Alpena weekly argus. [volume] (Alpena, Mich.) 1871-1893, 1873-08-05

IhlS L learned from her 1alr lips.
At night-fall a guard came to my
room, and said:
"Senor, come with me- l ac-
cepted the invitation, though l did
not like his hang-dog looks, and
followed him from the house to the
stables. Here he led out a hand
some horse, gave me note to read
and left me. The note read as
follows:
al have released you at great
peril to myself and others. | trust
to your honor, and therefore give
you the countersign, 'Montezuma
for you have to go through three
lines of piclxets, knowing you will
use it only for your own escape.
Take the horse Pedro gives you
for it is my own. Do not forget
Nina.
81 kissed the sweet words,
mounted the noble animal, and
found hanging to the saddle q
trusty sabre, and pistols to the
hostler. Richard is himself again
l exclaimed, and in one moment
more | was dashing across the open
country. Two lines l passed with
out difficulty, the guards acl1nowl-
edging at once the countersign.
AS | approached the third line, l
noticed it had been doubled, and
fearing trouble / rode more eau
tiously. I was hailed, and when
ordered to advance and give the
countersign, l was about to obey
when an officer called not to let me
pass, for it was against orders.
"Quick as thought l drew a
pistol and fired in the face of the
sentinel, and before any resistance
could be offered, dashed through
the ranks, and in q short time
reached our army. This was the
commencement of my acquaint-
ance with the fair Nina Dalgeo.
Months flew by, and our vic
torious army was knocking at the
gates of the city of Mexico. l had
been fortunate, and was in COM
mand of a regiment. When the
attack upon the city commenced,
my regiment was attached to the
command of the gallant General
Quitman, and we were part of the
storming party. We forced our
way over the enemy's outer works,
and just as l was rushing over the
walls, at the head of my men, q
cannon ball shattered my left arm,
from the elbow to the hand. Do
you know, gentlemen, / hardly
felt pain, SO glorious a thing did
I look upon it., to lose an arm for
my country. l was borne to the
rear, and as the surgeon amputa-
ted the shattered remnant close to
the shoulder, l smoked my cigar
and gazed upon the battlefield, and
our troops rushing on to victory.
"When the city had been car
ried, and our army was in possess
sion, 1 was removed to a large pub
lie building, in company with
number of other wounded officers
and men. Twas weak and suffer-
ing, and had to be carried through
the streets upon a litter, and as
many q snowy handkerchief was
waved at me. l took pride in let
ting my empty coal sleeve fall over
the side of the litter, and thereby
showed that had placed an arm
beneath Mexican soil, in defense of
the Stars and Stripes.
GAS we passed in front of q
handsome mansion, noticed at the
barred window q lovely face that
seemed familiar, and also saw that
its owner appeared to recognize
me, for she turned and called some
one to her.
"The litter passed on, and in my
weak condition l cared little whom
she might be. Moving me had ex-
cited fever, and for weeks / lay at
deaths door, my friends expect
ing me daily to become a candid
ate for the orders of the UNDER
taker. AS got better / was told
that a lovely female had sent me
each day delicacies of all kinds,
and had come herself quite often
to look upon me.
"Who was she |! who could she
be ? / mentally asked myself, as
1 gazed upon the delicious fruit of
all kinds and delicate morsels up
on the table, near me. / had
dropped into a gentle sleep, and
was dreaming of Nina Dalgeo. the