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About Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922 | View Entire Issue (March 12, 1905)
Taken from Ae count Given Eve Witness CO mmmTmK':t- DON FERNANDO DR 1HAKHKTA 1 wag on his way from Santander, at the fl w I head of the royal forces dispatched to 'VJ' I relieve Bilbao, Invented on all sides by the bmhsbss Curlists. Arrived within the slcn of Ho- fOJGI morrootro the army mads a rwi It. the lv--- I heights of San Pedro Ahanto being so ammma strongly fortified the long line of redoubts presented an almocst Insurmountable nlwtnde to an ad vancing force. These redoubts then would have to be carried on the hot glimmer's day In spite of the deadly musketry fire, which poured down from them unceas ingly upon all who approached from the vulley below. The general had for the moment taken cover with his staff Inside a house, the windows of which had been filled In with brickwork leaving only quite narrow loop holes to look through. Against this dead wall the bul lets rattled and rebounded making little dints In the masonry. Boldly the first detachment of the storming party advanced to the attack but the reception they met with was so hot they wavered and fell back. " Senores!" saJd Don Fernando, " this will never do. Th lads are brave enough, but too many of their num ber already strew the ground, and In the end they will lose courage. We must do something to revive their "Ah. no, sefior! let me be spared that! I can serve no one. We are of honorable family ami for generations have been our own masters on our own little homestead. A servant I cannot be!" Hut, Domenech, what does this mean? Toil who are known to be the steadiest, best conducted soldier In the whole army, are you going to refuse to obey orders now. and about such a trifle, too? Not take service! Why. man, are you not In the royal service nil the time?" Pablo bit his Hp hsrd and turned pale. " I obey, then, sefior. since It Is your wish." he said In a kw voice and with a look of Indescribable melancholy. That same evening he stood liefore the doctor, turn ing and twisting his military cap nervously In his fingers. " I will serve you faithfully, sefior; but there la one thing 1 should like to ask of you." Out with It, my lad." The reglmentsi doctor. Don Ramon Btchebaster. a Basque, was a most excellent surgeon. Big and burly, and tightly braced in his uniform, of sanguine complex ion, with bristly white mustaches, and light gray eyes, he wai known to be by no means averse to occasional dallying with pretty chambermaids and was as hot tem- X. 1 spasm of such uneasiness and remorse, it almost choked tilm. He listened and listened In vain, hoping to hear Ifcimenech letutn. The flHine of the candles nickeled In the draft that enme In through the cracks of the badly fitting win dows, and they burnt quickly down. Hut Hon Ramon went on for a long time pacing the little room, think ing over the events of the day that had been so full of worries and vexations and that had wound up with this art of hastiness on his own part, of which be was already most heartily ashamed. He remembered how orten he had shown himself Impatient and irritable toward Pablo, and how the latter had Invariably Isirne the most unjust fault finding without n trace of III will. Ktery little scene of the sort was now mag nified to himself In the bitterness of bis self-reproach. Hut be would try to make up to the good fellow for evr thing; lie should have a ring for Ills novia and money to start housekeeping. Hut. however many times lon Ramon paused in his restless walk to listen for the approaching footsteps, not a sound was to 1m? heard nothing but the Incessant patter of the rain. At last, tired out, the doctor flung himself on the bed and put out the light Hut even then it was long be fore he could sleep. Every time he was about to dote he started up. fancying he heard Pablo's step, until In the end fatigue overpowered even the anxiety of his honest heart, and his wish to repair the wrong he had done, and he fell Into a heavy sleep. Pablo meanwhile had been racing through the country like a madman. All at once a vivid flash of lightning revealed a tall cross rising before him in the darkness. He. sank on his knees and tried to pray. Hut no prayer would issue from his parched and fevered Hps, no prayer, only the one word, " Revenge!" " Revenge!" lie groaned again and again. " Revenge upon the man who has dishonored me, who has laid his hand on the proud, freeborn, upright Pablo Dome nech!" Then lie remembered thnt nil vengeance was denied him; that as a Christian he was bound to for give, and that if with his own hand he avenged hia wrong, his life must pay the penalty. " My poor, pretty Paqulta!" he murmured, and hot tears came Into his eyes'. "It will break her heart! They will take nie and shoot me like a dog. and I shall lie in uncon eeerated earth, among ttie criminals I, Pablo, who nover yet harmed a living creature." All this he told himself, but tils cheek still smarted with the blow, Hiid all the rains of heaven could not cool It. could not wash away the stain only blood could wipe that out! Pablo Hung himself upon the ground; he gnawed HMQueen of Roumatua of the riixlne. Pablo heard nil these sounds distinctly and he could feel the rain, too, trickling down the bark of his nerk. but It was so dark he could not see a hmdhrendth In front c.f him. With his clinched fist he struck the rock ngalnst which he was leaning, telling himself thnt stone Itself was not colder and harder than fate had been to him, and also that he must learn henceforth to be Just ns cold and hard and feellngless. And what. Indeed, did he care for now? What was left that could still give him pleasure or pain? He knew nothing, cured for nothing, asked for nothing, except Just hia revenge! Kverythlng In him cried out for revenge, and the word was taken up and tossed bark to him by the voices of the storm shut up within the gorge, as though they hud been the echoes of the rattling shots that so recently passed over It each one of them a message of revenge! At last the day dawned, cold and gray. Pablo looked up. with a bitter taste In his mouth, and such deep sadness In his eyes, as Nemesis well might weur when she wends her way across a guilt laden world, over throwing much that seemed to stand so fast. "1 won der If Don Ramon has pruyed tonight?" thought Pablo to himself. " I will say a prayer for him, that at least his soul may not be unprepared!" He looked around for the cross, before which he had knelt so long, found another from which hung a faded wreath, all dripping with the rain, and here he knelt and prayed: "Pear Holy Jesus! Have mercy on the poor sinner who struck the blow, and on the other poor sinner, who cannot bear the shutne. of it." Just then the clouds broke, and a lovely pink flush darted up from the horizon, tinging their heights with rosy light, as though It were the Alpine glow among the peaka of Cloudland. It was the sunrise. The troops had nil inarched out for the Sunday morning parade. Gen. Ibarreta rode up at a gallop, surrounded by his brilliant staff. The wild thyme, still moist witli the rain, sent forth Its annua under the trump of the horses' hoofs. The sky was ash gray; across It the clouds drifted slowly, looking like wreaths of smoke from heavy guns; drops fell from the trees, and the ground steamed under the trampling horses. Now, us the general checked his horse, und rode close lug eyes. Pablo spent nearly the whole of hi lust night In conversation with the priest, to whose care he conllded his cross and little linage for paiitittu. " It was only good to keep ofT bullets, not blows." he remarked with a melancholy smile. The soldiers stood in groups u round their ramp Ores, discussing the mailer more or less volubl, und in terms of praise and blame, according to their different dis positions. As the first streak of the dawn tH-came" visi ble all felt their hearts within them luuvy as lead. The sun rose In a deep blue, cloudless sky. On the heights of Soniori ostro lit s a small deserted church yard, overlooking the buy of Blscu. through the wood crowned knolls that shut It ill. Through these blue patches of sea appear, as though set In a framework of Hex and beech. 1 he soil wherever It can le seen through the thick carpet of flowers Is of deep red. The old wall round the churchyard has also it reddish hue, under Its luxuriant overgrowth of moss and the clusti r Ing blossoms that twine about It. A light sea hreese stirred the branches of the aged trees within this lu ilosure, setting up a low murmur among the leaves. Then a little bird lifted up lis voice and trilled forth Its Joyous morning hymn. Presently the ground shook with the heavy tread of men Marching In step, ami to the sound of muffled drums the troops drew up in n wide circle round the churchyard, the splendid Hussar regiments Pa via and Princess, the Ijinccra of l.uiiaim. the artillery, composed of Aragoiiese, magnificent, wild looking fellows, with muscles like steel and eyes black us conl. The llabana rifles, too. came marching along, anil drew up line. Nine suppers wire told off from among llicni, and took up their station close beside the nil i 33 A, Jit:.' v -A spirit. I am going to ride up there with them for a little way and you can accompany me if you like." It waa with good reason that the general felt his hopes revive, as the llabana rifles marched up. But even these lrave fellows stopped short at the fatal ditch. Nearly all the officers were mown down, and the men stood irresolute before those heights, which they must soale In the teeth of death. "Comrades! what Is the ni ltter?" calls a soft per suasive voice and a young man of slender build, with flashing black eyes and a short downy beard, advance to the front. It Is Pablo Pablo Domenech whose feat of reckless courage have often been the talk of the camp, " Do you fancy there la any . danger? Not a bit of It!" And with the utmost coolness and deliberation he start; on the ascent, takes out his tobacco pouch, rolls a cigan4, sticks It behind his ear, rolls another, strikes a match, and begins to smoke. Then he looks around. The others still hcaltate. So he takes his musket, tosses it over his shoulder, puts both hawks In his pockets, and strides on puffing away at his cigaret, as carelessly and unconcernedly as if he were taking a little stroll for his own pleasure and were being shot at with a pea shooter for fun. At this there is a sudden commotion In the ranks; it spreads like wildfire from group to group, and with a loud "Hurrah!" his comrades dash pell me-11 after him, like dogs let loose from leash. From his station on the mound the general hod been watching the proceedings through his field glass, his cheeks glowing with a deeper color even than waa habit ual to him. " Who Is the man who Is mounting all alone to the assault?" he asked excitedly. " Why, he is actually smoking, the plucky devil! Ah, the others think better of it. They are starting, too; but he is still a long way ahead! They have reached the fort they are close bi hlnd him now they are inside well, there are still enough of them on their legs! Bravo! H is ours I The redoubt is taken! Fetch me the brave fellow who went on alone In front." Off gallops the orderly officer and returns bringing with him Domeneoh, still black with powder and smoke. " Here is the cross of honor for you, hljo mlo!" Pablo salutes with true Spanish grace and dignity, as calm and self-poasessod In the Joy of this well merited reward, as he had been out there Just now under shot and shell. " So you are bullet proof, that you marched up all alone to the assault?" " Yea, sefior, I am." There are signs of unmistakable hilarity among the stnff. ' What, you really think you cannot be wounded?" and there is a merry twinkle In the general's good hu mored eyes. Hut with the utmost gravity Pablo draws forth from his breast a small picture of a saint. "This waa given me by my sweetheart; no bullet can touch me while I weur It!" Pablo's voice is pleasant to the ear, and he Is a goodly fellow to look at as he stands there, with his well knit frame, his mobile features, curved sensitive lips, and small, well shaped hands and feet. " Send In your claim to the Grand Cross, the Crus I-aureada de San Fernando," continues the general with an approving smile. Pablo's skin seems to take a deeper shade, his nos trils dilute, till they appear almost transparent, und his Hps are tightly pressed together. The Crows of St. Fer dinand! One has to apply for It one's self and send In the proofs to support one's chum. Then a procurator la appointed, whose duty It Is to contest the application until the commanding officers come forward in person to bear witness to the valor of the deed lierformed. And It is not a cross that Is Just hung on you, but it is stitched Into your clothes, to be always worn. A few days later Domenech was standing beside a fellow soldier, who with miff, awkward fingers, and holding hia head much on one aide, was writing a letter ut Pablo's dictation on .a sheet of paper placed on a drum he held between his legs on the ground. It had often ben a matter of great regret to Pablo himself, and to all who were Interested In him. that he could not write, since It was the only thing that stood in the way of his advancement, and but for It he would have been corporal long ago. The letter ran this: "My Beloved Paqulta! I hope thut all goes well with the, and that thou hast ground for contentment.' With me all is well. I have had the Cross of San Fernando given me. Why, I know not. Our general asked if I were bullet proof,' so 1 showed him the Image of the bless d saint thou didst give me. In four weeks' time I hope to return home, and then If thou hast not forgottsn me, and art still of the sum mind, the wedding shall take ill ace. This greeting . n is "Thy Pablo Domeivach." But kmr before the four week were over Pablo waa summoned to the colonel. I "The regimental doctor has asked to have you for hia orderly, my lad, knowing how handy you are and how trustworthy," pered as he was good hearted. " I can work well, and shall never complain of any amount of work," Pablo went on slowly and hesitating ly. " i can bear hard words, too you can scold me as much as you like. But one thing I must beg of Vuesa Merced: never to lift your hand against me! Only do not touch me, for then I could not answer for myself I know not what might happen." " But why on earth should rt occur to nie to strike you? I know that I can rely on you and will treat you well." " I thought it best to warn your honor. One oan never tell how things may fall out, and and that I could not bear. You will surely bear It in mind, sefior?" " Surely, hlo mlo. But I am not afraid. I know that I count on you; so you may count on me also." The same expression of settled gravity was on Pablo's face ae he left the room and prepared to enter on his new duties. They were sealously and punctually performed; but all gladness and lightness of heart seemed to have gone from him; his lips could no longer frame themselves to smile or utter a Jest; his bearing was stll! upright and soldierly, but less proud, and his step had lost something of Its elasticity. "Well, how do you find Domenech answer?" In quired the colonel one "day of Don Ramon. " I have never been so well off In my life," was the reply. " I have no longer to think of anything for my self. He thinks of everything for me, and looks after me as a mother takes care of her child. And if I growl and grumble, he takes It patiently; he is bo quick about hlB work, too, and never gosslpa. O, ha is quite a model!" " He is a hero," said Don Vicente quietly. Pablo became quite Ingeniuus In devising all sorts of little comforts for his master, when the latter came home from the hospital, tired out and Irritated with the sad scenes he had taken part in there. For with Don Ramon sadness only too often took the form of Ir ritability, and vented itself in anger and impatience on the next person to come in his way. Pablo, how ever, kept his equanimity through it all. "I shall be home today at 7, Domenech. Bee that I find dinner ready. I have a bad operation before me and expect to be pretty well done up." With these words Don Ramon pulled his uniform together, buttoned it close, and strode quickly away Pablo prepared everything with the utmost care, so that his master might find all In order on his return. He grilled a steak and fried some potatoes for dinner, und as the clock struck 7 all was in readiness; the dishes stood smoking, looking most Inviting, and fill ing the whole of the little apartment with their savory smell. The dinner waa ready, but the doctor did not come. Regretfully Pablo pulled the dishes a little to one side, so that they might keep hot without altogether spoiling, and settled down to wait. Half a dozen times he was on the point of throwing everything away and cooking the dinner over again, but then Just at that moment lon Ramon might make his appearance, tired and hungry, and he hud better find a bad repast ready than none at all, after the long trying day's work. Over and over again Pablo walked to the gute to look out, and then walked back disappointed. Klght o'clock struck, and then the half hour, but still hia master did not appear. The sky had become overcast with heavy thunder clouds, and darkness came on quickly. All at once the white mustaches were seen through the dusk, looking ill the whiter against the background of thick clouds, and with the quirk, hurried step which Publo had learnt to know as a sure sign of ill temper, Ion Ramon entered. He flung his cap into a corner of the room, pushed the randies away, and pulled towards lilm the dishes which Pablo hurriedly set on the table. Pablo tried to explain that everything must ba spoilt w'lth waiting so long, but iHin Ramon did lint listen to him, and simply went on pouring nut glass after glass of wine, railing all the while against the fools of as sistant surgeons, the Idiots of commissariat, the Red Cross humbug, and the worthless bandages! At lust lie paused for a moment and turned his attention to his meal. But he had no sooner tasted it than ha be gt.n to grumble again: "ifard as nails! Cat's meat! Leather!" he muttered once or twice, then suddenly spat out the mouthful he had taken, dashed his plate to the' ground, and swore vehemently at Pablo. The latter .tried to excuse himself on account of the long delay, but at this Don Ramon's fury became absolutely uncontrollable. "Insolent fellow! Do you presume to answer me?" ha shouted, starting up, and striking Pablo full in the face. Pablo dashed out of the room, out Into the night and the storm. The doctor remained standing there, Ilk a drunken man suddenly sobered by a shock. He recalled Pablo' words that on solemn request and Ills own promise; th sight of the shattered crockery on th floor mad him blush for hi violence; he stepped to th window, against which th rain was now beating In torrents, looked nut, then pulled out his watch, saw that he waa fully an hour and half late, and a ivudden revulsion of feeling tame over him. a SSfi Mr wall. There they all stood In their glittering ninks. silent us the tomb. Nothing was to be heard save the brief words of command. The silence was so intense, one might almost have heard the breaking of the waves on the beach below, or the pulsations or one's own heart. It was quite In low tones that Don Vicente de la Cueva had given the order for the sappers to fsll out- His own feat urea were so drawn the bones seemed to stand out bentath the skin. A shudder went through the runks. and all eyes were turned on the priest, who slowly approached, attired In his full cimonlcals, and prepured to mount the stei of the little roughly constructed altar. From the crucifix that surmounted it the Redeemer seemed to be looking down In lonely sorrow and Infinite pity on the world be low, while the two candles burnt with a pule, sickly light in the glowing rays of the sun. Then Pablo was led to the spot, with his hands bound, but hl step was light and firm, his bearing erect, his eye undlmmed. Kneeling before the altar he heard mass with rapt de votion and reverently received the holy communion When he rose to his feel his eyes wandered all round, across the wooded heights, and fur iHit to sea, as 't A re 1 at the grass in his despair; he beat his head against the foot of the ctosh, but Its touch brought him no relief; it was bb If liquid fire, which no power would quench, were coursing through his veins. He felt as though his brain must burst; and the heart in his bosom leapt so wildly, he tried in vain to silence it by pressing both bands tightly against It, while h gasped for breath. " I had warned him, too! And yet he must needs do It, without reason, simply because some poor fellow had died tinder his hands. And what does It matter? On more or less, who cares? On dies on tha battlefield, anotjier under the surgeon's knife, and a third" But h stopped, he could not follow out the thought. It was ns if his heart stood still. He had always been so proud of his honorable nutiie, of th blameless character he bore, and now In a few short hours all that would be changed, he would no lonegr be the same it was hard indeed! Hut be was no lonegr the same, he told himself; Don Ramon's blow had degraded him; nothing further could degrade him nfter thnt. His whole body shook with anguish. So deadly a hatred of Don Ramon biased ,up with him, for a moment he felt as if ho must hasten to htm and strangle him in hlH bed. Rut, no not like that! The little cross shining on hia breast caught his eye, he thought of the day on which he had won it, and remembered that he waa designed for a higher honor, still how then could he possibly dream of committing a has action? Hut what could be baser than Don Ramon's conduct towards him? Had he not put a lasting shame upon u man who could not retaliate, could not defend himself? Pablo had seated himself on a big stone und the water streumed from his soaking garments while lie plucked fran tically at his curly beard, twisting the ends In hia fingers. At thut moment he felt that h utmost hated the colonel himself, for having put on him this humil iation, forcing him to be servant to any one. And hud not Pablo almost worshiped Don Vicente till now? It was to win his approval he had accomplished his last brave deed und many a one before. For him he would have gone through fire and water. For his sake Publo had made his greatest sacrifice, submit ting to u yoke his soul abhorred. " Ah, Don Vicente. Don Vicente!" he exclaimed aloud, " I cannot hat you; you were ever my hero, but why then did you ask too much of me? And pnw when I do whut I cannot help doing, you will have me shot, but you will grieve for me yourself, I know you will!" And again th lump rose in his throat, almost choking htm, and con vulsive sobs shook his frame. He sprang to his feet, stamped hard, ground his teeth, and dashed on. II only stopped when quite exhausted, and out of breath, to lean and rest against an upstanding rock In a wild pathless ravine. He would have liked to have put miles between himself and Don Ramon. Could he but get far enough away, he thought, beyond reach of the temptation that forced Itself upon him! It was true that blood alone could wash away th trace of th blow, but to efface it by that means his own life must be forfeit. Bah, what then waa life to him? Not worth a single real. Who would care to live on branded, dishonored? With his elbows leaning against the rock be held the upturned inner surface of Ills wrists to his eyes to stop the tears that were slowly gathering there like drops of boiling lead. He thought of tha girl who was waiting for him; he pic tured to himself how bitterly she would cry to hear of hia death. But what use to think of that? He could never have kissed her again. He passed hia wot sleeve several time across his fare, as If to remove something clinging to It, but th sev was only wet with rain, and that cannot wash away dlagracal Th rain still fell In torrents and It streamed down th 'de c? ftery rock in countless miniature cascades, which ail met together In one big flood at the bottom s4i ik V 0 slong the lines at a foot pace, saluting the troops with his cheery " Oood morn ing, my children." a loud shout of " I,ong life to you!" thun dered back from all the runks. He In spected them with satisfaction, his eye chanced to fall on Pablo, and he won dered to see him look ing so gloomy, but the next minute he had forgotten all about him. Colonels, aid de camps, military doctors, all came along in turn. Pablo stood In rank und file with the rest, presenting arms. No one noticed the hungry eyes he fixed on Don Vicente; the latter only observed that Pablo was not Wearing his cross, but he could not see how wildly the heart was beating ut the place where It should have hung. Then Don Ramon rode past. Pablo turned white as death, took three steps forward out of his rank, brought his rifle Into position, and shot him straight through the heart. The doctor turned his eyes on Publo, his lips parted, mid ho fell from his horss without u groun. Pablo flung down his musket, folded his arms across his breast, und waited quietly to be sciaed und led uwuy. The excitement was indescribable. It was the general opinion that Domenech must sudden ly have gone out of his mind, and all wondered anxiously whut the end would be. That ufternoon he was brought before the court luartlul. " Wus it purMii ly you shot Don Ramon?" " Purposely." " What had he done to you?" " Hm struck me In tile face.' ' All exc hanged glances. "And what had you done to make him strike you?" " Nothing, sefior." " How? Was it for no fault of yours he struck you?" " It was for no fault of mine, thut I cun swear to." "Hut how Is thut possible?" Simply und naturally he told what had occurred. How gladly would they have found a pretext for acquit ting him! "Did you know that your musket was loaded?'' " I louded It m self." "And you came with the liiienilon of killing him?" "I came with that fixed determination.' " Hut you did not consider thut you piUKt lose your own life?" " O, yes; I thought of thut." The faintest twitching of the Hps wus ull that be trayed the slightest emotion during his interrogation. The officers deliberated together, but there waa nothing to be done; they could not evud th law. " Tomorrow at sunrise, Pablo Domenech, you will be shot." Not an eyelash quivered; lie listened to the soitcucc of death, looking straight before hint with unshrink- 3 1. - aTJ. If taking leave of everything. An officer came up to ask if he hud any wish still unfulfilled. " Yes, h had one wish. Would Don Vicente shake hands with him?" "Certainly, with pleasure." He was led to the colonel. A he stood there, Pablo held out his hands to ahow that they were bound. At a algn from Don Vicente the oord was unloosed, then the hands of the two men were solemnly clased In a last farewell. Pablo looked almost happy. Hlg tears rolled down the colonel's bronzed checks. Without a moment's pause Domenech glanced to wards the little group beside the wall, and turning once more to Don Vlcr.nte. In a firm, clear voUe he asked: "Atioru?" (Now?) The other nodded. PhIiIo then stepped up to the sappers and bade them each In turn a cheerful good-by. with a friendly wave of the band. They were almost overcome. Hut hu took his place calmly against the wall, looked up at the Mill, and with ringing tones himself gave the word " Fuego!" At the same Instant the discharge of the whole volley rang out and stretched him lifeless. There was scarce a dry eye among the brave man' gat h red on the heights of Boinorrrstro, and It was some minutes before any of them could regain their composure. At last the general raised his voice to give th order that the troops should file past the body. " Alas, must it be?" asked the Frenchman, with some hesitation. " Yes, It must be, for tha sake of discipline. But Don Ramon's body lies on a bier within th chapel, and before It I will buve all my officers pass In tile. This day' work should be a lesson to us all, and on which none of us will. 1 trust, forget never to give offense to any man to whom we cannot accord satisfaction."