Looking forward : $b a dream of the United States of the Americas in 1999Bird, Arthur
Science
Looking forward : $b a dream of the United States of the Americas in 1999
Bird, Arthur
Twentieth century -- Forecasts; United States -- Civilization
During the preceding thirty days the volume of immigration from Spain
into France had kept an unbroken stream. On the 21st day of May, 1930,
the appointed day of doom, a large share of the Spanish population
had found its way across the border into France, and some of the
provinces about Madrid, notably Segovia, Castille and Salamanca,
were as innocent of population as the desert of Sahara is of cascades.
On that memorable day of May, 1930, the cities of Spain might easily
have been [Spanish Cities Two For a Cent.] bought up for a song or
a jack lantern. Weyler and his ferocious cut-throats, (the same imps
who blew up our Maine and martyred 266 brave American sailors), were
the only beings who remained in Spain on that day of doom. The gang
had the run of the kingdom for a few brief hours and were probably
amusing themselves very much after the manner of rats who enjoy the
exclusive privilege of a sinking ship.
The Butcher and his satellites were holding high carnival in the
regal apartments of the Royal Palace in doomed Madrid, when the ærial
war craft of America, England and the Allied nations, silently stood
guard and floated over the city, veritable angels of death, fearful
to behold.
The cellars of the Royal Palace had been ransacked and wines of the
choicest vintage [Handwriting on the Wall.] were being guzzled
by the Weyler brigands. Amidst revelry and shouting, and the din
of rattling castenets, the mazes of fandangos were performed by
voluptuous and sinuous Castillian sirens, from whose wild eyes blazed
forth that baleful light, incited by wine and unholy passion. These
dark, olive-skin belles in their terpsichores before the Butcher
and his aides, were as innocent of habiliments as Madame Eve when
that exalted personage made her début in Eden. In the midst of this
debauchery, and while revelry was yet at its zenith, history again
repeated itself. Suddenly, like a prolonged flash of lightning,
the revelers saw distinctly the handwriting on the wall. It was an
inscription that carried terror and consternation into the hearts of
the Weylerites and read: "Remember the Maine."
At this critical and interesting part of the program, Capt. Sigsbee,
(then eighty-one years of age,) who in 1930 commanded the ærial warship
"Maine," and who had been especially selected for that mission, gave
the signal and from her kelson the ærial "Maine" dropped a little
surprise package containing one hundred and thirty pounds of dynamite
upon the Royal Palace of Spain. Weyler and his gang, one moment later,
were roasting in company with their forefathers. Such, then, was the
fate of Weyler, the destroyer of our noble "Maine," an [More Spanish
Mules Killed.] arch fiend whose cruel orders were blindly obeyed
by others of his ilk, carrying to unhappy Cuba a degree of misery,
starvation and death that shocked the entire world.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account