The World. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1891-1896, 1893-09-13
A ROMANCE OF HISTORY.
An Incident Of Mexican Cruelty on
tho Toxas Border.

ito Toxns Border.
A little restaurant overlooking ths
San Antonio river. Two men witt
chairs tilted back and feet against the
projecting rail 81 me balcony, were
smoking their evening cigarettes
The dusk lay above them like Il bats
wing. ready TO fail swiftly and sudden.
IL. as it does in southern latitu,lcs
Both were young and Of goodly pres.
ence. Western suns and winds had
tanned their cheeis ana burned IN the
red q youtlito q rics liopie hue.
Aefoss the brow OF one brow
whose boyish eontonr moved women
with mother Instincts 10 sudden long
ing 70 carcsszlay loose waves ~ soft
yellow hair. Beneath looked out eyes
OF dark gray. heavy with the long
thoughts OF those carly. desperate
days days when reautlic worked
out In blood her lonn probation. The
other had a fafeer couutenancc, more
lightsomc and full Of happy promise.
No dark prophecy btoo3ed ID the
sunny shadows OF the bright luc eyes,
and laughter spfang as lightly to the
lip as the blush 10 the cheek ii d maid.
Superadded tonight To hi native
exuberance was some fore En element
of joyousness, which seemed to master
spirit and muscles nike He was full
of movement. Tossing away half
finished cigarette, he clasped Ills hands
back OF his curly head and broke the
silence with Sudden snnech
Ned, am too happy to smoke; am
the happiest man in all this border
land Nellie Ilerndon has promised
to be my wife. It's a secret yet, bit i
couldn't keep it from you any more
than ! could keep my love from her.
There is not another woman like her.
north, east, south or west. Did you
ever notice the gold Of her hair2 ii Il
like sunshine spun into threads When
ever ! look at her think Of some
quaint old words my mother used to
read out OF a book long years ago
when was a boy back IN my old
Georgia home They went this way:
Whose shoes latchet l am not worthy
TO unloosc. suppose the preachers
would call that irevercnt, but God
will bear me witness there's no irrev.
erence in my heart when think Of
her"
AT Harvey Armstrong; lirst words
the color was washed out of Ned Eos.
ter's face as with a sponge, his very
eyes seemed to pale.
bringing the chair to the ground.
concealing his face with his hands, he
LEANED over the railing and looked
down into the sluggish waters of the
river Rowing few feet below.
How old and wise they looked. those
waters. in their calm. unfretted flow
Good for you, old fellow" he said.
as he extended his hand. ''May YOU
have centuries Of happiness. II any
man deserves her u is you, Harvey"
This was In the summer Of ls4i.1
In the autumn OF 1912, when Presi.
dent Houston ordered out Gen. Somer.
veil 70 the Rio Grande to organize
troops and avenge the insulting raids
Of Vasqncz and VOL, Ned Foster was
among the first to respond to the can
tur volunteers
About enc hundied and eighty miles
south Of Saltillo, on the road to the
llty OF Mexico, is an old fort, known
IN history as the Hacienda Salado.
10 this place, on the Goth of March.
1913, We're brought the recaptured rem.
nant OF the unfortunate Mier expedi.
lion, that gallant band OF three hun.
dred and sixty men, the flower 81
western militia, Who went forth 10 do
battle Tor the honor OF the young re-
Pnpilc and We're SO treacherously
dealt with by the followers Of santa
Ana, to whom they surrendered as
prisoners OF war. All'rea ders Of Texas
history know how the terms OF the
treaty We're broken andithe betrayed
men shown no mercy but marched into
lhe interior, subjected to Incredible
hardships, and finally imprisoned miles
away from home and friends
Feeling keenly the indignity Of their
treatment and fearing worse at the
hands of such perfdious foes, tbay
oyerpowered the guard and ESCAPED.
70 De retaken ten days later and r..
turned to the same Enclosure whence
they had fled.
All this is history; but we have no
iitsSA tecoEu ri thatlntefval between
tte escape and the recapture, when the
ntile company wandered. lost ana
helpless. among the, fastness 81 nm
familiar mountains; ny record Of those
ten days and nights when the sun rose
ana set Int r. mark another and dark.
81 experience IN the calendar Of human
pain !
rs Ned FosSkr and Harvey Armstrong
We're among the number. Stronger
nan the multiplied threads Of the ca.
oie had grown the bond Of friendshin
oetWeen thesc two men in the awful
tsaiism 81 danger and su ffering. a.
FER fouridays the weary and footsore
3 Travelled down deep Ncanyon
whose steep sides narrowed and mar
rived until they closed ana barred