News and citizen. [volume] (Morrisville, Vt. ;) 1881-current, 1883-12-27
ROMANCE OF LOS ANGELES


JOAQUIN MILLER.
ROMANCE OF LOS ANGELES
''Of all Don Antonio's graphic narra-
tives of the olden times, none is more in
teresting than those which describe his
adventures during the days of this con-
test. On one of the first approaches
made by the Americans to Los Angeles,
he went out with his little haphazard
company of men and boys to meet
them. He had but one cannon, a small
one, tied by ropes on a cart axle. He
had but one small keg of powder which
was good for anything; all the rest was
bad; would merely go off 'pouf, pouf,
the sonora said, and the ball would pop
down near the mouth of the cannon.
With this bad powder he fired his first
shots. The Americans laughed; this is
ehiId's play, they said, and pushed on
closer. Then came a good shot, with the
good powder, tearing into their ranks
and knocking them right and left an
other, and another. Then the Ameri
cans began to think, these are no Pouf
balls; and when a few more were killed,
they ran away and left their flag behind
them. And if they had only known it,
the Californians had only one more
charge left of the good powder, and the
next minute it would have been the Cali
fornians that would have had to run
away themselves merrily laughed the
lsSCaEg, as she told the tale.
'This captured flag, with important
papers, were intrusted TO Don Antonio
to carry to the Mexican head
quarters at Sonora. He set off with an
escort of soldiers, his horse decked with
silver trappings, his sword, pistOls-all
of the finest; a proud beginning of q
journey destined to end in a different |
fashion. 1t was in winter time; cold /
rains were falling; by night he was /
drenched to the skin, and stopped at a
friendly Indians tent to change his
clothes. Hardly had he got them off
len the so,ud Of horses hoofs was
heard. The Indian flung himself down, |
'Americanosl Americanos! ! Almost IN
the same second they were at the tents
door. As they halted, Don Antonio,
clad only in his drawers and stockings,
crayIed out at the back of the tent, and
creeping on all fours reached tree, up
which he climbed, and sat safe hidden
in the darkness among its branches lis
tening, while his pursuers cross-ques-
toned the Indian, and at last rode away
with his horse. Luckily, he had carried
into the tent the precious papers and the
captured flag these he intrusted to an
Indian to take to Sonora, it being evi-
IDENTIFY of no use for him to try to cross
the country thus closely pursued by his
enemies.
"All night he lay hidden; the next
day he walked twelve miles across the
mountains to an Indian village where he
hoped to get horse. 1t YVES dark when
he reached it. Cautiously he opened
the door of the hut of one whom ne
knew well. The Indian was preparing
poisoned arrows; fixing one on the
string and aiming at the door, he called
<srt, angrily, who is there 2
Tt is I, Antonio
"'Don't make a sound, whispered
the Indian, throwing down his arrow,
springing to the door, coming out and
closing it softly. He then proceeded to
tell him that the Americans had offered
a reward for his head, and that some of
the Indians in the rancheria were ready
to betray or kill him. While they were
yet talking, again came the sound Of
the Americans horses hoofs galloping
in the distance. This time there
seemed no escape. Suddenly Don Antc-
MO, throwing himself on his stomach,
wriggled into cactus patch near by.
Only one who has seen California cactus
thickets can realize the desperateness
of this act. But it succeeded. The
Indian threw over the old cactus plants
an old blanket and some refuse stalks
and reeds; and there once more, within
hearing of all his baffied pursuers said,
the hunted man lay, safe, thanks to
. Indian friendship. The crafty Indian
assented to all the Americans proposed,
nd that Don Antonio would be sure to
e caught in a few days, advised them
to search in a certain rancheria which
he described, a few miles off, and in an
opposite direction from the way in
which he intended to guide Don Anto-
MO. As soon as the Americans had
gone, he bound up AntOnios feet In
strips of raw hide, gave him a blanket
and an old tattered hat, the lest his
stores afforded, and then led MN by a
long and difficult trai! to aspot high up
in the mountains where tie Old women
of the band were CatheIng acorns. By
the time they reached TINS place, blood
was trickling from Antomo.s feet and
legs, and he was w.ll-nigh fainting with
fatipue and excsement. Tears rolled
down the old wmen'8 checks when they
saw him. Soae of them had been ser
wants in his iather's house and loved
him. One brought Cruel; another
batbed his eet; others ran in search of
healing leges of different sorts. BFuis.
ing these ! a stone mortar, they rubbed
him fro, head to foot with the wet
fiber. II his pain and WEAKNESS van
ished aby magic His wounds healed,
and in day he was ready to set off fo1
home There was but one pony in the
old 0men's camp. This was old
vicies, blind of one eye, and with one
ear opped short; but it looked to Don
Annio far more beautiful than the gay
stf on which he had ridden away
FRI Los Angeles three days before
IRE was one pair of ragged shoes o.