The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1891-02-22
A TEXAS TRAGEDY.
AND MATTERS THAT ARE NOT AT
ALL TRAGIC.


to Return Alive-The Wife's Heroic
Conduct-A Young Lady Changes
Her Mind.
SAN ANTONIO, TEX, Feb. 2l.-Texas is
not content to be positive nor compar alive
in anything. She is always superlative-
superlatively big and generous, sometimes
superlati vely hot in the summer, superla-
lively cold when a norther sweeps down on
her, and in the early spring superlatively
lovely-beyond the dreams of one who has
not seen her in spring attire. feel at such
times TO parody the saying attributed to a
certain distinguished person, aud say that
If | owned heaven and Texas would rent
out heaven and live in Texas.
THE WAGON FREIGHT TRAINS.
A big freighting outfit is a curious sight
to eastern eyes. 1t may consist of one, tw o
or a half-dozen wagons with the proper
complement of ponies or mules; but, how
ever many there are, they do not proceed
in the order you would expect each wagon
with its motive power attached; but the
tongue of the second wagon is passed under
the first and securely fastened, aud the
third one to it, and so on to the end
of the train. Then two or four
6IS uAbCu6u 10 lns IOI6QlOSb wagon i,
and the balance are led, or trot along at
the side to be ready for any emer-
gency. This is made possible from the
fact that there are no steep grades in West,
Texas wagon roads, and advisable, since
there are occasionally bad places and mud
holes, where the combined efforts Of all the
horses and teamsters are required to get the
outfit over; but it can never look other wise
than rather absurd to tenderfoot.
II
down into the country where found rail-
roads again, and l was never so used to
them that the sight did not amuse me.
THE MURDERED RANCHMAN.
My last stop in the Devils River country
was made at a rancho that had no master.
1t had a mistress though, a gentle, sad
faced little woman, with two rosy boys s
and 10 years old. Mrs. Allen had her
young brother, boy of 10, as manager and
Major Domo, and small and frail as she
looked, attended to most of the practical
details OF the management of her rancho
herself
She is widow More than year ago
her husband concluded that q portion of
his sheep should be drifted, as pasture was
growing poor on the rancho. He went
himself with bunch of sheep and the
Mexican herder to determine which direc-
ton they should take The pair had two
" eeks' provisions with them, and though he
had intended to return almost Immediately
after picking out good place for camp,
nothing was thought of his absence
till the expiration of that
time, then, as neither he nor the
herder returned for rations, Mrs. Allen
grew very anxious. She sent her brother
after to find out what the trouble was, and
was only prevented from going herself by
the fact that she could not leave the chill
dren. 1t was merciful thing that she
could not, for when the young man at last
reached the camp he found the ranchman
lying shot dead beside the little circle of
white ash that showed where the camp fire
bad been and the herder gone.
He had evidently lain so for many days.
The sleet of bitter norther was frozen in
his garments and his hair. 1t was plain the
Mexican had been gone for some time, and
as they were within two days ride of the
Mexican frontier, pursuit was useless. The
tragedy of that lonely camp will never be
known whether the deed was done in anger
or for fancied gain, or in freak of insanity,
there was nothing left to tell, only the still
white face of the dead man, the embers
showing that one camp fire at least had
been lit. and the scattered appurtenances
and utensils Of the camp telling of hasty de-
parture and flight. So
The real tragedy, to my thinking. comes
in the wife's part: Her heroic effort to
shoulder the burden that was none TOO light
for her husbands strong shoulders. And
how many times OF night, when a cruel
norther is abroad, must vision come before
her wakeful eyes of that well beloved face
lying upturned to the fury Of such a storm,
all alone in the desolatiop of the black
prairie. did not wonder. ezeer had heard
her story, that her small face was sad. and
careworn. aud felt doubly glad that her
boys were brave, manly little fellows, low
ingly devoted to their mother.
BRIDAL PAIRS EMBARRASSMENT.
/ came on very amusing story coming
down here from the Devil river country.
1t was after had gotten so far into civili-
cation as to be travelling by rail. In the
car was couple whom blind man could
not have taken for anything but a newly
welded pair.
seen much worse-but they were in suffi-
Gent state of blissful preoccupation to af-
ford considerable quiet amusement to the
rest OF the travellers.
A bright-faced, talkative lady, who occu-
pied the seat with me, appeared to be ac-
1uainted with them, and asked her if they
were not on their wedding trip.
Just returning from it," she answered,
land it opened in a most romantic man
ner."
l was just going to ask her If most we'd
ding trips didn't begin Economically. when
the train slowed up at station and the
door was thrown open by big, dark-eyed
young fellow, who glanced around the car
as he entered, then paused and glared black
ly right over my head and directly at the
honeymooners He stood moment staring
at what the rest of us bad considered very
pretty picture, since "both were young and
one was beautiful" as if he found it most
unpleasant, then turned abruptly and flung
himself out, slanming the car door after
him and departing smokerward.
My companion laughed little softly to
herself. She was the only one in the car
who even smiled. The young bride looked
pale and frightened, and the groom not by
any means undisturbed. "Well" said my
seatmate, las he didn't shoot him on sight
| guess he's going to let him off on ESTES
account
| haste'ned to ask for an explanation, and
the one she gave me went to show that of
all uncertain things in this world a pretty
girl in Texas is the least to be depended
upon.
1t seems that the tall, dark young man
whom l had already guessed from the slant
of his hat brim and q certain swing in his
movements to be ranchman had q big
ranch in Uvalde county. He was the tall
est man in the county, the best looking and
the best off, and he was engaged to the
daughter of his nearest neighbor. The we'd
ding clothes were made, the wedding cakes
were baked. The prospective groom had
his friend, young lawyer from San Anto-