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. [Illustration: Pedro Muñoz de Sepulveda, Civil Governor of Havana. General Weyler. Navarro Fernandez, Commander of the Navy, and his Adjutant. Señor Pintas, General Weyler's Secretary. GENERAL WEYLER AS HE LANDED IN CUBA.] 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.