Maryland independent. [volume] (Port Tobacco, Md.) 1874-current, 1874-11-11
4 StIttt Storp.
THE MExIcAN'S REVENGE.
BY col. LEON LAFITTE.

romances written nowadays, and read
ing Of adventures by flood and field -
does it never strike you that, in the
scenes and incidents therein related some
of them are real, and not altogether i'm
aginary 1t is said that "truth is
stranger than fiction, and we all know
from experience that it is so. and that
the realities of everyday life are worth
all the pages of a novel, and. from their
nature, would be considered fictions when
they are stern truths
With this preface will proceed to tell
a story, the hero Of which is now an
honorable member Of society in our great
metropolis. The scene is laid in Mex
leo, and at the time of the war between
that country and the United States.
The subject of the sketch is an Ameri-
can, native Of a Southern State, and
has led life Of wild adventure and ro-
nance, having occupied high position
IN the United States army, and after
wards attained "A still higher rank in the
Confederate service.
Some time since, | met a number of
gentlemen at social dinner party. and
there were present few old soldiers who
had grown gray in the service of their
country. When dinner had been re-
moved, jokes aud stories circulated free
ly, and my friend, whom | will call
General Warfeld, was prevailed upon to
tell a story Of his early life, and one that
two or three present knew to be true
ia our seats. placed fFsss SvTysT
tome. and lr..ss.*sssk <,-ef
s..vv,heu I went with my regiment to |
man; too young, in fact, said many of
the officers, who were my juniors in rank
but my seniors in years, to hold the
commission of captain. BE that as it
may, | felt myself fully competent to
discharge the duties devolying upon me,
and knew | had too much ambition to be
promoted, ever to waver before an
enemy
81 had studied Spanish at college,
and knew just enough to pride myself
upon my knowledge of the language,
and to talk, with bad accent and ex-
ecrablc grammar, to the dark senoritas
whom we now and then were so fortunate
as to meet fatter myself | was rather
good-looking in those days-don't laugh,
gentlemen, it was many long years ago
and, as is usual with most young men
who receive much attention, was con-
sidcrably spoiled.
Thus the days glided by, and the
few skirmishes we had from day to day
helped greatly to enliven our minds
You all remember the battle of Mon
terev? We'll, it was there that | was
taken prisoner. and no doubt would have
died from neglect, or been put to death
by our cruel foes, had it not been for a
lovely young Mexican who Glanced to
see me while | was confined with few
others. in the walls of her father house
She talked to me from the terrace, and
after listening attentively to a long ro-
nance Of my own, about having many
to love me who would without doubt &C
down in sorrow to their graves, if il
should befall me, she said she would re.
lease me as soon after dark as she could
The girl was really very beautiful
and was the daughter of a wealthy ole
Mexican, who did not hate the Ameri
cans as much as policy caused him t.
pretend to- This | learned from he
own fair lips,
AT night-fall guard came into m!
room, and said
:. 'Senor, come with me-. accepted
the invitation. though | did not like hi
hang-dog looks. and followed him from
the house to the stables Here he led
out from stall a handsome horse, gave
mo NOTE to read and left me The not
was as follows
4 have released you, al great peri
to myself and others. Rejoin al one
your comrades. trust to your honor
and therefore give you the countersigr