The Middlebury galaxy. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1848-1850, 1849-01-02
MISCELLANY.
From the Home Journal.
TIE GRATEFUL INDIAN.
A MEXICAN STORY.

young cavalier was riding down a
| street IN the city OF Mexico, leading towards
lie Alameda, when his own name. pronounc.
ed IN plieous accents, arrested his attention,
and caused linn 10 rein his steeG.
"Oh! Don flncente, noble caballero, have
pity on me- Por Ell amor de dos for chart
Iy, good senior, save n poor Indian, who is in
| rOcen. rs Il child unbapiized :"
The person who uttered this appeal was
evidently, from his looks his garb, and his
| speech, one Of that unfortunate race who.
| originally lords Of the Mexican soil, have
been, for centuries in reality, if not in name,
The serfs of their Spanish conquerors. The
cavalier could even Distinguish, by his pro-
nuncIa'ion, that he was an Indian of the Ia
rascan tribe, who differ in language, as in
some traits OF character, from the Azrecs, or
proper Mexicans. His situation sufficiently
accounted for the vehemence Of his entrealy.
| since he was then in the clutches of Two stur-
| dy dtgud-ileS, or constables, who erasped him
| by the shoulders. and hurried him forward
with The least possible regard for his person.
alcomiort. They stopped, when Don vi
cente turned his horse and rode owards them
saying, what is The matter, alguaZiles ?
Who Is this man. and what has he done gu
10 this question, put by a cavalier, whose
rich dress and high bearing bespoke his claims
to attention, one Of the alguaziles replied. with
gruff civllity, that the sanguinary ruffian had
just stabbed white man, water-carrier. in
an adjoining street, they were conveying him
to the GcOrdadd, or city Jail, to await his trial.
The ''Sanguinary ruffian"-who, BY the way,
was small, simple looking man, the very per-
son'hcation of pacific meekness-earnestlv
protested his innocence of the crime. He de-
clared that he had stopped merely, from curl
oslt!, to witness the progress of game of
monte, which was going on in the street; there
were many other bystanders, some of whom
were betting on the fortunes of the principal
gamsters. AT length, he said, quarrel had
arisen, though about what he did not exactly
know. The knives were drawn, and present
ly man fell dead, stabbed to the heart.
| Some OF the people ran away, and among
them car6OnerO, OF coal porter-a large,
| strong, black-bearded man-who, he believed
was the zeal culprit. As for himself he wait
ed to see what would be done with the dead
man land when the police came up, to his
amazement, two or three of those present, and
whom he had seen talking with the carbonero,
had pointed him out as the guilty person and
that was all he knew about it.
"But, honbres," said the cavalier to the Off
Gers, inns INDIAN carries no knife. How could
he have stabbed the man ?"
"Oh, sir," replied the Oldest alguazile, "that
is the very proof of his guilt The murdered
man was stabbed with his own knife, drawn
OFT of his belt before he had any warning of
the intention. 1t is piece of true Indian
craft and villainy."
'Do not believe it, noble Don Vicente" ex-
claimed the Indian. "Why should / murder
man whom 1 never saw before ?-I, a poor
iaoorer from Zitacunro, who came to the city
yesterday, for the first time in my life"
"Aitacuaro, did you say ?" asked the young
man. looking earnestly at the young Indian.
1t seems to me that l have seen your face
beioree How does it happen that you know
my name?"
"Oh, Don Vicente p replied the Indian, II
have seen you many times when you have
ridden by the village where live to the haci-
enda Of Loyzaga" ~ .s- -. -
The young cavalier blushed at this reply,
and then answered with smile: alt is very
possible, and for the sake of that recollection,
| Will not quit you until 1 have made further
inquiry into this strange matter. My worthy