North Branch democrat. [volume] (Tunkhannock, Pa.) 1854-1867, 1867-06-05


mantle incidents which led to the Texas
War Of Independence, find their parallel
only in the romantic history of Lucretia
and the elder Brutus..
i" Juan Costa was person of influence
and bravery in the wild forest, but he fell
under the displeasure of Santa Anna and
his minions. Pedras, the commandant of
Nacogdoches, was sent to arrest him. He
arrested the father at the supper table, at
tended by his only daughter, young girl
of surprising beauty and intelligence. He
loaded him with chains, and cast him into
prison, not withstanding her tears and en-
treaties. Finally he proposed to free the
father, if the daughter would consent to sac
rifice her innocence and honor. She reject
ed the infamous proposal with blow in the
face. The armed ruffian swore a horrible
oath to execute his will on them both.
With dark eyes. fearless and fixed as
those of a corpse, yet flashing a double por-
ton of luminous fire, she mounted a horse
and hurried away wildly around the coun-
try. She halted at every house. no matter
whether Mexican or American, and rehears-
ed in tones of thrilling horror her fathers
wrongs and her own.
Ali timid modesty, all weakness had van
ished from her tongue, utterly consumed by
the scorching thirst for revenge. She bar
ed her virgin bosom, and showed the livid
marks of the ravisher's anger among the
azure veins along the surface of snow, now
soiled, but before as yure as gleam OF an
angels wing. -...
And still, wherever the beautiful maid
wandered, deafening yell of wrath and
vengeance rose up against the tyrants.
The people Of both races and all classes,
flew to arms, appointing general sendez-
vous for the 18th Of June, at the residence
ofthe absent and now imprisoned, Juan Cos
ia, ....... .f.r....... -.....
1t was here debated by the people who
should be their leader, but nothing being
done, the whole assemblage bade fair to
break up in confusion, when tall, power.
fully built stranger, who had just entered
Texas from the States, came forward and
addressed the multitude.
"I am a stranger, but am also man,
and owe my life, soul, body, health, hap
piness, all-aH to woMAN-to my mother !!
aud if turn a deaf ear to the prayer of
an inocent woman. asking my aid against a
william, may my mother, and my God curse
me! If you stay behind, I 60 for one, to
fight Pedras, and his armed ravishers of
your wifes and daughters
The speech received with three trenend-
GUS cheers, and a shout that seemed to
shake the solid earth, uttered the first peal
OF revolution.
We will 90 ! Death to the tyrants !
Freedom for Texas, and the giant shall be
our leader :! 49, ..r.,., ..-.r
The next day he led his raw recruits to
the attack of Nacogdoches, and stormed
every position against immence odds. At
ter an assault of four hours, the carriage
being dreadful on both sides, fortunately
among the slain, was the dead body of the
atrocious Pedras.
And then, for the first time, was heard
in the land of the wild, the name destined
to become, and echo to the pulsation of all
hearts-the name Of THOMAS J. RUsK. ,j
Such was the debut of Rusk in Texas,
and from that day his popularity has gone
on steadily increasing, without even . tram
STORY eclipse, or even SO much as, a cloud
to dim its splendor. In vain for three years
General Cos demanded his arrest, Mex
leo had not soldiers enough to take him,
and in 1S46 he assisted to chase the last
one Of the country. Afterwards he amass-
ed a fortune at the Texas bar, and was cho,
sen one of the first Senators of the new
State annexed, place which he ably
adorned.-Henderson Times. .0 Il