Sharp County record., 1888-10-25

hours the consequences would be mOs'
serious to himself. And the American,
acquainted with the rules and usages
of war, knew what this meant
With no clew to the supposed thiei
beyond the servants description of a
certain looking character
seen around the stables, Foster renewed
the hunt, and, before the time had eX-
pired, he had the satisfaction OF pre-
senting to Palacios the thief and the
papers!
Then he was privately informed that
he had been seen in close company with
some of Cortina's officers, while Colonel
Palacios told him that he had dupli-
Gated the stolen dispatches, which, with
serious charges against our courier, he
had sent, by extraordinary express, "
to their destination.
Bv these occurrences Colonel Fos
ter found himself delayed some thirty
six hours, and while he still remained
in Matamoras, the special courier was
well on his way to San Luis Potosi
He knew that life and reputation were
at stake, and, with the nerve of a true
| American, he resolved to Outride the
Mexican dispatch bearer or kill every
hors" 81 the road"
Colonel Palacios and his officers
thought | would not attempt to dis
tance the courier" laughed Colonel
Foster at this stage of his narrative;
"but they did not know that | used to
ride pony express on our plains, nor
that an American sets very high value
on his life"
1t was ten o'clock on a Friday morn
ing, when the resolute Foster, we'll
mounted and equipped, galloped out
of Matamoras. One can almost follow
him by the map, for he kept to the
main roads as much a possible, though
some detOurs had to be made.
BY sunlight and stars Colonel Fos-
ter rode like the wind. Being regu-
lar dispatch bearer, he had authority
to impress fresh horses when needed,
and he was often called upon to do so.
Dashing through Victoria and lula,
he turned aside to find General ROcha,
but that officer had gone to the capt.
tai.
By the afternoon of the second day
the American trooper had covered five
hundred and twenty-five miles. Horses
had fallen dead under him at various
points, and slow relays had cost him
many precious minutes. But it was
"on! still on!'
After reporting briefly to the officer
in command of General Rocha'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 al few moments in San Luis
Potosi, and then was off like cannon
shot for Queretaro. At one of the re-
lays he learned that General Escobedo
was advancing under. orders, and, as
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 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 a 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 an ocean flying before the wind,
And the steed like bark fed with fumaceire,
Swept on with his wild eye full of fire.
Colonel Foster found Queretaro and
Tepejo Del Rio in rapid succession, aud
at midnight of the fourth day he gal
loped into Cuantitlan, rousing the
drowsy people with the hoof beats of
his painting steed.
Il want a horse-a good fresh ami
mal!n cried the American to the mas
ter of posts, to whom he presented
himself.
The official shook his head. Not
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
tanned at any price.
Thus circumstanced twentyfour
miles from the city of Mexico, Colonel
Foster was obliged to take the dill
gence, which left at five 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
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