Part 4

Fired by dreams of stately cities, gold-roofed temples, and spice-laden groves, with kings and princes surrounded by Oriental splendor, Columbus sailed across the Atlantic Ocean. After many days he came to land, which was one of the Bahama Islands, and then he sailed south, and came to another island, so beautiful with birds and flowers and trees and rivers that he said one could live there forever, as "it is the most beautiful island eyes ever beheld." In the fragrance of the woods and sweet-smelling flowers he thought he had reached the spice-perfumed groves of the East India islands, but its strangely painted people of cinnamon hue puzzled him greatly.

This beautiful land was the island of Cuba. After its discovery by Columbus the Spaniards came and took possession of it. They found the people of a simple nature, with strange notions about God and the creation of the universe. As they knew nothing about Christ, they were not Christians, and consequently the Spaniards soon began to look upon them as little better than wild animals. Then we must remember that the Spaniards who came flocking to the islands discovered by Columbus were not only adventurers seeking their fortunes, but were often the criminals from overcrowded jails, and others who could not make an honest living at home. As these people had no idea of working themselves, they made the simple inhabitants work for them. And as there were many of these inhabitants, the Spaniards counted their lives of no value, and not only overworked them, treating them with great cruelty, but killed them out of pure wantonness, just as some boys delight in stoning dogs and killing birds.

There was one good Spaniard, however, who became convinced that it was wrong to make slaves of these poor people and to treat them so cruelly. Becoming a priest, he began by giving his own slaves their freedom, and then he went into the pulpit and preached against the wrong-doings of his countrymen. This man was the good Father Las Casas, who has been called the protector of the Indians. But the good work of this one good man could go but a little way against so many wicked ones. The native inhabitants rapidly disappeared under the cruel treatment of their harsh task-masters, and then negro slaves, a hardier race than the red men, were brought from Africa to take the place of the Indian, in spite of Father Las Casas and his sermons.

So it happens that in the island of Cuba to-day there are none of the Indians left. They have long since disappeared. In their place remain the negroes, who are the descendants of the slaves from Africa, and the white Cubans, who are descended from the Spanish settlers. But owing to the climate, the fertility of the soil and other conditions which surround them, they have grown up to be different men from their Spanish grandfathers.

Now Spain is a land ruled over by a King, and its lands are in the hands of a few fortunate men called counts and marquises, so that the poor people have no land of their own which they may cultivate, and thus earn their living as our country farmers do. Then Spain requires all of her boys to become soldiers, and serve the King, who is now only a boy himself. As the Spanish boys grow up without much education, and never learn of the liberty enjoyed by the people of other countries, they think this is all right. But then the King finds that he has more of these boy soldiers than he can feed, so his ministers say, "Well, there's that rich island across the sea; if our boys want to go there and till the soil, they need not serve as soldiers." So many of the Spanish boys go to Cuba, and often they forget Spain, take a Cuban girl for a wife, and never go home again. And then their children are Cubans with Cuban mothers. Cuba is so near to the United States, these Cuban children often come here, where they learn something about our system of government, and the education and freedom enjoyed by our people. Then they go back and tell their brothers and sisters all about it. This has gone on for a great many years, till these Cubans have become filled with ideas of liberty and self-government. They do not see why they should be ruled by a King who lives so far away, and then they do not see why they should have a King at all. Besides, they say they are taxed a great deal to support this King and his ministers in Spain, and every year more Spaniards come to Cuba, and as these are poor and anxious to work, they occupy all the places which would otherwise be held by the Cubans. Thus there is a jealousy between the Cubans and the new arrivals, who soon begin to regard their cousins born in the island very much as their ancestors regarded the native Indians.

About twenty-eight years ago many of the Cubans got together in the eastern part of the island, and thinking they could throw off the Spanish rule, they armed themselves and went into the mountains, where they fought against the Spanish rule for ten years. At that time the negroes of Cuba were still slaves, their masters buying and selling them as though they were cattle instead of human beings. As these black men were all strong and hardy fellows, the Cubans told them that if they would help them fight they would give them their liberty. Of course they were anxious to become free men, and great many of them joined the white Cubans and fought with them very well. Spain tried hard to put down this insurrection, but found it very expensive to send her soldiers to fight a people among the mountains in their own country. At last, after she had spent a great deal of money and lost a great many of her boy soldiers, she sent her greatest General, Martinez Campos, with full power to treat with the rebellious Cubans. He succeeded in communicating with the revolutionists, and promised them certain reforms in the administration of their affairs. The Cubans wanted self-government, and, among other things, they stipulated that the negroes who had fought with them should be recognized as free men. This did not seem reasonable, because the negroes who had remained faithful to Spain were still slaves, while those who had rebelled were to be rewarded. General Campos agreed, however, and the Cubans laid down their arms. Thus the first successful blow for freedom was struck, and Spain soon passed laws which eventually gave the rest of the negroes their liberty.

There followed some sixteen years of comparative peace, although the Cubans claim that Spain never fulfilled the promises made to them by Martinez Campos. There were several attempts to make war again, but the Cubans appear to have been afraid. They are not a fighting people, like our ancestors, who fought against a tax of threepence on a pound of tea because they considered it unjust. The Cubans wanted to be let alone, and often paid their taxes without complaint. But as Spain still sent her boys as colonists to Cuba, the Cubans found it very hard to compete with these boys, pay their taxes, and make a living. A great many of them left the island and came to this country, where they have made their homes, but always looking across the water, hoping that some day their island would be free from Spanish rule. Some of the Cubans, instead of leaving the island took to the woods and became bandits. Thus things went from bad to worse, until some of the old leaders of the last war thought the time had arrived to strike another blow for the freedom of Cuba.

About one year and a half ago, Maximo Gomez, a soldier who had fought in the ranks and had risen to be a general in the ten years' war, landed on the east end of Cuba. He was shortly followed by Antonio Maceo, a mulatto, who had also a command in the last war. They proclaimed a rebellion against Spain, and called upon all Cubans to join them. It was not long before they had an army. Spain was slow to understand the seriousness of the situation, and declared that it was only a negro uprising which she could easily put down. Of course there were a great many negroes who flocked to the standard raised by Gomez and Maceo, for they knew that it was through the Cubans they had gained their liberty. But the uprising became general throughout the island. Gomez marched his army from the eastern end of the island to the centre, and then invaded Matauzas and Havana provinces. On the way he met the Spaniards several times, but they were unable to check his movements. The old general, Martinez Campos, who had treated with him seventeen years before, tried to stop him in his westward march, and finally failed at Coliseo, in Matauzas province. Then the Spaniards became dissatisfied with their greatest General, for Martinez Campos spoke the truth, and told Spain many things which she did not like to hear, and he refused to kill his prisoners, for he said the Cubans did not kill his soldiers when they caught them. But the Spaniards thought the Cubans should be killed for fighting against Spain, so they sent General Weyler with full power to do as he liked in the island of Cuba. Under the rule of this General matters have grown very much worse for Spain, and to one who has studied the situation carefully in the island it looks very much as though the Cubans were going to gain their independence. The Spaniards hold the towns, while the Cubans remain in the country. There are no great battles fought, and while the Spaniards claim that they cannot find the rebels, the Cubans destroy and lay waste the country, believing that the Spaniards will eventually get tired and give up trying to rule them, for Cuba's wealth, they say, is the cause of the yoke she bears, and all must be destroyed rather than submit again to Spanish rule.

THE PIPER.

BY M. L. VAN VORST.

There's a strange gaunt piper in doublet brown Comes over the heather and over the sea; His dwelling is neither in city nor town, And he pipes for the wee little folk and me.

His hat is high and pointed and green, With a sprig in the hand from the holly-tree, And his smile is the merriest ever seen In the eyes of the wee little folk and me.

He comes at the close of the winter days, As we sit in the firelight after tea; He steals from the corner, and smiles and plays For the tired wee little folk and me.

And what are the tunes that the piper sings As the strange pipe trembles with melody?-- I'd like to tell you the beautiful things He tells to the wee little folk and me.

But they fade as soon as the piper goes To take his journey o'er heather and sea. Will he come again to us? Nobody knows. Will you wait with the wee little folk and me?

WHAT THE BEE TOLD ME.

BY JOHN KENDRICK BANGS.

The other night, after my children had been tucked away safely in bed, I was seated in my library reading. The house was very warm, and I opened the huge window on the south side of the room to let in a little air, and as I did so a little bee came buzzing in through the slats of the shutters. I paid no attention to him at first, but after I had taken my arm-chair again, and had settled back in comfort to resume my story, the little creature began to buzz about my ears in a fashion which did not altogether please me.

"Shoo!" I cried, waving my hand gently at him. "Why don't you shoo?"

Now you may believe me or not, as you please, but the little bee giggled, and said:

"What shall I shoe? Bees can do lots of things, but they can't shoe. They are not blacksmiths."

The reply amused and interested me, and I put down my book and gazed at him without saying a word, waiting for his next remark.

"In fact," the bee continued, "I could tell you a story about that very point, if you'd listen."

"Go ahead," said I. "I'll be delighted."

And the little bee told me the following story.

Once upon a time, a great many years ago, the Queen of the bees sent to the Lord High Treasurer of her kingdom for his annual report, and when it came she was very much surprised to find that the treasury contained about half as much treasure as she had supposed.

"Where is the rest of the money?" she demanded in severe tones.

"We haven't had it, your Majesty," said the Lord High Treasurer.

"Haven't we earned it?" she asked.

"Yes," replied the Lord High Treasurer. "But we haven't been able to sell all the honey we've made. We've been too industrious."

"It is impossible to be too industrious," said the Queen. "Send the Trade Secretary here."

The Trade Secretary came at once, and bore out all that the Lord High Treasurer had said. The bees had made more honey than they could sell.

"Then we must have a mass-meeting and tell all the beeple," she observed.

"The what?" I asked, interrupting the bee's story.

"The beeple. You folks are people. We bees are beeple," explained my little visitor.

I laughed, and he continued:

"Tell the beeple," said the Queen, "and at once, because when they read your report and see how little profit we have gained for our labors this year they may become suspicious. If we tell them at once, as soon as we have discovered it ourselves, they cannot complain."

And so the mass-meeting was called, and ten thousand bees gathered before the royal hives.

The Queen undertook to tell the beeple herself.

"Most beloved subjects," said she, as she emerged from the royal hive amid the enthusiastic buzzing of the beepulace, "I have been going over the report of my Trade Secretary during the past week, and I regret to say that the showing is not satisfactory."

A murmur of disappointment greeted the announcement.

"We have not been idle, your Majesty!" cried one of the workers. "I myself have flown from flower to flower for five hours a day every day during the season, and I can testify that all my friends and neighbors have kept themselves equally busy."

"I have nothing to complain about on that score," returned her Majesty, graciously. "Indeed, you have all been most industrious. Even the drones have droned to my satisfaction."

"Have we then worked too hard?" queried another.

"It would seem so," returned her Majesty. "Either that or after a fashion which might be termed unprofitable. We have manufactured seventeen million pounds of honey in the last year, and after all the demands of the honey-eaters have been fulfilled we find ourselves with ten million pounds on hand."

"It proves how useful we do-nothing bees are," said one of the drones. "Had we worked, the supply would have been twice as great, and instead of having ten million pounds of honey more than we need, we should have twenty-seven million pounds of it upon our antennæ."

"We've got no business with antennæ, anyhow," growled another drone. "Why can't we have beetennæ, and be done with it?"

"All of this!" cried the Queen, impatiently, "is apart from the question. Whether we have antennæ, beetennæ, or flytennæ, we have made too much honey."

"Then let us rest for a year," sighed one of the drones. "It's mathematics that if one does enough work in one year to last for two years, he's done two years' work in one, wherefore let him take a year off and travel for his health."

"Not so!" cried the Queen. "The Lord High Commissioner of the Police will arrest the drone who has spoken so unreasonably, and suggested such an unbeely practice as idleness. Put him in the darkest dungeon of the Bee-stile, and feed him upon iced water and cold biscuit crumbs for twenty-four hours."

"Mercy!" cried the drone. "Mercy, your Majesty! I was only thoughtless."

"You do well," quoth the Queen, "to appeal to my mercy, and I will be merciful. I will remit half of the sentence. Lock him up for twenty-four hours, but do not feed him at all."

The thoughtless drone was arrested and taken away, and the Queen resumed.

"It's not that we work too hard," she said. "It is that we make too much of one kind of thing. If the honey consumers only want ten million pounds of honey, it is foolish for us to make twenty million pounds of it, and I think we should turn our attention to other fields."

"I did," said one. "I brought a country doctor five dollars by stinging a small boy."

"How often have I told you not to sting small boys?" frowned the Queen.

"I couldn't help it, your Majesty," returned the bee, humbly. "I was flying along a garden path, and the small boy came running up; he ran so fast he collided with me, and ere I knew it my stinger had penetrated his flesh."

"You had no business to have your stinger out," said the Queen.

"Oh yes, your Majesty," explained the bee, "I had to have it out, for I had come to that garden to sharpen it upon the grindstone of the boy's father. Had the boy been looking where he was going, it would not have happened."

"Ah!" said the Queen, smiling with pleasure; "that is different. If you taught the small boy a lesson you worked to some purpose, and you are forgiven. I don't see, however, how you still live if you really stung the child. Pray explain."

"He was a tender little chap--that is all," said the bee. "And I had no trouble in pulling my sting out of his soft little cheek. It was like a peach."

Again the Queen smiled. "I am pleased with you," she said, and then turning again to the assembled multitude, she resumed her speech.

"Now that we know what our trouble is, shall we not act accordingly? Shall we continue year in and year out wasting our valuable time in the making of honey that nobody wants, or shall we look about for something new to do which, after we have made all the honey that is needed, shall still keep us busy, so that people seeing us shall be able to call us 'the busy bees' as of yore? What is the will of my subjects?"

"Let us branch out! Let us do other things," buzzed the beepulace.

"I knew my confidence in your judgment was not misplaced," cried the Queen, joyously. "It now remains for us to decide what, and I here to-day in the presence of you all as witnesses proclaim my intention to give the hand of my eldest daughter to that one of you who shall suggest the scheme that shall seem best for our new line of action."

"Suppose it's won by a lady bee?" cried a woman's-rights bee in the throng. "She won't want your daughter's hand."

"She shall have the hand of my eldest son," replied the Queen bee, with a smile.

The reply seemed to satisfy the woman's-right's bee, and the Queen having retired to her royal cell, the crowd broke up, and the various members of it betook their way to their respective hives to cogitate upon the problem presented by the Queen.

On the day following the royal proclamation was found posted all over Beeland, in which it was announced that a committee, consisting of the Queen, the Trade Secretary, and the Lord High Treasurer of the country would receive the various plans presented, go over them carefully, and on Christmas day following make known whatever decision they might have reached. This method was satisfactory to all hands, and the bees busied themselves for ten and fifteen hours a day thinking up schemes. It was a long time to think, but bees have very small heads, and they had to think quite as much as that daily to reach any conclusion at all. Some of them got very sick with brain-fever from trying to think too much, and one little worker went crazy because he was so foolish as to cogitate for forty-nine hours without rest. Many of the lighter-headed bees soon gave it up, but the wiser ones, thinking moderately and not too deeply all at once, soon had their schemes mapped out and placed in the committee's hands, or antennæ.

The autumn went rapidly. Christmas came, and the committee examined the plans that were presented.

"I must say," the Queen said, with a sigh, after reading a large number of foolish schemes, "it doesn't seem to me that my subjects are as bright as they might be. The idea of this fellow suggesting that we go into the 'horse-bothering business'!"

The Trade Secretary laughed. "What on earth is the 'horse-bothering business'?" he asked.

"He wants individual bees to hire themselves out to farmers with slow horses," said the Queen. "Their duty is to bother the horses until they get skittish and try to run."

"Hoh!" laughed the Lord High Treasurer; "what a donkey that bee must be!"

"Here's another," observed the Trade Secretary, opening a sealed envelope. "He wants us to go into the carrier-pigeon business. He says there is nothing can strike a bee-line so accurately as a bee, and adds that he thinks a whole swarm ought to be able to earn from fifteen to twenty dollars a month at it."

"How very foolish," said the Queen, impatiently. "It would take a whole swarm a month to carry a single message a mile. I do hope that isn't going to turn out to be the best suggestion of all, for I should be most unhappy if I had to give the hand of my eldest daughter to a bee like that."

"You may relieve your mind on that score," said the Trade Secretary. "I have just found another which is much better. This bee suggests that when we are not gathering honey and making honey-combs, it wouldn't be a bad thing to fly about barber-shops and gather hair and make hair-combs."

"I think that is very foolish," said the Queen. "Why do you think it is better than the horse-bothering and the carrier-pigeon plans?"

"It's no more foolish, and twice as funny," explained the Trade Secretary.

"That is very true," said the Queen.

"Here's another that's funnier yet," said the Lord High Treasurer. "This one says that we might gather curry and make curry-combs."

The Queen laughed outright. "I think they'd better start a comic paper," she said.

"That's the best idea yet," cried the Trade Secretary, enthusiastically, for he was a great flatterer. "Let us decide on that, and then your Majesty can keep your eldest daughter's hand as a reward for some future competition."

"No," said the Queen, shaking her head; "that would never do. I shall not enter into this competition at all. The others would say, and very properly too, that I was partial to my own plan, and couldn't be a good judge of its merit. No; you must leave my plans out altogether."

And so they went on examining the plans, none of which seemed any better or funnier than the ones I have mentioned, until they came to what appeared to be a grand scheme.