New-York daily tribune., 1861-08-15
Netp.alork DAILY 1ibm,re
LIFE IN MEXICO.
E1trne nom Correspondence of The San Frsneeo Blssi,

On the day left Gaudalssra, pushed to psss the
noontide at the idgs Of Calderon, famous Ior the
s.bguioary action fo,ght there between the combined
insurgents led by Hidago, and the Spanish forces
under Negrete in October, 1910. Finding in my route
book that tie Puente dc Calderon was set down Tor
village and mes0b, was good deal taken BACK aiter
my hard mornings ride to nothing on arriving ou,
the crumbling walls Of the houses, bIlckebed and
smoke stained from recent confagration Around
the ruins creeping q few miserable remnants OF
their former occupants and to one OF them addressed
myself begging shelter and handful OF hoJa for my
beast.
"All have sir, Is at your service, and regret It
is lttle was the prompt reply, couohed in excel
lent Spanish.
Entering. in a few moments Lwas introduced to the
speakers family, which consisted Of conely old dane
and two stalwart sons, whose manly beauty might
form the pride Of any household My first query was,
Of course after passog the usual compliments directed
to ascertain the Of the general devastation before
me, which simply was that the VILLAGERS who favored
the cause of Mfamon had burned the ammunition OF
the Liberals their way mp, aud these bad applied
the torch to the town their return, In accordance
with the true spirit Of the lex taiio"ss.
A frugal but substantial repast was soon prepared
by the old lady, and spread beneath temporary shed,
l6ofely thrown up Ia an angel Of Of the ruined
buildings and was just preparing to sppease raven
ous appetite wbetted by fOrty-inies ride when sud
denly from little building in the rear, which bad he.
fore escaped my observation rapg shiek 80 snri,i
unfairly dropped the unIasttd morse and bali sprng
to my feet.
Tie mother left the room hastily and the old man,
who had marked my action said 1t Is only my poor
little Anita"
"Apd who is Anita p asked quickly, without
rejecting on the obvious impropiety Of the query.
So My poor daughter, cir, whom the soldiers have
driven mad by their crueies; aud, as he spoke the
warm eaIs gushed out and tricked down bis
cheeks.
proceed sir," be continued; ~ per2eiye your
curiosity is awakened. and, # you choose TO listen,
while you are dining will relate my history. IL
short and simple one and secret to, any bee 10
need feel false delicaey in communicating II 10
yoa."
THE HORRORS OF CIVIL WAR-A TALE OF 1HE
TINES.
And hereupon my host related the following melan-
choly story: ~ wac" said he, "before the last
Revolution in easy circumstance, and in this country,
where our wants few, might be reputed rich and,
though my sympathes were ever on the SIDE OF con-
seryatism, took active part IN politics. glad to
cscaps comparatively scathee-s amid the tempest that
was eouyulsug my native land. Well, just three
months ago yesfeIoay, party OF 30 OF 40 ftderals
Qiberals parsed here early one morning, and as the
trout Tile reached .he gate leader narned Torres,
banshed hence long since for bus crimes, shouted;
Hal we We got prize iusde here well worth having;
one OF The ptiics girls this side Zapo;aneo. Shes
the daughter OF u canng cid conservative, aud III
make sure of the daughter While some OF the rest OF
yol shs tne OIL hound wessand.
Tue whole toop dismounted on the instant, and psrt
rushed toward Anitas apartment while the rect us
pc scd nselyes through Il other buildgs In search
Of plunder. As tley seized Anita, who sprang
from her bed half-dressed, mutui contention arose
among aer captors for the prey. "Give her to me- L
told Won OF her frat" cIed Torres; no. she is mine,
seied herifs, :" shouted another; ana the poor i'te
thing begging them by their mothers love and all the
SAINTS TO SPARE her. AT last an idea struck her, u
give you said She "a hundred dollars, will yon let
me 60 n "Yes, yea" they all cried In breath for
theif greed for gold is if anything still srcer than
their s,; and beside they never had any intention Of
RELEASING their victim st all. ANITA then showed
where aat buried nv money, beneath the doorstep
OF the iufiher house. The stone dragged from its
Teiingpaee iran instant; and while they were least
ing Their eyes on the dollars, and scrsmblng for the
biggest share OF the prize, she slipped over lhe wall
and ran % hide hersei among the bushes that line tie
foot of yonder pTecpic a. soon az the money was
all gathered up and looking round and noing their
prey hal escaped them, about half the narauders left
swearing with horrible inprecalions they would have
her yet # they bad 10 uproot h 10 lind her.
IAN Ais tine the rect not idc. Some Of them
sei1cd by the arms and threw me down on tench
running along wall, hoding there while others
rain.d blows on my doienseless head and shoulders
with tte buckle enl OF th;ir bells from ths conse-
acences of which am Obliged to this a0aierG;'
aud lifting his cap he discovered the slayen skull,
covered with recent cicatrices. 81 would certainly
have baen killed outright, but that IN thee rage and
numbers and the obscnrty Of the place, the greater
nulnbes OF the cuts fell the wall instead OF tLeir
object.
''Cne little fellow kspt jabbing Mt mo with long
butchsr aniie, but msnsged 10 ward oil the weapon
with my arm at the expense OF these gaehes you see
hege and barring bis arm, he showed four W five long
slashes, penetrating apparently TO the bone. " All
this liue they believing: Give NE twenty dol.
lus' and Give ne twenty dollars, you miserly old
skiufnt." ia vain protested that had not twenty
dollars in the world, that they bad already dsDtered
and divided my buried hoard, and tho little change
bad upon they had torn away, pocket and all, at
the outset. They only redoGbled their blows and
cries OF Give me twenty dollars or I II murder you,
you id old curmudgcon, and thoueh for old man,
| an strong and enduring, felt my strength giving
way ana shouted Murder! with all my might
"My elder ron WAS at Zapotlanejo, and Carose, her
nv yomaest who WAS in the stable nearing my cries
seized a saber hidden the and rushed into the
house TO my assistance. Just he reached the corner
those outside scharged three or four shots which
missed, but he was brought to the ground by well.
Greeted blow from the butt of nusket planted be.
tween the shoulders. SO soon they disarmed him,
they asked, Where are you going In such hurry
NV papa lie said, they are numbering my poor
papa Yes, and were going to murder you, too
sad theyi down on your knees, you ID young rep
robatc' Just II this critical moment the officer ia
command, who had been doing little plunoering on
his own private account i'll the iun below, fortunately
came up and saved our lives and the whole troop
galloped on toward Guadalllara carrying away with
them a the hoes and mules, and everything gpotable
of value.
Meanwhile some Of the sesrchers had stumbled on
my daughters hidng-place and dragged her ont des-
lite her prayers for pity-te word finds no echo III
The bosous Of men SO brutaliZed as are our awless
soldery. How many OF the wretches outraged her we
do not know. When discovered the girl was sense
less and reyiying, We found that terror and shame
had deprived her of reason. She is generally very
quiet but often of morning che will rouse us from
seep with shieks and cries piteous that they make
ones flesh crawl. She thinks the Reds Iberals) are
coming again. and is impossible to d abuse her OF the
idea. But thanks to God and blessed st. Mary heI
agony will soon be over, md surely her penance here
is sharp enough to atone for the few sins of her young
life.
"Wonlh you like TO gee her cir r. added my host