Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1858-09-15
From the Household Words.
A Princess Royal.

| L remember to have fallen in once
with certain American captains and
colonies and men-at-arms, in a small
place on the Brazos river, a few miles
north of Jose Maria, in Texas. l had
paid a visit to this place, near which a
dear companion Of my youth had been
murdered. We were school-fellows,
and for five years we had been broth.
er officers in the same regiment. He
went to the United States Just when
the war broke out with Mexico, and
became captain Of company of Ken
tucky rifemen. A few months after
the battle Of Vera Cruz, he was deput-
ed by the officers Of his brigade to pre-
sent to General Taylor-who was on
leave Of absence at New Orleans-a
gold medal as a token of respect
Choosing the nearest way from the
camp, across the country, he set out on
his errand with guide and two SER
wants, all on horseback, armed to the
teeth. In Jose Maria, my poor friend
unwisely exhibited the medal to
crowd of respectable-looking persons,
calling themselves colonels, majors and
captains, who seemed to take great
pleasure in studying its engravings.-
He did not even remark in what hur-
ry some of those colonels were to start
before him. But the medal was, in ten
years, never more heard of, and my old
comrade and two of his companions
were found shot dead in rayine.
1t was near this place that | also fell
among colonels There was one of
them who took great liking to my
horse, when he saw me giving it to the
hostler. He tapped it repeatedly on
the neck, declaring it, with an oath, to
be nice hanimal and no mistake
which assertion he repeated afterward
over and over again to his fellow men
in the coffee-room, who, when they had
been out to satisfy their curiosity,
agreed with him upon the matter
''Now, wouldn't that be a nag for you,
maior?" he said to a tall, pow erful man
with a rongh beard and disgusting fea-
lures, who sat little apart from the
rest, and wore large gray coat The
maj or said nothing, but stalking out Of
the room, soon afterward, followed
by the colonel The others had again
taken up their old topic of conversa-
ton, and were talking politics, vehe-
mently as thought, when the waiter
German-came mp to me, and told
me in our own language, that had bet
ter take care, as those two ruffians out
side had set eyes upon my horse, and
would be sure to steal it if | gave them
the slightest chance. Annoyed at this
intelligence, / asked my countryman
what he thought it would be best for
me to do.
"Why," said he, 'syou have fallen in
with a bad set, and if you want to keep
your horse, should advise you to es-
cape as soon as possible"
After little reflection, resolved to
start at once, and made for the stable.
There | found the colonel again, most
urgently talking to the hostler, who only
looked at me in rather impudent
manner, when | told him to bring out
my horse, and paid me no further at
tention. | therefore began to bride
for myself.
81 say captainr' said the colonel
coming up to me after while, and tap
ping me on the shoulder.
'sSir.''
''Come on, man. don't make fool of
yourself! | want to buy that ere 'ors,
captain!'
s'Do vou?"
| Thank Heaven. / was in the saddle
by that time.
"Do l? Am the man to he put out
of my way by one of these ere chawed
up Germans?''
He laid both hands upon the bride
of my horse. My blood generally boils
at an insulting word against my coun-
tryman, especially when [ am far from
home in foreign lands. In trice the
stick of the ridingwhip came down up
on the colonel's head, while the horse,
urged to a powerful leap, threw him
ten yards upon the ground. As knew
very we'll that, according to the Gus
toms of the country, this was revolv-
er affair now, and as / had no wish to
become entangled in such business, |
did not wait until the colonel had pick
ed himself up, but rode forward with
out delay.
1 was stopped by the waiter, whom l
heard calling after me, and who was
out of breath when he came up to me
at last. The honest fellow gave me a
direction, which l was afterward glad
to have followed. He said that the
colonel, though coward, was most
desperate villain, not at all likely to
give way so soon, but that the worst
of the whole set was that tall fellow,
the major, whom he suspected to have
gone in search Of some of his compan-
ions. s'You will be chased by coup
lie of those rogues'' he said, 'as l am
a Saxon! Let me advise you. Follow
your way up to the north until you are
out of sight, then do you turn back to
the south, as far as Jose Maria. At
the ravine south east Of that place turn
to the left, and, following the course of
the brook, ride for your life. Twenty
miles up the stream you will come to a
settlement, called the Wood Creek
Old Delamotte lives there, and he's the
man for you to trust"
[ offered the waiter few pieces of
money hut he would not take them.