop of rifles, cheers. cries, shrieks
of, defiance and far-flung insults direct
ed.at the fortinas.
O'Reilly, with Branch and Jacket
close at his heels, whirled his horse
into the first bodega he came to. The
store was stocked with general mer-
chandise, but its owner, evidently a
Spaniard, did not tarry to set a price
upon any of 1t. AS the three horsemen
came Gathering In at the front he went
flying out at the rear, and, although
O'Reilly called reassuringly after him,
his only answer was the slamming of q
back door, followed by swiftly dimin-
fishing cries of fright.
There was no time to waste. John
ME dismounted and, walking to the
shelves where some imported canned
goods were displayed, he began to Sc
lect those delicacies for which he had
been sent. The devoted Jacket was at
his side. The little Cuban exercised no
restraint; he seized whatever was most
handy, meanwhile cursing ferociously,
as befitted a bloodthirsty bandit. Boys
are natural robbers, land at this Oppor-
tunity for loot Jackets soul famed
sayagely and he swept the shelves bare
as he went.
"Hey, Leslie! Get something to carry
this stuff fn," O'Reilly directed over
his shoulder.
Spurred by O'Reilly's tone and by a
lively rattle of rifle-shots outside, Les
lie. disappeared into the living-quarters
at the back of the store. A moment
later he emerged with huge armful
of bedclothes, evidently snatched at
random. Trailing behind him, like q
bridal veil, was a mosquito-net, which
in his haste he had torn from its fas-
Jennings.
ST guess this is poorw he exulted.
Bedding! Pillows! Mosquito-net! I'll
sleep comfortable after this"
Dumping his burden of sheets, blank
cts, and brilliantly colored cotton quilts
upon the floor, Branch selected two of
the stoutest and began to knot the cor
ners together.
He had scarcely finished when Jud-
son refined in at the door and called to
O'Reilly: "We've cleaned out the drug
store. Better get q move on you, for
we may have to run any minute. I've
Just heard about some Cuban prisoners
in the calaboose. Gimme hand and
Wen let 'em out"