The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1867-11-14
A ROMANTIC LIFE,

OF the famous Ned. Buntline, and at an.
other the mistress of Ben. McCulloch, the
Texan Ranger. The date of her registry
was "July the 26th." The name entered
was "Martha Leguire'' But she went
by various pseudonyms, and was orr
ginally Cuban, born at Havana, and
raised in New Orleans. Her true name
was Mary Cordova.
The story of her life is rather romantic.
Her father was tobacconist, and the first
mention made of her was when abe was q
girl fourteen or fifteen years of age, when
she was known in the Crescent City as
''the pretty cigar girl of Canal street. .
She attended at the patriarchal shop, both
wrapped and sold the choicest principes,
and added to her charms and her reputa-
ton by an exceedingly coy modesty that
defied assault.
Buntline, before he came to Nashville
and was involved in the fearful tragedy
that is associated with his name, lived a
thriftless, dare-dev life in Texas, on the
prairies, upon the gulf coast, and about
New Orleans He was handsome young
fellow of obscure origin, ready talent, neat
address and varied Accomplishment
His meeting with the pretty cigar girl
was an accident, and his suit was long and
difficult. At last he had to marry her,
$40 Jnr~fi .veeks after the marriage the
couple suddenly disappeared. There arc
various accounts of their absence. 1t was
said that the "Captain," as Ned. was
thea called, Che is General now,) COM
manded a brig in the Caribbean seas, and
did business as an active and fearless pi-
rate. Il was reported that he had gone
to Texas 10 see Judge Wartrous, and
claim the fortune left by Lafitte. II was
sworn to in court that he had retired on
the proceeds of a faro bank, in which he
was interested, and fitted him up rancho
at Corpus Christi. Most likely the latter
is the correct version.
In 1S47, when McCulloch appeared at
the head of the scouts or rangers, by which
Old Zack set such store, he had with him
an orderly, remarkable for his retiring,
modest disposition his intelligence, and
his handsome girlish face. This orderly,
it will be remembered, accompanied him
through the campaign, being wounded IA
front of Perez, and left with the D0akE
of Santa Cruz at the old convent near Pa
rede's hacienda. McCulloch was always
careful of the secret, but somehow it leak
ed out. The orderly was person of the
tender sex was, in fact, the pretty cigar
girl of Canal street.
When the ranger had found her, how
the pirate had become separated from her,
are points on which we are unable to en-
tighten the reader. McCullcch never saw
her again. He left her at Perote, was
wounded himself at Cherubusco, conveyed
to Vera Cruz, and thence ordered to Wash.
ington. Whether he ever made an effort
to regain his lost orderly is unknown. She
remained at the monastery for nearly ter
years.
Not yet shorn of her beauty, she ap.
reared in the city of Managua, Central
America, at the time of the entrance ol
General Henningsen, and there made the
acquaintance of gambling tilibuster, well
| known in New Orleans and Nashville
whom she accompanied 20 tie States
Her descent from monastery to a monte
table, and from gambling hell to com.
mon brothel, and from infamy to pauper'
ism, was very gradual, but also very sure
She found herself, during the winter o
| 1865, at the close of the war, in Nash
VILE She had been sent North from At
lanta by Sherman, when he depopulated
that city, first to Cincinnati and then tC
! Louisville. The last act of an eventfu
career opened in little clubhouse Ot
| Nashville. For few weeks she employ
ed herself as sewing woman, but give
way to drink, and, after the customary
seasons of arrest and punishment, relapsec
into hopeless mendicancy, and finally into
the poorhouse.
Here she died and hence she was car
ried to an unmarked grave. One whC
saw her after the body was decently claG
for interment represents that she presented
| a most beautiful but saddening spectacle
The traces of the original charm that haC
singled her out of city full of Creole
girls still remained, though dim and mar
red by the signs of want and sorrow anC
dissipation that overspread them.
We give the story, such as it is, as ont
of the illustrations that now and then oc
cur in common life, representing the NOR,
romantic side of familiar things. 1t ii
more suggestive than complete or salts
/ factory, and will recall train of event
to the minds of some readers. Two Q
the parties, at least, mentioned in il art
well known to the general public. Th
principal is, indeed, known only to a few
and they, the vicious, who knew her 70
no good, and the charitable, who kuev
her only to minister to her the last office
of nature and of natlre's God