Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1867-01-15

might have been prolonged to month, hao
not the mosquitoes proved extremely trouble
some You can have no conception of the
great size and wonderful instincts of these crea-
lures, [ mean the mosquitoes OF Texas. | car
compare them in magnitude only to winged
dragons; they attack their prey only IN the
night, and, ere they make the assault, you can
hear them sharpening their beaks upon patent
homes which they carry under their wings. j
had to defend myself against them with my cut
lass, which fortunately, managed to save
One, however, succeeded in ahghting on me
when was asleep and driving his probosis into
my jugular vein; any other man would have
died under such phlebotomy; but, when found
that my blood was nearly extracted from my
body, [ bethought me Of the wild beet which
grew in profusion around me. | Immediately
swallowed large quantity-it partook Of the
nature of blood-flled the empty arteries, and
ever did not nourish met was only resto
ratiye not nutritive. Hunger and thirst came,
and with them all the horrors Of starvation. ]
looked around me for something to sustain life.
AS far as the vision could reach there was one
wide stretch Of sand and water, while the sky
was of a copper color heated by the beaming
rays of July sun
Don't talk to me, gentlemen, about your hard
times-I know what hard times are. had to
spit on the sank bank on which I sat to keep it
cool, and the only food lived upon was horned
frogs and prickly- pears. | thought to myself
that it was folly to remain suffering SO severely,
while awaiting for some vessel to pass that way
that [ might signal her; SO [ started off for the
interior, hoping to find some human habitation
where [ might obtain relief My way was over
hills of sand so hot, that, when found a sand
turtle egg, which luck came to me twice on
my journey, all had to do was to bury it, and,
in about five minutes it was cooked. To obtain
drink, [ took this method At night [ spread
out my coat which soon became saturated with
dew which sucked from the cloth.
After seven days of weary travel, saw sol
itary house in the midst of the desert.
cheered in my great joy and pushed on. Ar
rived at the dwelling, was surprised to see not
living soul near it-not even a domestic ami
mal-all was solitude and silence I knocked
No answer; [ then halloo' d, but there was no
reply -. ;,
eff there is any person within this house, F"
beloved l as loud as my weak lungs would per-
NIT me to, ''in the name Of humanity I beg
him to open the door to dying man.
Get away, you thief, or I'll blow you to Jer-
ricol' exclaimed a female voice above me.
looked up and beheld woman at the loft
window with musket in her hands pointed to-
wards me.
Madam said imploringly," I entreat you
let me in, [ am perishing with hunger and
thirst
''Be gone, you vagabond, or I'll shoot you, -
replied she, pulling back the hammer, ''you
cam come that story over me; I've met with
the likes of you before, and never knowed any
good to come out Of you
But, madam, said [, Il am no robber. [
am perishing fellow creature claiming your
hospitality"
'Well, well-that may be so; but, Tn a
lone woman and must keep on the lookout for
Sam Houston's thieving soldiers, who wander
about in these diggns and steal whatever they
can lay their hands on. Are you sick and truly
honest?'
Il am, replied I, ION the honor of an Off
''Well," replied she, s'Pll open the door, but
mind you, take care how you behave yourself,
this gun is loaded with buckshot, and [ know
how to fire it. -
I assured her that she would find me per-
fectly harmless and, on this assurance she
closed the window shutter, came down and
opened the door, still holding the musket in her
hand.
''You look monstrous bad, said she, when
[ had entered the shanty, "and | believe you
are suffering moughtily. What will you have %
sAh, my good woman, anything to allay this
dreadful hunger, said |, seating myself on a
tub, for there was not a chair or stool in the
room. First give me some water-my mouth
is parched and dry, and [ cannot swallow solid
food
"Water, did you say?' asked she, I'm sor-
ry to say there's not a drop within four miles
of the place. IF you'll but wait an hour or So,
my husband will be back, and he'll bring a
bucket of water with him. He's gone to Skin
ner' S store, matter of ten miles, and on his
way back he will take up the water.
My situation was desperate, gentlemen, SO |
begged her to give me something to eat She
had nothing-her husband would bring some
corn meal with him.
'Have you nothing at all p asked despair
7sNothing that I know of, (" was her harrow
ing reply. "Hold on-there may be some -four
left in the barrel up stairs-I'll 60 and see
'sEor mercy sake do, madam" said [ des-
pairingly, for I'm dying man..
In few moments heard her up in the loft,
pounding and scraping, and then she came down
the ladder smiling and exclaiming-''T we been
lucky; I've found whole hand full--that' II
do YOU until the old man comes back. :"
She held the handful of -four that she had
scraped from the barrel up to my mouth. l
made an effort to lap.it up with my tongue
but my parched throat refused to swallow it
[ made several gulps, but in vain At length
[ said,
Il cannot swallow it, madam,-can you not
mosten it with water?"
II have none, tell you,' said she.
''Not drop?"
'Not drop!'
''Then I must die," said I-"for I cannot
swallow that dry -four
''Ill spit in tiff that will do" said she.
anything was my reply, but moisten it
we'll. p"
She spit in the flour, and, while doing so,
sneezed and blew every particle of my last hope
out of her hand
'Talk of your hard times, gentlemen, you
have never experienced the sufferings I have. !"
You'll do, Major" said Smilax with faint
chuckle ''d have heard it said that Texas was
the Eden of North America. How mistaken
people can be sometimes. [ move, gentlemen,
that we let the lone STAR State slide out of
the Southern Confederacy; if we are to believe
Major Stretcher's account, she's not worth
fighting for
Il hope you do not doubt my veracity, Cap
tain?' said the Major, bristling up with all his
pomposity. my remarks apply to the coast
of Texas; | made no allusion to the interior
which | know to be fertile and rich in natural
resources. [, Sam Stretcher can myself vouch
for the wonderfully prolific qualities of the up
land soil. The planters do not know what
guano or any other fertilizer is. [ have heard
the corn grow; aye-have seen it grow, [ have
on my honor gentlemen. In fact, it is com
mon thing for farmer to throw his wheat on
the bare ground one morning and gather II in