Butte record. (Bidwell, Butte County, Cal.) 1853-1858, 1857-05-23
The Three Great Powers.

stantly raise humanity to higher and
still higher degree of progress. With
out them, the bottom of things would
fall out, and society be spilled back in
to original chaos. And Of these great
powers, Woman is the greatest. The
Press makes the people intelligent and
patriotic, the Pulpit makes them NOR
al and religions, Woman makes them
industrious, generous and romantic.
The Press rules our intellects, the Pul
pit our consciences, Woman our hearts.
The Press sways public opinion and
the Pulpit sways moral convictions, but
Woman sways all things. There would
soon be falling off even IN church 90
ing. were there no girls there, and if
woman is not first in war; she is GER
tainly If st in peace, and first in the
hearts of her countrymen.' And she
has her influence in war, too; men
would not fight merely for masculine
applause. 1t is for 'ihe girl he mas left
bohind him. that the soldier chiefly
bears bis burdens. runs his risks, and
deals his sturdiest blews and his lau-
rel wreath of triumph would be but IA
brrren symbol, coulJ he not lay 1t at
her feet. The world is governed more
by the heart than by the head, and th+
heart is woman's empire, wherein she
rules to elevate and refine. Without
the sunshine of her influence, the heart
of man would be a bog, filed with nox
ious growth mere fungus-oozing
slime, in which the rose of affection
would nevor garminate, nor the flowers
of eloquencs bloom Woman is the
engine of life-the great motive power
of love, valor, ambition and cIviliza-
ton. May fortune favor her, man
protect her, and God bless her.
After the splendid triumph of the
American arms on the glorious fields of
Palo Alta aud Resaca de Il Palma, the
victorious force hnrried across the Ri
Grande, and oc upied the Mex can
town of Matamoras. But unfortunate
", these were not only invaders, for,
marching with the soldiery, or follow
inc rapidly in their rear, came another
host, of small merchants, of despera-
does, of gamblers, and every variety of
reckless adventures, including swarms
OF assassins and thieves. Any ono can
readily imagine the inevitable confusi-
on, affrays, and and mortal renconters
which resulted from such heterogen-
Gus aggregation of infamable human
atoms.
Among the numerous professors
most erudite in the history Of the four
queens, as also the most deeply learns
ed in the arcena of hair triggers, wer
three brothers by the name of Allen
Their art and dexterity, backed in
each emergency by the Bowie-knife
and revolver, socn rendered them no.
torious, and promised, in a brief peri
.od, to break every bank in the vlc.ni
'ty, Men of the highest courage trem
bled at their approach, and even Off
GERS wearing the uniform of bravery,
accorded to their desperation an exter-
nal courtesy and respect which belied
the contempt and hatred of their.
hearts,
At that time there was brilliant
saloon kept open, for pablic amnse-
ment and private profit, by one Fer
nando Rosa, wealthy but ayarieious
Spaniard. The dealer at the monte
table was his daughter, Marla, young
Girl possessed Of that wild bewitehing
beauty which so often ditingushes the
fascinating females of her nation, and
notwithstanding her doubtful 5 tuatlon
as principal in the genteel gambling
house, she bore fair fame tor virtue
as well as intelligence. Indeed, report
said, with " hat truth | am not able to
affirm, that she detested the position
and filed it only frem compulsion Of
parental authority At all events, she
preceded over the cards in all the evo-
buttons of fckle fortune with the rarest
grace of manners, and the utmost hon
esty,ofconduct. As might be logically
inferred. such various and evident at
fractions combined to render the esta
blishment a place OF general resort for
she elite of the army, and all the most
accomplished conuoisseurs OF chance
and to insure the exclusion Of the pie
bian class, the rule had been fixed that
the lowest bet on the board must
amount to a hundred doll.rs.
1t was 6ne clear night, at the full
moon Of May, wien the three brothers
Allen, having swept the counters of all
the inferior banks in Matamoras with
,heir pockets fall Of gold and heavy
sums in paper, entered the saloon Of
Fernendo Rosa, determined to clase ii
with a sudden thunder-crash Of fortune
or lear, if the latter alternative should
become necessary. The apartment
was crowded with juvenile lloutenants,
who lost their money and their hearts
with equal fatal flcllIty, and | am sof-
ry to record it, but the fact is never
.theless certain. that few epaulets OF
older and more exalted rank gllttered
in the gorg' Gus illumination Of the sill
Yer chandeliers, and manifested symP-
toms ef homage before the sterry smile
of the beautiful and bewiteh.na Mara.
With that rude, elbo@ing tInpetuos
ity which msre than anything else,
marks the soul Of the thorough bred
.ruflian, The lold, bad brothers made