Maumee express. [volume] (Maumee City, Ohio) 1837-1838, 1837-05-13
lFrom the Philadelphia Mirror.]
MEXICAN ANECDOTE OF AN INDIAN
"


lFrom the Philadelphia Mirror.
MEXICAN ANECDOTE OF AN INDIAN
VILLAGE.
In an Indian village far to the north
say the Indians, there lived in the old
Spanish times padre. man of simple
and retired habits, who labored to con-
vert, and maintain the inhabitants in the
Catholic faith.
He was beloved by the simple tribe
among whom he was domesticated, and
they did not fail to prove their good will
by frequent presents Of such trifes as
they found were agreeable to him. They
say that he was great writer; and oc-
casionly received from the Indians Of his
parish small quantity Of finely colored
dust, which he made use of to dry his
sermons and letters. Knowing how
much the padre loved writing, they sell
dom returned from the mountains with
out bringing him some. 1t happened
that once upon a time he had occasion to
write to friend of his living in the cap
ital who was jeweller, and did not fail
to use his sand box. In returning an an
swer, his knowing friend to his great
surprise, bantered him with his great
riches, seeing that he dried the very ink
on his paper with gold DUST This open
ed the simple PADRES eyes. He sent for
his Indian friends, and without divulg-
ing his newly acquired knowledge, beg
ged them to get him more of the fine
bright sand. They nothing doubling did
so. The demon Of avarice began to
whisper in the old mans ear, and warm
the blood Of his heart. He begged for
more and received it-and then more
till they had furnished him with several
pounds weight. All entreaty that they
would show him the locality where this
bright dust was gathered, was resisted
with calmness and steadiness for long
time. Alternate cajoling and menace
were employed with equally bad success.
At length, wearied out, they told him
that they all loved him, and saw that he
was disturbed in mind, they would yield
to his desire and show him the spot on
the condition that he submit 10 be led TO
and from the place blindfold. To this
he greedily consented, and was in the
course oftime taken upon their shoul-
ders and carried, whittier he knew NOT,
by many devious ways up and down
mountain and barranca, for many hours
into the recess of the cordilears, andthere
in cave through which stream issu-
ed from the breast of the mountain. they
set him down and unbound him. They
there showed him quantities Of the gold
dust intermingled with large Jumps of
virgin ore, while their spokesman address
sed him, saying: "Father we have
brought you here at your urgent request,
because you SO much desired it, and be-
cause we loved yor; take now what you
want to carry away with you--let it be
as much as you can carry, for here you
must never hope TO come again you will
never persuade US more I" The padre
seemingly acquiesced.and after disposing
as much Of the precious metal about his
person as he could contrive to carry, he
submitted to be blindfolded, and was a
gain taken in the arms of the Indians to
be transported home. The tradition
goes on to relate how the cure upon
whom the cursed lust Of gold had now
seized, had thought to outwit his conduc-
tort by untying his rosary and occasion
ally dropping a bead on the earth.
If he flattered himself that any hope
existed oS his being thus able to tread
the blind maze through which it passed.
and find the locality, one may imagine
his chagrin, when once more arrived and
set down at his own door, the first sight
which met'fiis uncovered eyes was the
face Of one Of thiseT1ndiap
guides, and an out stretched hand, coma
tanning in its hollow the greater part Of
the grains of his rosary, while the guile
less tongue of the finder expressed his
simple JOY at having been able,to restore
such sacred treasure to the discomfit-
ted padre.
Entreaties and threats were now en-
ployed in vain. Gentle as the Indians
were, they were not to be bent. Gov
ernment was apprized ofthe circumstan-
ces, and commissioners were sent down
to investigate the affair. The principal
were seized; and menace be-
ing powerless torture, that last argu-
ment Of the tyrant, was resorted TO. but
not word could be wrung from them
Many were put to death still their
brethren remained mute and the village
became deserted under the systematic /
protection of the oppressors. The most
careful researches repeatedly made from
time to time by adventurers in search Of
tho rich dnr,nief haun all rasnlfed in die.