Des Moines courier. ([Ottumwa] Iowa) 1848-1854, 1850-04-12


free passage to Vera Cruz. The lodges.
at the ins,igation of the Secretary, advan-
ced her three hundred dollars, aud the
widow left Washington on her mission.
The stage agent, who was at Pittsburgh.
on her showing him letter which the
Grand Master furnished her with. hut
which she could not herself read. il he
ing written in a mysterious cypher; but
she knew twas potent, for he would not
receive anything for her passage. The
captain of the steamer al Pittsburgh iiad
no sooner deciphered it than he gave fer
his best state room, and her passage free
to New Orleans. SO that when she reach.
ed there she had two hundred and nine
ly dollars of her three hundred left.
Here she waited on Gen. in
commend Of the station who instructed
COL, who had the charge of for
wardng troops to Mexico To see that she
had free passage given her on the first
steamer. BY all the officers she was
treated with the greatest politen-ss AMI
delIcacy; for they were all Masons; and
they felt bound To her by tie stronger
than that which binds brother and sister
and they felt a pleasure in the oppor-
tunity afforded them of ing out in
10 practice the beautiful and systematic
theory of their order.
After passage of five days she reach.
ed Vera Cruz. Having letter TO the
American Governor size sent il To him.
enclosing the talismanic card justspoken
of, and which thus far had proved slron.
ger than GOLD. The Governor immedi-
ately called upon her at the house of
Dramond, and offered her transportation
TO the city Of Mexico by train that was
to start the next morning. The Colonel
who commanded the tram took charge
of her, afforded her every facility and
comfort on the journey providing her
with 4 carriage when the country was
level; aud with mules and plaquins over
The mountains. Arrived within ninety
miles of the city, they were overlaken by
a detachment of Dragons esco-ting a
government official TO the city. Aux
ious 10 get on faster, she asked permis-
sion to join it; and though informed Of
The danger and fatigue of hard ride,
night and day on horseback at steady
tro,, she was willing to brave il that she
might The sooner see her son. Provided
with fleet and gentle gated Mexican
horse, she took her place with the troops
escorted BY the officers and never neg
ged with fatigue ill the towers of Mexi.
90 were in sight.
"A brave lady! But where was her
son aud how was she 10 gel into Mexico
if as | understand you, you had no. yet
taken The city,
And where was it she sinod iire?' ask
ed The gentleman in broad hat.
'All in good time, gentlemen respon-
dcd the narrator. AS | said al first we
were lighting The second days baple be-
fore the gates when she arrived; but her
son was IN The city. where he had been
for five ar six weeks in prison. will
,elI you how | first came TO see her
Our regiment had been doing It's hes, To
keep 5000 cavalry from joining the lel,
wing of line Mexican army, when we
were ordered 10 lace about the leli and
drive bod, OF The enemy from hill
on which they were forming with ar,ilc
/ rv. Ii was when :he company | was AL
lac!ed to was crossing Il ravine io iulfll
i the order when we encountered "a holy
of horse. Al first we took Them inr the
enemy, bui soon saw they were Amel-
ems. They came on SLOWLY, as II IN
I ligued with hard service. Saw lady
riding hys The side of their captain; such
sight al such time drew the attention
T more than one of us. The party
was The one from Vera Cruz escnrii,g
the officer. They were slowly making
heir way 10 Gen. SCOTS quarters, too
tired 10 man to engage in the fight.
'At Ibis moment Gen. Scou and staff
came up, when the official from Wash
inglen placed his packet of letters in his
hands, glad to end his long errand from
Washington. The Gen. Immediately
ordered ihe escort 10 seek quarters and
was riding on 10 another part OF The field,
when heard The lady say earnestly 10
The captain, Il cannot delay, sir, one hour,
within sight of the city that holds my
son. | must see him.
''rhs city must be taken lirs,!' he an
swered.
Il cannot wait! my hoy may be i'll
dying! An hours delay may forever
remove him from me! l will enter the
city,
You will be killed! You can reach
il only by crossing the battle ield,' said
the officer.
Il have moi travelled from Virginia TO
the gates oil The city to fear to enter them.
Thanks, thousand thanks sir, for your
kindness and attention. shall always
remember officers with gratitude. Rul
do moi delain me. Yonder is gate that
leads to the cily-I will enter through il
in search of my son.
You are mad cried, for had lin
gered to see what she could do, surpIi-
sed enough al her anger and resolution
land as she was dashing forward over
the field seized her pony by the rein
and pointed oui the almostimpassible Diff
culties and dangers that beset her path.
| This is no time, said she 10 the otii-