Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1857-02-05
A THR1LLINa INcIpRNT.

The tragedy of Nacogdoches, and tho
romantic incidents which lead to the Texan
War of Independence, find their parallel on,
ly in the Roman history Of Lucretia and the
elder Brutus. 80 -, -
Juan Costa was person of influence and
bravery in the wild forest, but he fell under
the displeasure of Santa Anna, and his min
ion, Pedras, the commandantof Nacogd
es, was sent to arrest him.. He arrested the,
father at the supper table, attended by his
only daughter, .. young girl of surprising
beauty and intelligence. He loaded him
with chains, and cast him into prison, not
withstanding her prayers and entreaties.
Finally he proposed to free the father if thes
daughter would consent to sacrifice her inno-.
cence and honor She rejected the infas,
nous proposal with blew in the face: The
armed rufian swore a horrible oath to exc.
cute his will on both -. ' - .s12
With dark eyes, fearless, fixed as thoseof
corpse, yet flashing q double portion OF
luminous fire, she mounted q horse and hur.
ried away wild around the country
She halted at every house, no smatter
whether Mexican or American, aud :rehears,
ed, in thrilling horror, her fathers wrongs
and her own.
All timid modesty; all weakness had; van
ished from her tongue, utterly consumedsby
the scorching thirst for vengeance. She
painted, in passions fiery language and
with awful minuteless, the fact Of. the danis
ming deed. She barred her virgin bosom; and
showed the livid marks, Of the rayisherss
fingers among the azure veins along the suts
face Of snow, nowso polluted and 5soiled, but
before so pure as the gleam Of an angeHs
wing. ~ - sss.sss.s.5s: Z. .5s,sf:
And still, wherever the beautiful maid
wandered,a deafening yell Of wrath and ven.
geance rose up against the tyrants. The peos
pie of both races and all classes flew to arms,
appointing general RENDEZVOUS for the l4th
of June, at the residence Of the absent and:
now imprisoned Juan Costa. ~
It was there debated BY the.pecple the:
mode of attack, and who should be their lea
der; but nothing being agreed on, the whole
assemblage babe fair to break up insconfu-
sion, when tall and powerfully built stra1ss
ger, whe had just entered Texas from the
States, came forward and addressed themai.
titude. - c:2t -: y. 49, r
81 anna stranger, and also man, andI
owe my life, soul, body, health. aud happis
ness, all-all to woman-tom my mother tand
if I turn deaf ear to the prayes:of an in.s
nocent woman, asking my aid against VIII
lian, may she and my God curse me ! lyon
stay behind, I 60 for one to fight Pedras,,
and his well armed ravishers of you wives
and daughtersW S..s: 80. *; x;
The speech was received with tremendous
cheers, and general shout, that seemed to-
shake the solid earth, uttered the frst peal
to the revolution : 80, - - -
"We will go! Death to the tyrahts - -
Freedom for Texas, and the giant shall be.
our leader!~ sss:;s',ssae- ,s.sts e
And then for the first time wassheard ia
the land of Texas, the name destined to be-
come an echo to the pulsation Of all hearts@
the name of Thomas J. Rusk e
The next day he led his raw recruits to-
the attack of Naoogdoches, and stormed eve
ry position against immense odds, after an,
assault Of four hours, the carnage. being
dreadful on both Sides Fortunately among
the slain was the dead body of the atrocieus
Pedras. = 6. -.