The Planters' banner. [volume] (Franklin, Attakapas Co., Lou.) 1849-1872, 1853-12-08
The Murdered Captain.
A REMINIscENcE OF THE MEXICAN WAR

as was attached by the general 60
vernment to the first Pennsylvania vo-
Iunteers, and had some acquaintances
among the officers of that regiment,
went into the town to hunt up snit-
able mess, as found nearly all the Of
ficers had comfortably quartered them
selves in that delightful place. After
proceeding down very hilly street,
on turning by the cathedral, | came
plump upon a lieutenant of a Philadel-
phia company, short, fat: good-na-
aiured fellow, full Of nirth, who, on find-
ing out my object, insisted on intro
ducing me to his mess, consisting of
only his own company officers, and
then boarding with an ancient Mexi-
can landlady, one Dona ViIlaEerde
and more comfortable quarters, I am
bound 10 say, a soldier never found
Every evening we had parties of the
senoritas, visiting ostensibly the three
fine daughters Of our hostess, but really
to enjoy little filtration with the Bar
bares del Norte," or northern barbarians,
as the Mexican journals politely termed
rs. / enjoyed the character OF the
captain of the company very much,
for he entertained the most exaggerated
opinions of Mexican per6dy and cruelty
and was the only one of the party who
took no part in the anusemens of the
evening, being in truth rather sick and
very peevish. He had read in some
works of The horrors and atrocities of
the Spanish guerillos in the Peninsula
war, and said he, we have already
had samples of it here, by the Mexi
can guerilIos: our men atrociously mu-
iilated, prisoners butchered in cold
blood, no usage of civilized warfare
respected, but,' he added "what could
be expected from such race? Span
ish cruelty, joined TO Indian craft and
cowardice; and then, to see you. poor
moths, hutteliag around the blaze that
will al last consume YOU. For my
part, | should as soon think of enjoy
ing myself on my death-bed; and |
never retire 10 my couch without feel
ing a shuddering sensation, for the as
sassin's dagger may be my doom be-
lore morning.
Thus fearfully eloquent did he be-
come on the horrors 10 be endured. and
though brave as Roman in battle. he
became completely terrified al the
thsSsht of midnight sfsSe,--it7e. O+-o
night one Of our mess was taken with
violent collie. and the surgeon pre-
scribed mustard plaster. which our
hostess applied TO tue sick mans stom-
ach with her own hands; for the good
old woman. am persuaded, entertain
ed a. sincere friendship for the whole
patty. The mustard plaster worked
wonders; The sick man recovered, and
the old Dona BECAME proselyte 10 the
mustard cure. and believed in mustard
as she did In her patron saint, with the
most undoHbtlng faith. as her daugh-
ters and female servants had ample
Praots, .or In every complaint, on went
the mustard plaster. until at last the
poor things We're afraid To complain al
any sickness--for no matter where the
pain was. IN the head. tooth. ear or
toot, a plaster ON the abdomen was the
universal remedy. | met unr chamber
maid one morning nearly doubled up.
waddllng slowly along, :, Why, iaez,H
says |, what is the matter 7" She ap-
piled her hand to the part affected.
made a ludicrous gfimaee. ard sighed
out mustaza. Shortly after This, as |
was taking my siesta in our chamber.
for We had bur one for the whole party,
! heard my fat friend conversing with
our hostess in particularly execrabe
Spanish, IN the next apartment, and
from the frequency of the word musta-
"a, was induced1o listen 10 the conver-
sation.
! found il 10 be regular plot, of
which the captain was TO be the VIC
Tim; for our waggish friend was strong
~ working on our hostess's mustard
propensities; "for,n said he, "see
here, Dona, the captain is sick, very
sick, and, poor fellow unless some
thing is done for him he will never re-
cover. He will not take medicine, and
We can't pretend to force him 10. take
it. Alas! his life is vanishing like a
dream. Now, my dear Dona, mus
tard plaster of large dimensions,
placed on his stomach. would be sure
to cure him. Bot he cannot be per-
staded to have the remedy applied. II
But if yon would prepare the plaster
and put it on while be was asleep. he
would not know it until the next morn
ing, for he sleeps very soundly-his
life would be saved, and you would be
entitled TO his eternal gratitude.a Af-
ter considerable persuasion she was in
duced TO promise, and retired TO my
bed that night anticipating considers
able fun in the morning, when the cap
tain woaht and a blister, where, in the
evening, there was none.
At the witching hour or night our
hostess entered, accompanied BY a
servant, who bare q candle. The Do
ma herself had a mustard plaster of
such formidable dimensions that it
would have covered the stomach of
giant. She found her victim lying on
his back soundly sleeping and snoring
most melodiously. But short time
saf6eed to prepare the part TO receive
the application, and in trice the cap.
tain's stomach was enveloped in the
health giving plaster. Scarcely had