St. Tammany farmer. [volume] (Covington, La.) 1874-current, 1888-12-08

serious to himself. And tho American,
acquainted with tho rules and usages
OF war. knew what this meant.
With no clew to the supposed thiea
beyond the servants description Of Z
certain suspicioas-loolxing character
seen around the stables. Foster renewed
the hunt, and. before the time had ex-
pircd. he had the satisfaction Of pro
scnting to Palacios the thief and The
papers!
Ther he was privately informed that
he had been seer In close company with
some Of Cersina's officers. while Colonel
Palacins told him that he had dupli-
Gated the stolen dispatches. which. with
serious charges against our courier. he
had sent, by extraordinary expresA !"
to their destination.
BY these occurrences Colonel Fos-
ter found himself delayed some thirty
six hours and while he still remained
in Matnmoras. the special courier was
well on his *aS .5 San Luis Potosf
He knew that life and reputation were
al stake. and, with the nerve M Z true
American. he resolved u outride the
Mexican dispatch bearer Or "kill every
horse ~ the road"
NOlonel Palacios and his officers
thought l would not attempt to dis
tance the courier" laughed Colonel
Foster at this stage Of. his narrative;
''but they did not know that used b
ride pony express on our plains. nor
that an American sets very high value
on his life"
ltwas ten O'Clock on Friday morn
ing, when the resolute Fcetef. we'll
mounted and equipeA galloped out
OF Matamoras. Ono can almost follow
him by tine rlap. for he kept to the
main soads as much a possible. though
Come dctours had to be made.
BY sunlight and stars Colonel Fos-
ter rode like the wind. Being a regu.
lar dispatch bearer. he had authority
to impress fresh horses when needed,
and he was often called upon 10 do 50.
Dashing through Victoria and Tula.
he turned aside to find General Rocha,
but that officer had gone to the capi-
tai.
BY the afternoon of the second day
the American trooper had covered five
hundred and twenty miles. Horses
had fallen dead under him Mt various
points, and slow relays had cost him
many precious minutes. But it was
ION! still onr'
After reporting briefly to the officer
in command Of General Hocha's forces.
he dashed for San Luis Potosi. He
had heard nothing OF the courier ex-
traordinaire" who carried his life in
his hands. yet he could not claim the
victory.
He rested a few moments in San Luis
Potosi. and then was of like a cannon
shot for Queretaro. At one of the re-
lays he learned that General EscObedo
was advancing under orders, and. rs
he had dispatches for that officer. he
was obliged to find him by = detour
which took up much time. At last he
rode up to an ambulance in a cloud OF
dust and presented his dispatches to a
decorated officer inside. This officer
proved to be the hunted General. and
while he wrote some dispatches for the
war Office. Foster and his horse had
time to blow.
Away he went again. making up for
lost time over the well-traversed ma
tional highway. The swarthy inhab-
itants of the adobe huts along the way
saw him fit past like flying lance;
but they did not dream, poor ignorant
souls. that the man in the saddle was
riding for life and reputation.
The landscape sped away behind
Like IN occan flying before the wind.
AndtAe steed. like bark fed with fumaceiro,
Swept On with hts Wild eye full q ilre.
Colonel Foster found Queretaro and
Tepejo Del Rio in rapid succession. and
at midnight of the fourth day he gal
loped into Cuantitlan, rousing the
drowsy people with the ho0f beats oi
his painting steed.
II want a hOrse-a good fresh ami
mal!' cried the American to the mas
ter of posts, to whom he presented
himself.
The official shook his head. Not q
horse to be had.
The passage through the town Of
fifty express riders during the day had
completely exhausted the relay sta
ton. and not an animal could be OBJ
tained at any price.
Thus circumstanced twenty-fouI
miles from the city Of Mexico. Colonel
Foster was obliged to take the dill
eencc, which left at Eve o'clock the
next morning; and, late in the after
noon. he presented himself and his
dispatches at the War Department
When his ride became known, he
found himself the lion Of the hour. In
four days and eight hours he had rid.
den fifteen hundred miles in the sad.
die. over all conditions Of country. and
had thereby saved his reputation. il
not his life.
Such had been his speed that he was
five DAYS ahead of the extraordinary
express" and when the poor courier
reported. he was put under arrest and
dismissed from the service ''for not
knowing how to ride"
"Were you tired. Colonel?" ! asked
the hero of this remarkable ride when
he finished his story.
..Not very tired. reckon that the
horses did not kill outright were
more tired than was" he answered
There have been many famous rides
let me saw in conclusion, but, with ths