Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1881-01-06
TERRIBLE ADVENTURE,

TERRIBLE ADVENTURE.
In the spring of 1876. Mexico was in
a tumult. Lerdo, the Chief Justice
succeeding to the Presidency at the
death OF Juarez, and afterward elected
for a second term, announced himself a.
candidate for the third. His political
opponents, enraged Mt the thought OF O
third term, uprose III all directions and
declared for Diaz. In March of thi,
year only the rumblings of the rebellion
Were heard, but society was daily becom-
ing more and more disturbed. Armed
men were everywhere ahout, and many
bands of lawless ruGians were securing
the outskirts of the cities and towns
stealing from the farmers, and LEAVING
behind them desolation and despair
truly peculiarly dangerous and IN
fortunate time for q foreigner to set out
on a journey.
On lovely morning in early March,
a young American gentleman left the
town of MataDzas to travel to Jalapa.
The narrow road at first winds up the
side of the mountain, turning sharply
around sudden bends, where n single
mlsstep Of the horse or mule would hurl
the rider far down into the valley below
1t is rs if the great mountain had been
followed ont, and the jagged sides left
standing, with rude path trending
from the base to the summit. The
American was accompanied by six na-
tive horsemen mounted ON mustangs
similar to his own, and four footmen.
The whole party were armed. After
passing about half way up the mountain
side the traveller halted, and motioned
to his followers to do the same. For a
long time he sat motionless in his sad
die gazing out at the exquisite picture
before him. In the distance, far below,
lay the wonderful valley of Matanzas,
the "Garden of Mexico" The rich, ex-
cessive vegetation could plainly be dis
cerned, and a few light and graceful
clouds hung drifted against the tower
ing rocks. The beams of the lately
risen sun were pouring over the hill
tops and illuminating the vast plain be-
meath with fresh and rosy light. He
must have been indeed a prosaic and
unappreciative man who would pass
carelessly by such wonder-work of ma
ture.
His reverie was suddenly broken by a
shout from above. Looking up he saw
a single horseman picking his way care
fully toward him. lie was soon recog-
nized by the men as resident of Mat.
anzas. When he drew near he spoke
rapidly and excitedly to the escort i'll
their peculiar l)atois, geeticulatirg vio-
lenty all the while.
The effect was Immediate and startling.
The entire body Of naive horsemen, with
one exception, cad all the footmen,
turned sharply around and made their
way rapidly down the mountain side,
without a word Of explanation or fare
we'll to theit employer. The only one
gho remained was Filomeno, who had
been sent by his master, a friend of the
traveller, 10 accompany him to Jalapa,
and who understood English after fash-
ion. Fa sat motionless in his saddle,
gazing after his countrymen, now fast
disappearing around the curves of the
pathway.
What's the matter. Filomeno ?" asked
tbs American at length, rising in his
saddle as he spoke, and shading his eyes
with his hand, rs he looked after the de-
serters, "what did that fellow say that
has made all this fuss?"
{" He said, replied the Mexican slow.
ly, that revolution had already broken
out Mt Jalapa that the terrible soldiers
of the plains are before US, and that il
you proceed you viii be surrounded aud
killed"
"Stuff," said the American, 81 am
not afraid. Filomeno, let us go on. I
And, as he spoke, he frightened his hold
on his horses rein, and was about to
proceed, when he saw that Flomeno
had not stirred.
"Come, Filomeno," said he, {" time is
slipping by and we must be oil. Surely
you are not afraid to accompany me?"
"No matter" answered the Mexican,
''but / cannot 60 as | am. all these
robbers know Filomeno, and would give
a good price for my head. Ii | go with
Won must go disguised. Wait )" and,
turning around, he scrambled lightly
and quickly back from the road toward
a little hut near by, whence thin
wreath of smoke was curling iazlly up
through the clear morning air. tie was
gone scarcely fifteen minutes, ana wnen
he again drew near the American hardly
knew him. Filomeno Ind disappeared
under the guise Of charcoal burner.
"Now / am re.dy / have left my
horse where it will be taken care OF, he
said. and now on foot he fell into his old
place close behind the Americans mus
tang.
And so they journeyed on, up into the
clouds and then down again, over the
rich breasts of valleys which are only
r9rnl IN the tropics, and along the tracks
of old watercourses, and through brooks
and little rivers Of peculiar greenisn
hue. Around them was nature IN all
her wasteful luxuriance, but no sign OF
ANYTHING human to help or hlnder tnem J;
That night they encamped IN small
valley. and resumed their journey at
daybreak. At IL o'clock on the morn
ing Of this day they were drawing near
,Talapa. The sun was beating down out
81 n cloudless sky; the heat was intense;
and deep stiffness seemed 70 have SCI
tied over the great plain. Before them
was the Valley of Jalapa; on the right
The Volcano of Orizaba, its cone white
with snow and ice, its sides covered with
that luxuriance of foliage only known
where eternal summer reigns.
The American, too tired even TO no
tiee this. was nodding in his saddle, and
for long time had not spoken TO ms
companion. de was aroused by low
nv from FiloreDo. Turning toward
lin sad following The direction o. his