The spirit of democracy. [volume] (Woodsfield, Ohio) 1844-1994, 1870-06-28
MIG I'll I A 7 L A c K

! | was still young man, scarcely NOR
than q boy, in fact, when l left Englan'
to become the partner of my old schoo
mate, Dick Merton, who. had settle,
down rs sheep farmer, in South Amer
lea. Our joint and rather modest capi
tai was invested In league Of land
near Santa Fe, on tue Parana, botgh
''for song" on account OF some defec
in the title; also, in few sheep, havin!
the lathy appearance, and almost tn
speed of greyhounds; and lastly in th
materials of our house, of which, as W.
had ourselves, been the architects, build
ers, and clerks of the work, we wer,
not little proud 1t was built cf sun
baked bricks, and consisted of one tole
rably large room, with a fat roof an(
parapet, accessible from the inside by
means of ladder. Around; it at abou
thirty yards distance, we had dug deep
dry ditch, crossed by drawbridge, ant
intended as a protection against sur
prise by our enterprising neighbors, tn,
Indians The latter dusky gentlemen
had hitherto behaved themselves very
much as such, and had confined thei
throat cutting propensities to certain
stray sheep, instead of gratifying then
at the expense Of the owners. But ugly
tales were still told of their doings round
about us--of white men being taker
while riding in sight of home, and tor.
tured; Of cattle being driven off, and
sheep speared in very wantonncss OF
mischief-which were not reassuring land
which causedsus to keep particularly
sharp look. out. especially when, as now,
the Indian moon (their favorite time OF
attack gave light enough to point the
way to plumber, but not to guide the aim
of the defenders.
Dick Merton, changed indeed since the
DAYS when his word was law among q
select circle of Pail Mall dandies, ,lounged
up to where I was standing. His CO.'S
tune was simple in the extreme,and con.
sisted merely of a sufficiently aged pair
of leather unmentionables and red
flannel shirt--the whole being surmoun-
ted and relieved by very long black
beard, and very short, but equally
black pipe; but through rough attire and
surroundings, the indefnable .je ne sais
qseois of gentility was as clearly rccognl-
Fable as when he was sowing his rather
extensive crop of wild oats upon home
soil, and before that memorable Derby
which induced him, after settling with
duns of every description, to embark
himself and the leayings of his property,
and Dwell aiiong sheep and savages;until
he could return with fresh grist to carry
on the civilized mil.
''Can you see anything stirring in the
camp ?" said he, as he, came up. "Those
horses are making confounded row in
the corral. Isaw Johnson, the Yankee,
this morning, and he said the Indians
had crossed the river, and he guessed
we'd better keep our wits well lied, that
they didn't look in when we wern't t
ready for visitors" es..
Now, horses were our surest safeguard
against surprise. Dogs we had, too, but
they reused US so frequently by barking
at nothing more formidable than stray
deer or fox that--reminded of the gen.
tleman whose amusement it was TO cry
"Wolf!'-we lost all faith in them, but
our little half-wild Pampa horses had a
truer instinct, and their warnings, given
by stamping upon the ground, were not
to be disregarded with safety
II can make out some objects moving
about half mile to the southward,n D
sai9 ], after long look out on the
plans.
s.They are mounted men, by Jovem m
exclaimed my companion; ''and riding
hard this way, too. stand here with
your rifle, Alfred, while l slip cartridges
into the others. AT that pace they will
be here directly"
And 80 they were. Almost before
Dick had reached my side again, two
"Guachos," their usually swarthy faces
livid with fear,sprang from their horses,
which, covered with blood, sweat and
foam, showed how sharp had been the
ride, and rushed over the drawbridge.=
They told us as soon as terror would al
low them, that three hundred Indians
were in hot pursuit, and would soon be
on the spot,and besought us.for the love
of the Virgin, to give them shelter, as to
ri6e out again into the camp'upon their
foundered horses would be certain DEATH
Dick, ,rather,to my surprise-for l did
not then know what distinguished liars
the natives; as rule; are-calmly Int his
pipe, and then ordered our visitors, in a
doubtful Spanish idiom. to
snake themselves scarce"
"Unless," he said, politely, "you can
tell a plain tale, senores, without lies,
ramos and adios."
Upon this we learned, after much
cross-questioning, that they had been to
buy horses (Fro steal them; more likely
Dick at the station of rich
Spaniard, Don Ramon Garcia, who
lived about four leagues from us; and
that when they reached the top of a gen.
tie rise in the ground, and had view Of
The house, they had seen, to their hor-
ror and dismay, large body of the
dreaded Indians who we're attacking
for they heard shots-Don Ramon's es-
tdpcia.
"Whereupoii," said the spokesman,
with teeth chattering, :'we rode hard to
your abode, well knowing that the brave
would not deliver us up
But let us mount your feetest horses, Sc
nores, and ride for life. Soon they will
be here, and who can Withstand the fierce
traroS?"
'If this be true," said Dick turning to
me, "and believe it is. for these coward
y scoundrels' faces are proof that they
have seen something-the sooner we pre-
pare to fight the better. OF course they
we're not attacking Ramon's place; he
las fort strong enough to resist thou
sand of them,. and plenty of men and
arms as we'll Most likely they made a
lash to carry off any one who might be
,trolling at distance from the house, or
to drive off the horses and it's equally
likely that we shall have them here soon,
where there's better chance for night
attack. In any event, we must be pre-
oafed for them. Naturally, we can't rum