The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1873-11-29

CHAPTER J..

CHAPTER ].
Have the Toltecs in their wanderings
crossed the Isthmus of Panama? Have they,
like the barbar.ans of the north OF Europe,
marched without stopping towards the South,
drawn thither by the powerful attraction OF
Southern countries? What renders the prob
lem difficult to solve is the fact that the civil
ization of the Tol.ecs was very advanced,
and people have never been known to aban-
don at the summit of their power, the terri
tories they occupied. 1t is always catas-
trophs which causes these migratlons, and
Torquemada, when he affirmed
Nv meditations were suddenly interrupted
BY guu in the distance, two or three balls
bounded on the roof of my dwelling, break
ing the tiles with little sharp click, and
some wood-lice, occupied without doubt in
undermining the beams overhead dropped
fiightsned on my open books.
Orizaba had been besleged for four days
BY the Liberals, but the authorities who oc
euped the city believed 1t impregnable. We
had an abundance of wheat, corn, rice, and
meal barricadss had been erected at the en-
trance of the pincipal streets, reinforce
Aents were expected from Mexico, the be-
sisgers had fortunately very little ammuni-
tion, and without .he chances Of a battle, it.
was difficalt to dislodge the garrison of two
thousand soldiers commanded by General
NeErete,
The day after the investment of the place
they found tina. money was wanting in the
cash bsx of The army. The general, man OF
resource, made provision for il in less than
two hours. The notables, OF whom was one,
received an order-invtation L would say-to
meet at the City Hall without delay. The
measure taken was only such as was necessa-
~ to prevent the plllage of our houses, by
the starving bands OF troops within, in case
the city neglected to pay them. After
touching appeal to our patriotism, already
tested, the general prayed us to lend him
under guaranty of his signature-in the name
of the General Government-the round sum
of $4,000.
Mexican patriotism on these occasions
aud they are frequent-is wanting often in
enthusiasm. Besides, our confidence in the
signature which ne O Tered us in exchange
for our dollars,was so well known to the
commandant, that he had arranged in adj
vance a list of the sums that each one must
pay over. In truth, the general counted
upon our patriotism; nevertheless, as if he
must provide for all contingencies, para
graph at the head of the list declared that all
delinquent citizens would be arrested, pro-
vided with soldiers csssock ard placed in
the advance guard at the first alarm. 1t was
not vain threat. General Negrete did not
indulge in pleasantly.
When by chance, Or by his own fault, one
finds himself in the jaws of the wolf, it is not
wise to complain or cry, but to get away
with the least scratch possible. For my part
l urged my position as stranger, which
made it my duty not to NEEDLE in any of the
intestine quarrels of the Mexican nation.
had friends in both camps-must aid one to
the injury of the others? Then what would
NJ, the French ambassador, say, when he
learned that they had violated, in my person,
the treaty by virtue OF which Frenchmen are
not required to contribute to forced levies?
The general listened attentively to my words
-bowing sometimes with an air of approba-
tion--and replied to my objections with rer-
feet courtesy. He defended his forced loan,'
as measure purely patriotic and explained
away my scruples. He also had friends in
both camps and he would permit me to pay
into the hands of the liberals sum equal to
the one l advanced to him. As for the
French ambassador, he would protest at first,
then call the attention of the supreme gov
eminent to the case--waS it not his trade ?
What was the good Of this debate? l was
scholar-here l made gesture of denial of
which the general did not take any notice
and, although he was ignorant--a soldier
he had weakness, an instructive admiration
for the practical men who pass their lives in
reading. This is the reason why they had
taxed me sum which was only half the
amount paid by the other notahles. bowed
and paid my 500 instead of 5000, which
proves that science is good for something
and returned home to endeavor to find the
key to an Aztec inscription recently discov
cred by two wood cutters-peope whom
chance seems to favor in such things.
During my visit to the General, noticed
near him man, tallt blonde, large shoulders,
rough moustache, heavy eyebrows, having
The appearance of an Englishman or a Ger
man. While the General harangued us the
unknown gave us dull meaningless look
His white skin, almost rosy, attracted my at
tenton as the complexion oi the Mexican is
always brown or yellow. Negligenlly lean
ing against table, a Cavalry sabre hanging
at his belt, wearing a Jacket of blue cloth or
namsnted with black trimmings, he often
took his lower lip between his thumb and
finger thus showing his white teeth, sharp as
those of certain carDiyora. Before entering
the generals head quarters, thought knew
all the members OF his staff twenty in num-
Der; but this blonde officer was stranger.
He must be new arrival-but how had he
been able tie cross the enemys lines?
You can not complain of us, DOCTOR this
time,' said lieutenant to me as l passed
out of the streer door,
"Hum-you are ignorant that my visit has
cost me 100 dollars"
''In exchange tor which you have the sig
nature and the esteem of the general"
can esteem which am able TO appreciate
at its full value" l prudently answe ed''
But tell me the name of that stranger
offcer.''
"a stranger off .er? There is none in the
garrison"
"Do you think that you can make me be-
lieve that this blonde man, with high fore
head, blue eyes, and enormous feet is Won COM
patriot? He is a German, lieutenant. for
there are amongthe Saxon races characteristic
signs which cannot deceive even the hum
H.
tYOu speak, suppose, of Col. Ramon ?"
81 speak of the man who is at this moment
in the saloon"
1T is he-he crossed the enemy's lines day
before yesterday to join us. You should know
his wife and children. They have Ii yed in ORR
zaba some months. Col. Ramon is rough
soldier, doctor, and your friends the liberals
would be glad to have him among Them
Brave as the sabre he wears he ought to have
been general long ago.
us he German or American %
HE is Mexican, if you pease''
sThen his father was European?''
Neither his father, grandfather, or great
grandfather, that l know. As for that.
doctor, you think one no can be born white
except in the old world. l am from Puebla.
and you from Paris-then you are French,
Well, what difference do you see between
your skin and mine?'
This was delicate point Of controversy.
Man docs not SANDER his physical more than
his mental qualities. Each nation has its
hobby. Every citizen Of the United States is
general or at least a colonel; every French
man pretends to merit decoration: every
Mexican, right or wrong, prdes himself or
his white skin. | endeavored to live Soma
reason to my questioner; social life would he
impossible without these concessions that
Alceste calls ''cowardice."
Returning home before taking the pen to
translate the hierogyphics discovered by the
WOOD cutter, Jean, 1 could not help recalling
the sad and mournful countenance of Col.
Ramon, listening impassibly to MY demands,
and those OF his compatriots, pursuing his lip
mechanically with his thumb and fore finger.
However accustomed ore may be to the
chances OF a siege-and this was the fourth
time that Orizaba had sustained this trial
since the commencement of the year, the in
quietude which it is impossible to get rid Of
above all, when one possesses a collection
that chance bullet can destroy, takes away
ones freedom of mind