Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1853-1862, 1858-08-21

From the Household words.
Princess Royal.
remember 10 have fallen in once with certain
american captains and eolones and men. alarms in
small place On the Brazos River, few miles north
Oh jose MARIA, IN Texas. / had paid visit to this
place, near which dear compapion Of nv voptb
/ had been murdered We we're school felIows and
Tor I'VE years We had been brother officers in the
! sams regiment He went to the United States last
! "heh the war broke with Mexico, and became
captain OF company Of Kentucky rihemen AfeW
months alter the battle Of Vera Cruz, he was depu-
ted oy tie olcers Of his brigade 10 present 10 Gen
/ Taylor-Who was en- leave of absence Al New on [.
eahs-a gold medal as token Of respect Choosing
the nearest way fro1 the camp across thecounrv he
SET out on MS errand with guide and two servants
al On horseoack, armed to the teeth. In Jose Ma
RIA my poor friend unWiseiy exhibited the medal To
/ crowd OF respectable looking persons calling
themselves colonies, majors and captains. Who
seeea 20 lake great pleasure in studying its enFra
/ wings. lie did not even remark in what a hurry
/ some OF those colonies we're 10 start before him
put the mccall has, in ten years, never more been
neaiu Oi, anu ny old eomrade and two Of his COM
| panions were found shot dead in a ravine.
IL was near this place that also fell among colo
/ nels. 1here was one Of them who took great Liz.
/ ing 10 my horse, when he saw me giving il 10 the
hostler' he tapped it repeatedly on the neck, de-
elarng H. win an oath, TO be nice animal and no
i NNlSA aSstftllu ne repeated 0tteWaFd
and over again 10 his felloW-men in the eoFse.roo
who, when they had been out to satisfy their curiog
| ny, agreed with him upon the matter tNow
Wouldnt that be nag for you, major?" he said 10
a TAI, powerful man, with rough beard and dis.
/ gushing features who sat a LILLE apart from The
rest and wore large gray coat. The major said
| nothing, but stalked out Of the room. sooD after
/ ward, followed By the colonel The otbers had
again taken up their old topic Of conversation and
were talking politics, rather vehemenily thought
when the Waiter-a German-eame up to me and
told me in our own language that had better take
care, as those two rusns outside had set ewes upop
my horse, and would be sure to steal il II save
them the slightest chance Annoyed at this intelli-
| genee, asked my eoEniryman what he thought It
/ would be best for me to do.
why" said he, you have fallen in with a bad
/ ser and, II you want to keep your horse I should
/ advise you to escape 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 ths hosuer who on
] " looked AZ me in rather impudent manner when
| l told him TO bring out my horse, and paid me no
| myself ~
81 say, oaptain7 said the colonel coming m 10
me al. sier while, and tapping me on the shoulder
'COme on, man don't make fool Of yourself,
want TO buy that ere 'Orse, eaptainl'
500 you?"
Thank Heaven. wasin the saddle by that time
edo Am l the man to be put Gus Of nv vay
by one Of these ere chaEed up German %
He laid both his hands upon the bride Of nv
horse. Ny blood generally boils at an insulting
word against my eountrynen, especially when | AN
far from home in foreign lands. In a trice the
stick Of the riding whip came down upon The cool,
nel's head, while the horse, urged to a powerful
leap, threw him ten yards upon the ground Ash
knew very well that, according to the customs Of
the country, this a revolver affair now, and. as
had no wish TO become ent3Dgled in such business
did not wait until the colonel had picked himself
up, but rode forward without delay
was stopped BY the waiter whom heard calling
after me- and who was out Of breath when he came
up to me at last. The honest fellow gave me a al.
rection which was afterWard glad to have followed
lie said that the colonel, though a coward was
most desperate william not at al likely TO give vav
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 eompanions
''YOu viii be chased by couple Of these roeges
be said, 'as l an q Saxon Let me advise YOU
Follow your way up 10 the north until Won are ont
Of sight, then do you turn back to the south as far
as Jose Maria. At the raTine southeast 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 10 a settlement, called The
Wood Cresk. Old Delamotte lives there, and he's
the man for yon to trust"
1 offered the waiter few pieces of money, but he
would not take them; than hearty shake of the
hand, aud this he took most cordially.
"Stop" he said, when had already set spurs TO
my horse He lifted up each Of the horses legs
and looked carefully at the sboeing GAIL right"
he said; 81 thought the Osler might have played
you one Of his tricks, but he has not yet had time
[ suppose. Now, 60 ahead, and don't forget the
| Frenehmanl"
darted of.
Il was eleven o'clock in the morning. [ had to
make twenty miles to the ravins which my country
man had pointed out to me. But my horse was wor-
thy the COlOnels admiration; and in spite not only
/ Of the rouIdabout way had taken in accordance
with my friends advice, and half an hours delay
for rest at Jose Maria, IL but five in the evening
when I reached this melancholy spot.
I stopped and looked about me. The surrounding
country was all barren and desoate the soil sterile
There was wooden cross erected on the spot Of the
murder and beneath il lay the mortal remains Of the
man whom had known in the full glow and joy Of
| youth.
strange feeling made me liBger in that place
The little ri7ulet smoothly gliding east ward showed
me the way I was TO 60. 1 could follow its course
with my eyes 10 far distant forest, the high grass
Of the prairie having burned a track down, as it
always does at this time Of year. Yet I still lin
The horse began to neigh softly and to prick M
/ his ears He was familiar with the prairies as /
/ had bought him but a few months ago at Little
/ Rock, in Arkansas. There was something the mat
] ter.
i
/ alighted and pressing my ear 10 the ground, lis
tened again. The earth trem5led family with the
Tread Of horses yet at long distance; but, when
mounted again, I could hear the sound. It was
/ rapidly approaching from the direction Of Jose Ma-
ria and although the woods on that side of me pre-
vented me from seeing anything. 7 had but little
i doubt who we're the hOrsemen. Now, colonies, ma
| jors, captains let us soc what can be done! Ny
/ horse gave such a sudden and vigorous jump when
I merely touched him with the whip that was al
most thrown from my seat. lost my cap and q
gust Of wind threw it against that very mound by
which had been bound to the ravine. To pick it
up would have been waste Of time; and as wished
10 be out Of sight before my pursuers had set foot
upon the prairie left it and sped away taking as
straight line as possible in the direction Of the
distant forest, to avoid the Windings Of the little
brook yet without losing sight Of It, In the brave
horse there was ne Stacking OF pace; there was no
stumbling. I turned round three OF four times du.
ring my rapid course, but except long, thin cloud
Of dust and ashes, raised by myself | saw nothing