Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1877-02-26
Mustang Grey.

IreVlous 10 the breaking out OF tn
Mexican war in l845, | was making
tour of observation through the western
portion of Texas, looking for an eligibl,
location on which to commence nv ca
reer as a stock raiser. The summer sea
son had passed away, and October with
It's hazy beauties fingered upon the prai
ries, the low trees and tender MESQUITE
foliage, with a softness and grace that
gave charm to all that the eye chanced
to rest upon.
One afternoon, when the sun was low
erIng itself in the west, leaving in the
valleys shadows that the art of thepain-
ter could hardly equal for softness and
variety OF shades, passed through his
toric Goliad, a small village on the lin
pid San Antonio, and spurred my horse
ON toward the old Spanish mission,
which reared itself as some antique
structure, a link between the living
present and the dead past AS | rode
up the hill leading from the river. at
that time of the year fordable, the mis-
sion attracted my full attention. 1t
was almost square, built of rough stone,
and commanded view of the whole
country. The walls were thick, win
dows few, narrow and barred with rods
OF iron; and from the sides and ends. in
tiers, were portfolios, from which, in
former days, the muzzles of guns peered
forth at hostile men.
1t was at this spot-around this mis-
siop-where Fannin and his gallant
soldiers were slaughtered by the treach-
erOus Mexicans. The river, the waters
of which look milky in their purity, that
day were tinged with eddying pools,
leaving the incarnation which distin-
guishes the corolla from the rose. Dis
mounting from my horse, my mind took
in at glance all that occurred on the
day of the massacre, and multitude of
emotions thronged my breast. What
taken place simoe that eventful period.
1-.0Cead of armed men, bearing Law,
sword and earh;- Pi"yeu
aIvunu Une low, broad door, and up frs.i
the river was vending its way in the
shadows of the hill and strangling sun
light, train of empty Mexican OK carts
fifty or more-two wheeled vehicles,
and the small animals yoked with
wooden bars from one to the other. on
the fore part of their sturdy heads. The
drivers, vaqueros, were costumed In
leather breeches and jackets, and wore
upon there heads the inevitable SOM
brero. AS the Mexicans goaded their an
imalS with long poles, in which rested
long, sharp pieces of iron, up the ac-
clivity, and on across the praries, my
eyes commenced to take in objects that
surrounded me.
The mission had been transformed
into caravansary, and around its door
played innumerable Mexican children,
and dogs of the half wolf species squat
ted in lazy attitudes in patches of SUM-
shine that lay around. Groups of Mex
ican men and women lounged about,
talking in their low musical Spanish
patois, smoking cigarettes and blowing
the light clouds of vapor above their
heads in fantastic shapes and spiral
columns.
A short distance to the right of this
group, on a square stone that projected
from the mission, forming the center OF
cross, stood young girl looking alb
Stractedly toward Goliad, the white
stone houses of which peeped through
the trees, and the quaint towers reflected
the soft light as it came from the west
She was apparently thirteen years o.
age, dressed in black, and about hel
shoulders was the usual Mexican mantle
which dropped down, and lay in careless
rolls, resembling drapery around
statue. A foot small and delicate
arched exquisitely, and covered with tn
Mexican gaiter, protruded from tn
folds Of her dress, as it was distributes
by the winds of the evening that crep
in gusts up the valley. Her hair fell owe
) her shoulders in auburn ringlets, an
as the wind softly lifted them. the warn
ing sunlight shone through their golde
folds with an ineffable halo.
; Who could she be? | had not see
e her face. Walking slowly to whel
: she stood, l looked for her to turn an
r confront; but she did not. The prof.
cortour of the face wore perfect shap
but there was seemingly cold beaut
= about it.
i "Senorita, " ! ventured to say, i" tn
a is charming evening.
She turned her full face upon me.
,r was almost startled at the expression
II the eyes looking from a face that W
= beautiful to perfection. They we
le gray, but unfeelingly cold.
~ "Yes, )" she answered, and her vol
at rang with metallic sound.
e "Do you not reside in this stran
place?" l again ventured.
- "Yes.
es No more that was all the answer
tn ceived. Now, | am not inquisitive,