Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1875-08-13
Santa NrlIs;la
1t is nearly forty years asince when, at
the battle of San JacintO
Twas joyful to a Texans eye
To see Santa Annals legiOnS fly

IL 10 HSalty Iolty yCetio so1IlCo WHoii, :"
the battle of San Jacinto,
! Twas joyful to a Texans eye
To see Santa Annals legionS fly
About thirty years have elapsed also
since he opposed TAYLOR and Scott in The
Mexican war He still lives, however, a
correspondent of the Mobile Vidette''
thus describes his appearance
| We hardly hal time to cast u llastv
glance about us before a side door opened
aud Santa Anna himself stepped into the
room. Hi, private Secretary. Col. Noso,
presented us, and after shaking hands and
making a few commonplace remarks to
| each one OF us, he mOtioned toward the
chairs and we all moved over and sat down.
My surprise ut the appearance of the old
General was shared by my companion. In
stead of the gray-haired old man that we
expected to see, All upright soldlerly figure
stood before us. His 1orm WAS not yet
bowed down by the weight of years, and
his coal black, flashing eyes told that the
fires OF early life were not yet spent. In
credible as it may seem, Santa Annals hair
has not yet turned gray, and his face has IL
kindly, hopeful expression, strangely at
variance with the widespread ideas of his
character. He wears no beard of any kind
and is lbs smooth-faced as Il woman. In
talking he is.much troubled by badly-fit-
ting set of false teeth, which fall from the
palate, and he is slightly deaf. 1t was in
moving across the room and seating him
self on the sofa, however, that the infirmi-
ties Of age showed themselves most con-
spcuous. His false leg troubled him, and
I thought he showed Il disposition to hide
it, for after seating himself very carefully,
he threw it out directly before him and
covered it with the left. He sat upright,
nor did he lean back or change his position
the whole hour We were with him. Santa
Anna is slim built, about five feet ten in
ches in height, and in his younger days
must have been handsome man, as he is
at present IL fine looking old gentleman
He is talkative andsocial, loves to recount
his own exploits, and seems to live at pres
emit altogether in the past. He knows
that the future holds nothing for him ;
consequently he takes very little interest
Ill the petSSlnS tVellGS VI Lilc udy. Tie ulu
not even know the name of the President
of the United States, and asked several
little questions about our affairs that al
most any school-boy would be capable of
answering. After some general inquiries
about his health, the effect of the recent
rains ON his disease Che is troubled with
catarrh), and his projects for passing the
summer, something was said which led
him off on the very track we had been hop
ing for, viz himself and his own exploits.
AS he found himself drifting thirty, forty,
and even fifty years into the past, his old
form Strengthened up, his eyes shone like
those Of a boy, and he seemed to be living
it all over again. In describing the events
of half q century ago, we were astonished
to note the accuracy with which he gave !
the minutest particulars. Every date and |
incident seemed to be as fresh in his memory |
as though itwere an event of the day before. |