Spirit of the age. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1849-1865, 1857-02-04
CbOir& Giteratnre.
A Thrilling Trag edy in Mexico.


On certain evening two American off
GERS, belonging to some volunteer corps, a.
tended the Cathedral in Mexfeos where ce,
tain services were appertainingfo the nur
at the western part of San Francisco.
The cathedral was filed, as usual, with
large crowd of the faithful and, at the con
clusion of the ceremonies, when they Wer
dispensing, the two officers fingered in th
church, gazing at the expensive ornaments
as they were also in the act of retiring, nu
who remained behind the rest of the siste
hood made sign to one of the officers, wh
was slowly following the footsteps of his com
rade, that she wished to speak to him. Re
turning to the nun, a dialogue ensued, i
substance as follows:
You are an American officer %
I" | am madam, and but recently from Il
land of Yankees"
81 presume, sir, you are man Of hont
and discretion"
"Those qualities, added to courage, max,
up the composition of an American soldier.
"Will you render me an important Sc
vice ?"
You have to command me-"
Il will not conceal from you that the ser
vice ask at your hands requires not onl
discretion, but extraordinary intrepidity.-
Now, knowing this, are you still willing to
| assist me ~
Yes, am determined"
Every we'll; when you hear the conver |
bell strike twelve tonight, be at tie sid
] gate. 4.ekali haf y to essenit, eDd en- you
knocking three times, you shall learn wha
/ it is require of you. viii you be faithful
to the rendezvous 2"
"Yes"
"Well, depend on you. Adeu."
They parted, and the officer rejoining his
companion, as they pursued their way to the
American quarters, related to him all tha
had transpired, and asked him if he should
fill the appointment.
1 The other advised him to do go, by all
means, and, for fear of accident, offered to
accompany him to the gate at the appointed
hour.
Supposing the affair to end in one of those
in nocent. adventures so common in Mexico
and taking it for granted that the lady had
been struck with his personal appearance, the
officer, with his companion, repaired to the
gate, according to agreement and upon Civ
ing concerted signal, the entrance was
J opened hy the nun. -- -
6 You are truly man of courage and hon
or, and entitled to my varmest gratitude"
After conducting him to her cell, where {
lamp was burning, she politely invited hin
to sit down, and, producing two bottles, re
quested him to rake glass of wine with he
"a request which man and a soldier is no
apt to treat with indifference. Filling up
glass out Of one bottle, she took little t
herself cut Of the other, and after be had fin
ished his, she told him to go to the orposit
side Of the Led Fl, m herself The ufGcer
still innocent, obeyed, when the nun thu
add, essed him:
"Well, we are quite alonel Is my doc
bolted? Ltok?"
And at the same instant, tc his utter hor.
! or and amazement, she discovered to him
the dead body of a monk, whose clothes wer'
: stiff and matted with bleod, while she con
tinued:
+" The favor require is that you take thi
body on yCur shoulders, and cons ey it beyont
t the gates of the convent will light you t
5 the gates Of the first court. Obey instantly
or your life will be in peril; for if you attemp
to escape, l will shoot you thorough tn
head p And suiting the action to the word
: she drew pistol from her bosom and preser
ted it at him. :" / know she added, " tha
S my own life will be the fofAss, for after des
) patching you have poinard for myself
= the same with which | stabbed that misera
ble monk"
Seeing no other means of escape, the off
Ger took up the body. and accompanied b
the nun, " no carried dark lantern, proceed
e ed to tie gate l'y which be had entered and
: upon issuing from it, threw down his horri
: bic burden at the feet of his comrade, VIII
E waited to enjoy laugh ct what they bot
. imagined would terminate in pious love in
; trigue.
After recountipg to his friend the almos
J incredible adventure in which he had Zee
e engaged, they resolved to communicate tn
d circumstance to General Worth, in person
but, they had only proceeded short distanc
from the convent, when the officer who ha
! brought out the body began to complain c
S the most violent and excrutlatiEg pains. II
/ soon fell upon the pavement and expired
d He had been poisoned.