The Lamoille news. (Hyde Park, Vt.) 1877-1881, 1878-01-09

battle of San Jacinto, when / went to the
house of my former chum to see his
daughter marry. Soon came the rustic
supper, the music of two fiddles, dane
ing, and plenty Of drinking-too much,
by far, but it was the custom of the
country. At last the bridegroom s father,
standing beside the father of the bride,
glanced up at the rifle hanging over the
chimney-piece.
"SOme of the relics of your fighting
times, 1 reckon, said he. IaU
"Yes," said Rathbone, Eyes, took
that from a Mexican rascal at San
Jacinto." /" sea -
"Wel, well, said the other, regard
ing the weapon with curiosity. "Sort of
singular looking, amt it? never saw
a Mexican rifle before. Can't see much
Of Il now-it's so high up"
He had been drinking a good deal
and was in high spirits. The same might
have been said of the old soldier.
"I'll have it down" said he, A" and let
you see it,"
He mounted on chair and took the
weapon in his hands, the thongs by
which it was slung remaining on their
nails. .....
Here you are, friend" said he
"And now you've got in your hand a
rifle that may have been the death of
many brave fellow at the Alamo. It's
seventeen years since it was in any
body's hands, and its last shot, mayhap,
was fired as kind of salute to my girl,
your boys bride, who came into the
world on that day, her mother not know
ing whether she was widow or not.
Eh, mother?"
"Ah that'sa day to remember" said
the wife.
Pa has got his gun down" cried the
bride. "Sam, never saw the gun
down before"
AS he spoke the other man gave the
rifle back into Rathbone's hands, and he
stood holding it.
"You don't dare to shoot me-" cried
the bride. "Ah pa, you're not as
brave as you used to be. You don't
dare aim at me.
eyes, shoot us, " laughed half dozen
wild Texan girls. "Shoot us-shoot us
shoot usl"
"Then I will, my pretty robins. u
cried the father Zone, two, three
fly away or I fire !"
He aimed the weapon that had hung
useless on the wall for seventeen years
the gun the Mexican had curse1-at his
daughter. IT was just as safe thing tc
do, in ones opinion, as if it had been a
broomstick.
"Who's afraid?" cried the girl.
"Now then, one, two, three, said the
soldier. Baugr'
AS he uttered the childish imitation oI
the sound of firearms, it was drowned il
a real explosion. The gun went off, and
the bride dropped to the floor with {
scream. A bullet had entered her tenn.
pie. She was dead when they lifted hel
in their arms. 1t was plain that, seven
teen years before, the Mexican who haG
owned it had not fired after reloading
His dying words had been fulfilled.
His gun had proved curse to its captor
But how2
/ am not willing to admit supernatural
agency. I maintain the gun exploded
in accordance with the laws of loading
and of friction. If men would only try
to trace mysterious events to theil
source, superstition would soon cease
For one, believe nothing ever occurred
which could not be explained. That
this is not the common opinion, the
narrator is well aware.
But amid all his agony and remorse
my old chum persisted in one statement
He had not pulled the trigger. Those
who had watched him closely, veterans
expert in the use of firearms, declared
that he had not--that the rifle seemed tt
fire itself off. All that the father coult
say was "The gun is cursed Tht
Mexican cursed the gum"
To comfort him, we all agreed it wal
so. Indeed, I am not sure but they al
thought it. Inwardly, 1 resolved to fer
ret out the mystery. r
The horrible accident nearly broke hi
heart. He had been a fine-looking
upright, middle-aged man when hi
daughters wedding day dawned whel
he arose from the bed on which Ions
and terrible illness laid him, he was ben
like a patriarch of ninety. and his hair
from being brown and rich, was thin ant
white as snow.
AS for the gun the Mexican had cursed
the soldier had never seen it since tha
day,
Strong in her tenderness for the father
even in her grief for her child, th,
mother had overcome her horror of th,
dreadful thing, and had carried it to th,
great garret. There she hid it in lum
ber closet, so that it might not troubl,
her unhappy husband should his eye
ever look upon the things of this worlt
again. He had never asked about it h,
believed it had been destroyed, He dit
not know that the powder-horn and shot
bag hung beside it.
Again / was making my annual visi
at the old homestead 1t was warn
day, and my former chum had beel
afield since dawn. At noon his job wa
done, and the boys who had toiled witt
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