The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1891-07-29
TALES OF TRAVELLERS.
THEY WERE HEARD IN A SMOKING
ROOM ON A LIMITED TRAIN.
Strange Story Told by an Americanized
German Doing Business in nIexico-A
Story Suggested by an Orange--Sunset
on the Mediterranean.
ISDeciaI Corresnondence1

| room Of parlor car on one Of the limited
| trains running between New York and
| Washington, few days ago, I fell in with
number of travellers who had an enter
| tanning lot of stories OF personal expert
ences and observations TO tell There il
something about the cigar, the smoking
room and a railway journey which brings
out all the communicativenesS and remi-
niScence of the average American citizen.
and the traveller who does not know how
TO partake of this solace of the long hours
of railroad trip should by all means learn
at the first opportunity. You have this
great advantage, that it is form of enjoy
ment which y0u may have as little or as
much OF as you like. When the stories be-
come tiresOne, as even the best Of stories
will to the man who has q mind of his own,
and who therefore likes to get of by Linn
self once In a while to enjoy the greater
pleasure OF thinking, all you have to do is
TO get up and go away. Another advantage
Is that the smoking room symposium is an
open game, free for the entrance of whose
ever will, and have known men Of chronic
diffidence and even timidity in the pres
ence of strangers TO overcome their reti-
cence and become good takers, to the de-
light of their fellows and their own much
greater pleasure, simply by joining in one
Of the reminiscential discussions over the
railway cigar.
Among all the tales of travellers which l
have heard IN good many years none in
terested me more than one told on this oc-
caslon by Mr.. Wilmington. al Ameri-
canlzed German, who, like many of the
educated men of his race, speaks the Eng
hsh language with extraordinary force and
clearness. His story he told in a simple
yet graphic way, and noticed that during
Its relation the fire in a good many cigars
were permitted to 90 out-the surest test
OF attentive interest IL u smoking compart-
ment audience.
Down in the state of Zacatecas, Mexico,
where l am engaged in mining" began
Mr.. Wilmington, Il have lately come
upon a remarkable story of the past
strangely linked with the present Il ap-
pears that some years ago, probably 100
Tor you must remember that Mexico is an
old country compared with the United
States-the owners Of a silver mine not far
from the location of our property were at
loss to know how to transport their prod
uct of bullion to the City of Mexico and
keep it from falling into the hands Of the
dreaded Apaches, who were then on one of
their periodical and terrible raids. 1t was
pretty certain that if the bullion was kept
on hand at the mine the Apaches, who
were smart enough to know where the rich
plumber was to be found, would come along
and find it, forcing its guardians to give it
up under penalty of death, and most likely
butchering them afterward. So they con-
cluded their best chance lay in starting the
precious hoard of metal off to market as
soon as possible, trusting to luck to keep
out of the clutches of the raiders.
I'm casting about for some means Of pro-
tecting themselves and their eight hundred
thousand dollars worth of bullion in case
the Apaches should come upon them, they
hit upon a novel expedient They organ
lied an advance corps ofthirty priests, who
preceded the train of mules laden with the
silver. The priests went marching along.
through the valleys and over the hills, and
at every place where an ambush was pos
sible they chanted litanies and swung their
censers. The owners of the silver believed,
and every one believed that the Apaches,
who were then greatly under the influence
Of the church, would not dare attack a
WAN mus IilOLNL- II - Bllt VI AilG lIdIl-
tons Of Zacatecas that no more picturesque
and impressive cavalcade than this was
ever seen in Mexico, and one can easily be- /
ieveit. Notwithstanding this precaution
and the heavy armed guard which accom-
panied the train the entire expedition was
n single night swept from the face Of the |
Earth. One day it entered lonely and /
wild part Of the country, not many miles |
rom its starting point, aud was never |
heard of afterward. II disappeared as if il |
lad been swallowed up IN an earthquake, |
men, mules, bullion, priests, censers aud /
Ill. What had become Of the treasure |
rain was for years one Of the mysteries Of /
Mexico, but 10 explanation was ever Of I
cred, and in time the tragedy was all but /
orgOtten, existing rs q mere tradition in /
he minds of the natives.
Twenty or thirty years ago." continued |
dr. Wilmington, IAN old Mexican. whose /
louse was bat a short distance from our /
nine, was in the habit of making periodi-
al trips 10 the mountains in search of sill
'er, and each time he returned, after a re-
short absence. with a goodly sup |
,ly Of the precious metal. lie was watched /
y his nelghDors and by miners and pros
,ectors, but always managed 10 elude pur-
nit and TO hide himself iu the mountain
asses for a few days. always returning,
owever, with a bag Of silver on bis shout /
ers. Being pressed for an explanation q
is conduct, he said he had discovered .
lCh silver deposit, but that he did not in
end 70 tell any one where IL wac for fear
hey would take II all away. When told
hat he was foolish FOR not taking out
nOUgH silver TO make him rich Z be had
Juud such a valuable mine, he replied
hat if he were 70 become rich robbers
7ould murder him for AS money, and II he
scaped the robbers his family would quar-
81 over his estate aad make his iife mlser-
bic while it lasted. AL ne wanted be
aid, was a comfortable livelihood, and at
is death he would take his secret with !
i'm. that 10 one might enjoy tha. which
c had been unable 20 enjoy. Al Efforts
, induce tae old man 70 share his secret
ttA others proved futile. and az last. '
hen be came 70 rs Ceathbei, his soas en-
-eated him with a.. tie persuasivenesst they /
5u!d command, and then tsled torturnE (
lm, but al 70 10 plrpOse; tie old man :
ept his word and carried his secret 70 tie
rave.
When this story was tod me few I
lars aRO, determined 20 make al effort q
and the U-De, CT whatever - vas, from I
blca re Old nan had been drawing BIS ,
CEes. 30 / hired a nam Der Il men, and :
strCcied them - look for tbs opening % Z
me abandoned u.Le. reasoning that the ?
easurs q TIE priest p!.otst train may :
.ye beea sscrets1 b. tie Apzcbes or ban I
- IN some Old shat, where y lad re- z
aimed for a century and a hall After {
eeks O. patleEt search ny men found 2
ch Il Old mine. AID re orza1Lzsd Z