The Highland weekly news. [volume] (Hillsborough [Hillsboro], Highland County, Ohio) 1853-1886, 1885-11-25

him for his hardihood, his courage, his
innate independence, and not least because
Of his willingness to forego the glitter and |
emolumeuts Of political life for the free
air Of the forest and plain and the frugal |
fare of the huntsmau and pioneer or him |
well-kuown writer records:
He was a product Of Nature in her |
most bouuteous cline, of active life and |
free institutions whose real exploits were |
romance more thrilling than novelist over
portrayed. In childhood the axe and rifle |
were his playthings, in early manhood he
fought for his country against the British,
and in peace his personal qualities earned
promotion from his neighbors. Hospitality
kept cheerful watch at his door, welcome
sat smiling at his table, aud social humor
cleaned in his eye In his death was born
zoal for Texan freedom which did more
than a thousand lives, and in his memory
the State has a legacy that will glorify her
annals and animate her sons to the last
hour of her existence ="
On both times 1 have visited the Alamo
its sombre walls were gaily decorated. 1t
was on the day preceding Thanksgiving
two years ago paid its hallowed precincts
my first visit No pious Moslem on a pill
grimage to the sacred city ever entered the
sacred mosque with more revereut footsteps
than were mine as 1 entered the portals Of
this celebrated old edifce and stood face to
face with the spot
WHERE DAyY CROCKETT FELL,
Which is pointed out just on the left of the
front entrance, and just to the left Of this is
a little room in which Col Bowie is said to
have been butchored on his cot Fair
hands were weaving festoons from place to
place, and garlunds Of flowers illuminated
the cold and Jagged stony walls, bright
contrast to the scene the memory Of which
must always be coupled with the mention
of the Alamo. During my recent visit a
| German Volksfest was in progress in the
city, and the old edifce was gay with bunt-
ing. The glorious stars and stripes and
the Mexican Veterans banner hung over
the doorway, and the Texan tri-color with
| it's single star hoated from the iack-staG.
THE ALAMO,
As it is now seen is a plain church-like
building, with rough walls Of solid masonry
four feet thick, and two stories (twenty-two
and a half feet high. 1t was built for a
Catholic Mission, and was first named
"Alamo," which is the Spanish for cotton
wood, by Spanish soldiers quartered there
during Spanish rule. The main chapel
the present Alamo proper-is rs feet in
length and little over 60 feet in width
fronting westward. At the time Of the con-
hict wall ran 1856 feet north and thence
lO2 feet west, forming O yard, and a
stockade extended from the southeast cor
ner of the chapel to prison building IS
feet away. The outer walls, originally de-
signed for protection against the Indians,
were two and quarter feet wide and eight
feet high On the site of that yard large
warehouse has since been erected. Fol-
eleven years after the siege the wrecked
walls remained as after the final conflict
They were then restored to their original
appearance, the breaches rebuilt and the
second story being then placed within the
building, which is often designated as the
t "THERMoPoLAE OF AMERICA"
B fingered long within its walls, and re
! treating glanced again and again toward i
before 1 passed out of its sight. I may
l never see it again in reality, but will al
r ways picture it in my memory and in m!
! imagination can always see it's brave de
s Tenders while shall ever remember tn
4 heroism which hallowed it.
. Beside the Alamo, there are a number O
+ other old church buildings in the vicinity
e Among them
.' THE MISSION CONCEPTION,
First called Nuestra Sonora de la CouceF
+ tion la Purissima de Acuna. Just imagin
d such a name for modern church. Imag
IS inc meeting a meek faced urchin on a quit
d Sabbath morning with catechism undt
a his arm and you should ask him where b
T. went to Sunday School. How it woul
Il sound to hear him say "I am going to IL
h Mission Euestra Sonora de la Conception
Is Purissima de Acuua, Mr.. Smith :" But
digress. ("Chestnuts !'D
n The Mission Nuestra Sonora de Ia Coz
q ception, etc., is situated about two mil,
II below the city on the San Antonio rive
III It's style of architecture has been demon
a mated ChrisHanizod Moorish This missic
IT was founded by Spanish monks in Ill
and the present edifce was begun aboI
% 1880, or over 15O years ago. 9th
ID churches in tho vicinity are the Mission
San Jose de Aguayo and San Juan Capi
B. trano, which were respectively establishG
n in 1920 and l716. Both are but ruins con
ie pared to their former grandeur but tn
81 only increases their interest. The Missic
n San Francisco de la Espada is another rui
y said to be we'll worthy a visit, but 5eir
re nine miles from the city did not have Il
De pleasure Of seeing il. The Cathedral So
io Fernando, in the heart Of the city, I ha,
previously mentioned It was built
le 1882, and remodeled in 1865 destroyir
le much of its older portions, but lbs sanotua
Mt in the rear can be seen from Militia
ar Plaza, just as built over a century and