The weekly democratic statesman. [volume] (Austin, Tex.) 1871-1883, 1875-09-02

OF tne Dt. LOUIS OtODe-OeDt0-
crdt writes some touching recollections OF
Texas and some OF her dead heroes. civil
and military. Speaking Of the frequent
Mexican raids on the Rio Grande, and the
impunity with which they have been MADE,
and the apathy so long manifested IN re-
pelling and punIshing maTauders sne pro
ceeds
But. arm the rangers7 Who is there LETT
70 iucite the Old spirit7 The sons Of the
men who went before2 We know not.
MANY of them we know are in their graves,
the victims of InternecIne. But Houston
and his warriors are not there to lead. The
states idol, Tom Green, ''the youngest
and brayest hero of san Jacinto," sleeps by
the murrnuring river near his home, and the
wife. whose Heart broke when he fell, rests
beside him. Colossal Jack (Hamilton),
Wilcox, Wigfall, are none of them there to
stir with their powerful eloqueDce the I'M
dying embers of patriotism. And the tele-
graph but now brings the sad news Of Rich
ardson's death, the able journalist, whose
pen for so many years kept pace with the
rangers sword.
she then proceeds with her "reminiscences:
stood, not in Venice on the Bridge OF
Signs, but upon the upper verandah in front
of the old Fannin House, in the city OF
Houston. The hour was noon. And
leaned forward over the balustrade and
peeTed through the trees at the group be-
low, composed OF soldiers of duty and
civilians who wrote exempt" after their
names. 1t was in the midst of the war.
The gallant Magruder was quartered in the
town, and everything bore martial aspect.
Seated alone upon an armed penitentiary or
split-bottomed chair, tilted back against one
81. ofafrn aid Luz
a stranger, simply attifed, evidently out of
health, and listening with apparent interest
TO the arguments and conversation Of those
around. The central figure was Confed-
crate officer, bedizzened with lace and but
tons, sash and sword. He was dicussing
the, disunion, the Confederacy.
''Gentlemen," he exclaimed, show i
would like TO meet that - traitor, that
- Unionist, who would sell his State for
q mess Of pottage-Sam Houston, the arch
traitor. I'd run this sword drawing the
weapon from its scabbard) through his trail
torous bOdyp The splIt-bottomed chair
came squarely down on its four feet, and |
felt my hair rise in ratio with the towering
form that unfolded itself, presenting, even
in its feebleness, as fine a specimen Of man
hood as ! ever beheld. Stepping eagerly
forward, with his eye shadowing the bleaced
pigmy, hc Numbered:
al can accommodate you, sir. Here is
the heart" striking his bosom with his
hand, ''of Sam Houston, at your service !;
and he who says it is towards or trail
tors lies in his teeth-lies, sir, like q lousy
dog that he is!'
The presence of the man was so great
that do not believe one of the eye wit
nesses could tell upon oath whatever be-
came OF the pigmy. When they recovered
their sense he was gone-that was all we
knew, and that was enough.
The mind naturally reverts to that other
and more sacred scene. As
soon, then, as he said, l arm he, they went
back ward and fell to the ground"
Three months later, at a noted watering
place (Sour Lake, near the central part OF
the State, wearied with the gaieties of the
ballroom, strayed into one of the spacious
parlors. The room was deserted, but upon
a sofa an emaciated invalid was sleeping.
The fan had fallen from his hand to the
floor, and the cool Gulf breeze, which is
felt hundreds of miles inland, lifted the
lace curtains and dallied with the silver
threads of the sick mans hair. Softly seat
ing myself beside him, ] raised the fan
pently-slowly. He opened his eyes. ''Ah,
lady, you are very kind, but l am not
asleep, only dreaming-wakIng dreams"
''Gen. Houston, do you feel any better,
this evenings" / inquired.
Easier, lady, thank you, but no better,
shall never be better; but the music calls
you do not waste your moments of happi-
ness in condoling with an old man like
me-" :
General, il you will permit me, 1 had
rather remain here. Pm sure you've often
experienced the electricity of hearts true
sympathy and deep feeling in moments of
sadness and pain, even though the face be
wreathed in sunny smiles.
Yes" he said, raising himself upon his
elbow, while spark of the old fire flashed
in his eyes; Eyes, but there Is another kind
of electricity that have experienced, lady {;
IL is that OF doubt and GOODNESS and change
Ia those who ought to be my friends, be-
cause deplore this fratrcidal war, the ruin
OF my country; because see with prophetic
eye the fearful consequences to my beloved
state; they call me u Unionist, and sneer at
my disloyalty. Base ingratitudel Has my
life then been spent IN vain! This is the
iron that enters Houston's soul that is the
wound that kills"
But, General, said l, this is only momen-
tary; history will be faithful to you. You
said but now that you were dreaming
waking dreams; tell me OF whom.
''0h, my friends, lady, who are gone; my
old companions in arms; there are nJne
left; no, not one"
lOu forget. Gen. Green is living, and
covering himself with glory, he answered !:
"Why my boy Of San Jacintol True,
he lives; but we have not spoken in sixteen
years; political differences, you understand /;
lttN vaf No lad
"when remember all
The friends 80 linked together
I've aoen around me fall
feel like one who treads alone
some banquet hall deserted,
"aSss ~ Tsas az are asS; whose sArAnds dead
Touched beyond expression with the
pathos Of the voice and scene, aud with the
recitation OF lines, though more than half o
century old, never before so perfectly ap,
piled, raised my eyes and found that fair
girls and brave men had drawn near and
were breathless auditors every eye glistened
with tears, and, one by one, we stole noise
lessly away. One week from that day Gen.
Sam Houston died at his home IN Hunts
vile, surrounded by his afflicted family.
The Royal Family of Rngland-HEow
They Appear IA the Park-Their Dresses
and Degs-A Rough cid Duke.
There Is general movement among the
loungers in the park, and an unosteAtatious
carriage with servants in req livery goes
slowly by. There are two ladies in il, and
there are two little curly-haired dogs on
the seat before them. The ladies ore attired
very nearly alike in black and white striped
silks, the one in pink, the other IN blue
bonnet. They are not so beautiful as rumor
would make us believe. They are oval
faced, high-bred looking women, the one
whom the English call ''ouI princess" be-
ing older looking, less blooming than her
sister Dagmar. The czarovna is like a
- Il