Martha Finley

“ From that moment the vessel became a furnace of fire. While we were walking the deck, headed shoreward, we could hear the roar of the flames under our feet above the voice of artillery. The Vizcaya's hull bellowed like a blast furnace. Why, men sprang from the red-hot decks straight into the mouths of sharks."
But the Vizcaya lasted longer than the Almirante Oquendo, which followed her out of the harbor. The Vizcaya turned at the mouth of the harbor and went west, the Brooklyn, Oregon, and Texas in hot pursuit, while the Indiana and Iowa attacked the Oquendo. ”

“ I am very glad for you both."
"Thank you," said Eva. "We might make a triple wedding of it if your father would only consent."
"Oh, no! I don't wish it. Father is right, I know; he always is; and I don't want to leave him yet for anybody."
"And you are entirely right in that, my dear," said Grandma Elsie. "I can see that, although I should dearly love to gain possession of my new little daughter at once."
"It is very nice and kind in you, Grandma Elsie, to be so ready to claim me for your own," Grace returned, happy tears shining in her eyes. ”

“ One from the Brooklyn suggested to the Oregon that she try one of her thirteen-inch guns on the chase. The great cannon flashed and roared from the forward turret, and the shell, which rushed past the Brooklyn with a noise like a railway train, fell short. On they rushed, the Oregon visibly gaining on the fastest ship of the Spanish navy; a battleship built for weight and solidity overhauling a cruiser built for speed! Another shell was sent, and fell so near the Colon that the captain seemed to read in it the death-warrant of his ship. ”

“ But," he sighed, "it is a little hard for your father to find other men getting the love of his dear daughters away from him."
"Oh, papa, dear, dearest papa, don't think that!" she said, with tears in her voice. "I've always loved you dearly, and it seems to me that I love you better just now than I ever did before."
"Ah, is that so, daughter mine?" he said, giving her another tender caress; "it makes me happy to hear it, and to believe that my dear Grace will never cease to love me, and will always feel sure of her father's loving sympathy in all her joys and sorrows." ”

“ As the Vizcaya swung about, a shell from the Oregon struck her fairly in the stern. An enormous mass of steel, charged with explosives of frightful power, it rushed through the steel framework of the ship, shattering everything in its course, crashed into the boiler, and exploded. Words are powerless to describe the ruin that resulted. Men, guns, projectiles, ragged bits of steel and iron, splinters, and indescribable débris were hurled in every direction, while flames shot up from every part of the ship. ”

“ Little smoke hung about her, and her bold black hulk seen against the green background of the hills made her a perfect target. A shot from the Brooklyn cut her main water-pipe, and a shell—probably from the Oregon—entered her hull and exploded in the engine room; a six-inch shell from the Iowa exploded in her forward turret, killing or wounding every man at the guns; while the storm of smaller projectiles swept her decks, and with the noise of their bursting made it impossible for the men to hear their officers' commands. ”

“ She looked up to him as one who was very wise and good, and wondered that he should care particularly for her, as she was not really related to him at all. He was fond of Lucilla also, but Grace seemed to him the lovelier of the two. He had always been fond of her, but did not know until about to leave her for that dangerous field of usefulness that his affection was of the sort to make him long for her as the partner of his life. But so it was. Yet could it be? Would the captain ever consent to such a mixture of relationships? ”

“ I am certain that Grace does not love her father less because Harold has won a place in her heart. I do not love my dear mother any the less for loving you, my dear husband, or you any the less for loving her. ”

“ Men crowded to the best points from which to obtain a good view, and stood in silence gazing upon it. Max had a glass, and looking through it could see the roofs and quays of the city crowded with spectators. Evidently the engagement with the battery at El Fraile had been heard and had alarmed the city.
Dewey had planned for a prompt fight, but did not intend to have his men go into it hungry; and now some of his sailors were passing up and down distributing cups of hot coffee and biscuits. ”

“ A fierce fire raged between her decks, and those who were gazing at her from the decks of the American men-of-war could see what looked like a white line reaching from her bow to the water, which was in fact the naked men dropping one after another over the side to seek the cool relief of the ocean from the fiery torment they were enduring. ”

“ And there are plenty of other people to look after the Cubans."
"So I think," said Violet. "If our country was in peril it would be a different matter. And, my dear, as your eldest son is in the fight—such a dear fellow as he is too!—I am sure that ought to be considered your full share of giving and doing for the Cuban cause."
"I should think so indeed!" chimed in Lucilla and Grace in a breath.
"And, oh, I can't bear to think that my dear brother Max may get wounded!" exclaimed Elsie; and Ned added, "And if he does, I'd just like to shoot the fellow that shoots him." ”

“ I can tell you, father, that Admiral Dewey is a credit to his country and that country's navy. He is very kind-hearted, and takes excellent care of his men; he is gentle, kind to all, but thorough, determined, and [186] energetic; everything under his control must be as perfect as possible. When it comes to the necessity for fighting he believes in being most thoroughly prepared, and striking quick, hard blows, soon putting the enemy in a condition where it cannot fight. He says little or nothing about what he expects, but seems to be always ready for whatever happens. ”

“ The news of the destruction of the Maine was quite as exciting to our friends at Ion as to those of Woodburn. All saw that war between the United States and Spain could not be long delayed, and when it was declared, both Harold and Herbert Travilla volunteered their services as physicians and surgeons to the troops to be sent to Cuba or Puerto Rico. Their mother gave consent, though her heart bled at thought of the toils and dangers they would be called upon to endure, but she felt that they were right in their desire to help the poor Cubans to such freedom as we enjoy. ”

“ There will probably be men killed and wounded on both sides."
"Yes," sighed Max; "war is an awful thing; but in this instance right is on our side, because we have undertaken the cause of the oppressed. And," he added with an effort, "if we have made our peace with God—are believing in the Lord Jesus Christ and trusting in his perfect righteousness—death will be no calamity to us; and if we are wounded, no matter how painfully, he will give us strength to bear it."
"I do not doubt it," said Dale; "nor that you are in that state of preparation, Raymond. ”

“ For a moment neither spoke, then she said sobbingly: "Oh, father, my dear father, this is the last time! How can I bear it! oh, how can I bear it! how can I leave you, even for Chester, whom I do love dearly."
"No, dear child," he said in tones tremulous with emotion, "it need not be the last time. We shall be near enough to see and embrace [276] each other very often while God spares our lives; and we will not love each other less because we are not living all the time under the same roof."
"No, papa, no, indeed! ”

“ Captain Eulate stepped toward him, touched his sword with his hand and pressed it to his breast, crying out in Spanish, pointing toward Captain Evans, evidently extolling his bravery and generosity. The admiral made a courtly bow to Captain Evans, and shook hands with him. The rest of the Spanish officers kissed the hand of the Spanish admiral four times, and embraced and kissed Captain Eulate. The men of the crew, too, would now and then see a comrade whom they had supposed dead, and they would fall to embracing and kissing. ”

“ Are we to lie still in the harbor here till you return?"
"Just as you please," said his father. "If you choose to steam along the shores, out into the ocean or up the river, you have full liberty to do so. All I ask is that you take good care of the children and the vessel."
"Well, sir, I think that with Chester's and Harold's help I can engage to do all that," laughed Max. "Don't you think so, lads?" turning first to one, then to the other of the young men. ”

“ Many of those on the porch and the young folks in the grounds had also caught sight of her, and a joyous shout was raised: "The Dolphin! the Dolphin! there she is! the folks have come!"
"Oh, can we run down and get aboard of her, mamma?" asked Elsie Raymond. "I'm in such a hurry to see papa and get a kiss from him."
"You won't have long to wait for that, I am sure," returned her mother, with a smile. [178] "But it will be better to wait a few minutes and get it here. There are so many of us that if we should all go down to the landing we would be very much in the way." ”

“ Doubtless a rumor concerning the nature of that despatch quickly reached all the vessels of the fleet, for the next morning watchful eyes on many of them turned to the flagship to see what flag would be run up to the mainmast, and when they saw that it was a blue flag as of yore, but had two stars instead of one, the guns of the squadron roared out a salute to the new admiral. No one there was more rejoiced than Max, who both respected and loved his gallant commander; and no one [125] in America felt happier over the good news in Dewey's despatches than those to whom Max was so dear. ”

“ Captain Raymond was strongly inclined to [127] offer his services to the government, but was deterred by the earnest, tearful entreaties of his wife and daughters. They urged him to refrain, for their sakes, as there seemed to be no lack of men who could be better spared—at least so it seemed to them.
"Oh, father," said Grace, "don't think of such a thing! There are plenty of other men who are not so much loved and needed in their own homes; so that the poor Cubans will be sure to get free without our risking the loss of the dearest father that anybody ever had." ”

“ Almost before she finished her sentence he had vanished, and she heard Evelyn saying in mirthful tones, "Ah, Uncle Harold, this is the no luck at all—prophesied by that yellow ear of corn; for, as you know, I am already pledged to another."
At that Harold sighed deeply and withdrew.
But scarcely had he and his brother disappeared [82] when Max silently took his place, Chester at the same time coming up behind Lucilla so that she saw him in the mirror, to which she had again turned, brush in hand.
"Oh, is it you, Chester? You are the right man in the right place," she laughed. ”

“ The behavior of the foreign ships must be a constant worry to him, though he says little or nothing about it. The Germans here seem to study methods of annoying us. Their ships are constantly coming in or going out of Manila Bay at all hours, and on the most frivolous pretexts—sometimes at night, in a way that makes our lookouts think them Spanish torpedo boats; and should we send a shot at one of them it might cause the gravest international complications. And the German navy officers make the Spanish officers their chosen companions. ”

“ The men on our foremost [160] pursuing ships soon perceived that there could be no hope of escape for her. Commodore Schley saw it, and began to lighten the strain on his men. They were called out on the superstructure to see what had been done by the guns of the fleet and to watch the chase. They came pouring out from the turrets, up from the engine rooms and magazines—stalwart fellows, smoke-begrimed and sweaty. Almost abeam they saw the Vizcaya with men dropping from every port. ”

“ One of the American shots entered the magazine at Cavité, and that ended the resistance of the shore batteries. Then from the Olympia was flung out the signal, "The enemy has surrendered," the hot, weary, smoke-begrimed men swarmed cheering out of turrets and up from the bowels of the ships, and the flagship's band broke out with the "Star Spangled Banner," for the victory of Manila was won, the first victory of the war with Spain for the help of the sorely oppressed Cubans. ”