The mountain sentinel. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1844-1853, 1852-08-12
THE MIDNIGHT MOWER.
A MEXICAN STORY.

of four individuals left the little town of Pucua-
70 for Tehuacan, in the State of Oaxaca, more
than 200 leagues distant. At that time travel
ing was attended by more than ordinary risk,
for it was one of the most critical periods in the
Mexican War of Independence, when the effort
to throw off the Spanish yoke seemed likely to
be defeated, and the fierce passions and animos-
tiles called into existence by the struggle, had
produced degree of insecurity highly alarm
ing to timid travellers, and involving positive
danger. The party, however, set out on their
journey two of them were women, mother and
daughter, the latter called Lax la Cigarrara,
from her occupation of cigar making pretty
and sprghtly damsel, the belle of the town, and
the object of intense admiration on the part of
the two horsemen by whom she and her parent
were accompanied. Of the men, one was Gam
boa, daring guerillero of the revolutionary az
N.Y. the other, Andres Tapia, was better known
as the track seeker; each considered himself
destined ID receive the hand Of the maiden at
the ssdef' 'Nie journey, reward for their
vows q attachment and protection by the way.
Hadit not been for the sagacity and prompt
itude of the tgack-seeker in avoiding the posts
occupied by Spanish troops and in making de-
tours where direct route was impracticable,
the fate of the party would soon have been de-
cided. Night after night, taking advantage of
the darkness, he led them by paths known only
to himself, until but more stage lay between
them and their destination. Here they fell in
with an Indian who had halted to feed his hor-
ses and after reposing for time, were prepar
ing to resume their route, when the cgarreras
mother, hastily approaching the two men in
TiaH alarm, expressed her desire, as Tehuacan
W. - near, to finish the journey by daylight.
s.And why so ?" asked the track-seeker great
ly surprised.
Why answered the lady, making the sign
Of the cross, "'our entertainer, the Indian says
that last night he saw the Midnight Mower, and
that we shall most likely see him moving the
! field Of alfalfa Clucerne) by moonlight, with his
great shears. By all the saipts in heaven :" she
continued, trembling with fear, ''the sight of
/ him would make me die Of fright"
| "sWeu and if we do see him? rejoined And
res the Midnight Mower never harms any one.
The traveller whose horse is tired, is very glad
| to meet with grass Of his moving. So there's
no danger, and we might come upon something
! in the daytime much more terrible than night
adventure. 1 can't answer for you by day
( light"
! This consideration prevailed, and the party
( having mounted, betook themselves once more
to the route The belief in the Midnight Now
er is one of the old superstitions accredited in
the State of Oaxaca, where it is reported, that
at the commencement Of the conquest-an event
dishonored by many cruelties-a Spanish
cavalier, who had signalized himself by his fe-
rocity towards the natives, riding one day at full
| speed, inquired of an Indian whom he saw NOW
ing lucerne in a feld-'Halo! amigo, hsw soon
will this pace take me to Oaxaca?''
/ ssNever ~ was the answer; and as it turned
out, little further on, the over-ridden horse
died of fatigue. The Spaniard not understand
ing that the Indian meant he would never ar
rive with that horse, returned furious with rage
under the impression that spell had been cast
upon the animal, and killed the native with a
| thrust of his sword. The last murder put the
fnshing-stroke to his iniquities; he disappear
ed the same evening, condemned, as the Indians
say, to NOW lucerne eternally, in order to terri
fly those who would maltreat them.
| The travellers kept on their way in silence
! anOIner nOuT OT Two, anu thSy nooiU
from the y-path upon the main road to Tehua-
can when suddenly two pistol shots were heard
| in quick succession followed by the galloping OF
horse, from which, it approached the par
! ty, Spanish soldier fell dead to the ground.
The track-seeker gazed intently forward into
the gloom. 'sThose two-pistol-shots," he said,
'sgave the same sound, they were both loaded
by the same hand, and with equal measures OF
| powder and the same hand fired both. Now
hear only the clash of swords it is evident that
| some one is to be disarmed, and taken alive; |
hear him cry for help he is foreigner"
Andres darted off at gallop in the direction
| of the sounds, and Gamboa was preparing to
follow when the cries of the duenEA held him
back: ssNaria Santissama!' she exclaimed, ''you
are not going to leave us alone 2"
The ruerillero remained meantime the voice
renewed its cries for succor. The track-seekel
urged his horse the more, and fortunately ths
| soft sand deadened the sound of the hoots, anc
it was without being perceived that he became
aware of three soldiers STOPPING over man ~
ing on the ground and binding him with cords
He fell upon them unexpected. 1t was too lat
when they attempted to put themselves on Tn
defensive. They were three Spanish dragons
sufficient reason to Andres for not waiting {