Dallas herald. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1849-1873, 1866-04-07
Incidents In The Adventures OF 4
observation-disclosures Family In
Mexico.

TeNO-t0licucfIic FANNY III
Mexico.
Special Correspondence II he Telegraph,
To sympathetic parents, the fol-
lowing narrative may possess some
thing akin to the interest which it
excited in many persons in the
country where the incident hap
pened;
\ gentleman not unknown in
Texas, who crossed the Rio Grando
in June, was travelling in the interi.
or Of Mexico with his family, Of
whom two were youths, his wife
and three little daughters. Capt,
II. &C., was also Of the same party.
They, with n larger party, had
campcd out and kept guard from
Piedras Negras to San Louis Potosi,
Reduced, however, as this party had
become, from San Louis to the City
of Mexico, they ceased camping out,
and passed the nights in hacicndas,
of which many fine ones are on that
road.
On the evening Of September
after travelling for hours IN a drench-
ing rain, they stopped at the hacien-
da la Francis, n splendid estate
The vehicles were driven through
the great door into the "fratio' or
court yard. The room on the right
of the entrance, with its only door
opening into it, was given to the
husband and female part of the fam
lily. That directly opposite was &C.
cupied by the gentlcm an!y propic-
tor. Not single room in the large
establishment had an outside door
Closing the great door, rendered the
whole a pretty good fort; and this is
the general character of hacienda
mansions. Captain G. and the two
sons slept in the vehices, as a'guard.
The room of the family was with
out light excepting through the in
ner door There was much talk Of
robbers on the road. Rain contin-
ued to pour down throughout the
night and rendered the darkness
intense. The parents occupied the
only bedstead, the little girls u pallet
on the floor opposite the door, The
gentleman slept with two revolvers
under his pillow.
AS wet people always do in good
quarters, every one slept soundly.--
But, about midnight, the lady was
aroused by some one moving in tho
room, and gently waking her hus-
band, whispered to him that there
was robberin the house. Hesprang
up and saw, by the dim light Of the
door, the dim form Of person Gas
he thoughD passing out and closing
the door. Feeling his way along
the wall he reached tho door and
drew it open, demanded in Spanish,
who and for what the person was
there? At the same instant, his
hand came in contact with person
behind the door and inside. He
naturally thought it was second
robber, and expecting instantly to
receive a stiletto, sprang back,
reached the bed, seized and cooked
one of the pistols saying, "who are
you? What do you want? Youa are
robber / have q pistol-leave
instantly or / shall shoot you!" But
no response came, and instead, tho
person, as distinctly traced by the
feet, advanced directly to the gentle
man. He could but believe that it !
was a robber, whose intention was
to stab him, Perfectly self-posscs-
sed, he waited till the person came !
so close that with his left hand he
grasped the person, and leveling his
right arm from the elbow so as to
be at the right elevation for a mans
vitals, thrust forward the pistol till
it came in contact and--fired A
fash scream and all was utter
darkness, Lizzie, the middle daugh-
ter, thus aroused, cried out-"Oh
Papa 1t is Baby You have killed
BabyW ('Baby, is the pet name Of
the youngest daughter of nine years.
Poor Baby gasped-"Oh Papa
carry me out! I'm suffocating -
I'm suffocatingW
If ten thousand darts had passed |
through that fathers heart, he could |
not have suffered more excruciating
agony He called to the landlord |
for a light, and to Capt C. and his |
two sons TO come-and, although |
each call was promptly obeyed, be-
fore the light came, he had felt Ba.
by's mouth for blood; then each |
limb and her body, and had literal
~ torn her clothes off; so confident
wasbe that she must be in a dying |
state; while that doting mother, with !
her own breNst bleeding-yet brave /
as all true women are in great trials |
was trying to soothe, to inspire |
hope in the distracted father-and |
the terrified sisters were speechless
with grief and horror. The light I
came, and oh i thanks be to God 1
the darling child was not seriously /
injured. The pistol muzzlc had /
struck the corner Of her right eve.
causing a severe bruise, and doubt.
less causing her to dodge slightly. |
(for she was asleep up to the instant .
of firiDg.) The muzzle rested upon |
the side of her head when the pistol |
fired. Her cheek and hairwere both I
powder burnt. The ball entered the I
wall in such n position as TO prove /
that, had it been a grown person,
death must have been inevitable.
The incident is told; the readers
heart must make its own comment 1
That family Afterwards went 10
Orizava, and took upper rooms in a