The weekly Union times. [volume] (Union C.H., South Carolina) 1871-1894, 1891-06-26
A GOOD NIGHTS WORK.

bright day on the Rio Puerco, very near
the New Mexican line. The tents had
been pitched and the animals sent out to
gIaze under 4 strong guard and I was
walking before my tent, impatiently
waiting a summons to dinner, which I
knew by the strong odor waited from an
adjacent coffee pot would not be much
longer delayed.
We were about ninety miles from the
nearest fort and hundreds from any set
tlemeut; There was no ranches whatso-
ever in this part, only some cattle and
sheep belonging to Mcxicans, which were
herdcd through the Territory. These
were in charge Of the McXicans, who lived
much the same kind of life rs did their
stock. Their blankets were their only
house, and when night cane on they
would lie down wherever it. might over
take them. For miles around the land
was rs level as the bed of a billiard
table. Mountains were seen i'll the dis
tance, which were inhabited by Indians.
But my little command and a few rattle
snake and tarantulas were the only iiv-
ing things near. -,
Dinner is ready, Lieutenant" was
the welcome -saaaaiitrions with which NV
cook greeted me, and was soon doing
~justice'to a field dinner of bean soup and
" slapjacks.'
l was in the midst of this 'savory re-
past when noticed a stranger approach
ing me. He was we'll l.built, powerful
looking man, about forty years of ago
his face was intellectual and extremely
handsome; he wore full beard and
moustache, both of which were iron gray.
He was coarsely clad, and carried no
weapon. The latter circumstance was
the most remarkable thing of all, for in
those days in Arizona one scarcely
moved without his arms.
Nearing me, he asked, in a pleasant,
quiet manner, if were the commanding
oflicer.'
replied that was
nstSb orla carbine for few days." he
a oYslon't mean to tell me that YOU
Yes; 1 have nothing Of The kind, " he
arsEsJsd. ;;4thave been annoyed for the
past three months by those internal Cali
forniEr Hons, And if had shooting iron
might kilBs6me Of Them
,<'Arre you camping near here1"
81 live Just round the bend of tn,
IGrlger ;rIhli you walk down with me?"
Greqtly astonished, I asked if he lived
lheES quite alone.
p t.oh, no." he replied, "my wife and
mother live with me-" ... :.
Little dreaming | was so near n res.
,ldencc, | accepted his invitation, and
hlllng my pipe and leaving the Sergeant
In charge of camp, started forth with
my new acquaintance. AS we made the
turn IN the river saw large shelving
''oo's TisinS' from tho Iorol prairie. n
was not more than. 100 yards from the
rivers bank, and was really quite impos
ing IN its dimensions. 1t struck me az
SO peculiar-so entirely out of place that
u expressed my surprise to my companion.
Yes, he answered. "I fancy it is
a meteorite. Il am under great 6bliga.
tion to it, whatever it is, and however il
came here, for it has protected me fol
months. That rock is my house"
BY this time we had reached the nat.
ural dwelling. At what might be termed
Its opening, the rock was ten feet O,
more from the ground, and it sheltered
space about, twenty feet in breadth,
gradually. slophg backward and down.
ward AS stepped under the protect.
ing, roof l saw two women sitting al
work
My host presented me to his mothe,
ana wife respectively, and f~saw at q
glance that they were Mexicans: not of
the GLASS; however, known as grease,s,
but representatives Of much HIGHER
grade. Like most Mexicans, tfey were
nisincDned to converse in any lanSuaoe.
but their own, but wher they. learned
that my knoaiedge OF their tong ne. was
100 slight to enable me to understand
them they overC...J their ref,iciaaiticee
and we chatted quite pleasantly. '
learned that they had been living
there for three months. They came
with the intention Of farming, and late,
proposed erecting suitable dwelling.
The Indians had not molested them.
Dut they were worried by the lions,
which came by twos and threes nipbtrv'
to the opening of their habitation. and
there howled till daylight, when thew
returned to the mountain.
They told me it was necessary for one
OF them to be mp all. night to keen the
ire burning, which was their only pro-
lection from these monsters. ~
Consequently they had taken turns sit.
'ing up nights for the last three Inonths. |
Having listened! ts graplnc ,tiescrip-
tion OF their far-from- pleasant neighbors,
tcld them frankly that if / had a pis.
toll or earbine- of my own would will
Ingly lend or give them one, but aa incl
weapons in the command, even those on
my person, belonged to the Government,
and that the orders respecting them were
80 stringent that was utterly unable to
accommodate them.
"l had apistoI when came here" said
my host, "but l lost it crossing the
river. Since then you are the first per-
son that has been this wavn