The Yakima herald. [volume] (North Yakima, W.T. [Wash.]) 1889-1914, 1893-01-05

ried that's excuse enough for any man.
Eyes,. certainly; certainly we'll LEI
you off and wish you luck wherever yor
CO." said another, and his good wishe.
were echoed generally around the camp
1t was nearly shutdown when the trair
reached the little frontier mission vii
lage of San Miguel. The old adobe
house looked like a soft water color
painting in the prismatic air. The "fa
Their" of the mission came forth to greet
the weary band, and with appraised hand
approached the bowed heads and gave
them all his blessing.
Janey was good Catholic, and her
| wedding took place in the fathers house,
with nearly all of her companions on
the overland journey and many of><he
natives of San Miguel as witnesses.
John King could not subscribe to the
faith that was inherited by Janey from
her French forefathers (the only one
known to the Spanish Mexicans of the
frontier, but he had been baptized in
his youth in the good old realistic Bap-
list style, and the marriage was not de-
layed. Away from all the scenes and
ties of her previous life woman must
| feel the seriousness of new wifehood
/ keenly. and it was truly solemn hour
for Janey when she promised to be unto
John King a helpmeet for all time. Not
| that size hesitated an instant; her cour-
age in the face Of difficulty had proved
her love and loyalty beyond doubt,
but the conventionalities and the sweet
surroundings VI home and friends are
very dear to woman's heart ut such a
time, and even plain little fancy thought
| with a sigh of the gown and the gifts,
the music and the flowers, and the glory
Of the bridal day of her dreams. The
taine day saw the welded pair start on
their way alone northward-to Just
| what point nobody knew.
From tie village the Santa Fe Trail
bent sharply to the northwest, the pass
through the range at this point being a
| little TO the the south of Santa Fe. The
Rio Pecos, sparkling snow water
stream. irsigatcs the fertile valley which
is cultivated by the natives, and the
everlasting mountains look down ON the
mud huts that have stood for two or
three hundred years in this notch, the
easternmost outpost of New Mexican
Catholic strongholds.
Greeted by the swarthy rancheros and
accompanied by the gayly dressed Gus
tom house agents who had come from
Santa Fe to meet the traders, the train
moved ON through the broken range,
and for several days toiled up and down
the ridges and zigzagged around the
mountains before the tired oxen made
the last up hill haul onto the table land
overlooking the capital.
Here halt was made for the purpose
of making preparations for the grand
entree." Every man washed his face
and the Mexicans combed their long,
black hair until it shone, while the
American plainsmen made pretense Of
smoothing theirs and eclipsed every thing
by putting on white shirt. The cleak-
ing wheels, now almost ready to fall
apart they had become so dry, We're
creased anew and everything put in the
most presentable condition. All were
excited and impatient, and every man
being now his own master, confusion
and uproarious hilarity reigAed. When
the start to the city was finally made
pandemonium broke loose, and the
wagons rolled down the hill with the
stiff kneed oxen ON a run.
The entire population was out to see
the caravan arrive; the captain general,
the customs officers, people of all de-
grees, and the black eyed senoras and
senoritas peeped through the barred
windows or waited outside, their faces
half hidden by the winding reboza or
lace mantilla. Santa Fe was imme-
diately Transformed; the old town
seemed to wake from long sleep and
become alive. On every side were
heard the cries, 'Los Americanos' la
entrG IA de la carayana!" "Los carros!"
and there was hurrying to and fro by
the mounted cabaleros, all decked out
in their brilliant and jangling trap
pings.
Through the main street the long line
of wagons is soon strung out, the drivers
shouting their loudest and goading the
jaded beasts to a last effort. The crack
ing Of whips sounds like fusilade, and
in mere wantonness, or to show their
dexterity, their wielders make the blood
squirt from the sides of the oxen, or
strike q leader in the face until he reels
and plunges. Boys and dogs and beg
gars follow after until the round of the
plaza is made, and then comes the gen.
eral scramble for the custom house, the
clamor of the interpreters and the
swarming of the count1 traders, and the
long journey Of eleyen%eeks is done.
Not quite SO our story.
In the busy throng, yet somewhat
apart, stands Mexican who scans the
faces of the newly arrived men. They
are preoccupied and do not notice the
furtiye looks Of the black browed fellow.
Presently, with a gesture of impa-
tience, he turns to one near him and asks
in broken English;
Where's Kingfisher? Wasn't there
driver or wagon master in the train by
the name of Kingfsherf Where is her"
mo, | don't know no sech man."
"a big man, not talk much, Amer
icano, joined the train at Westportg"
! mo, | tell you, curse you. No sech
man among 'em. Captain King was the
biggest man in the crowd. We 1ected
him captain after old Jose was shot"
blue eyes and yaller hair and sorter
soft spoken?"
Eyes. reckon that's about the size of
him. What's it your business?"
a volley Of oaths and muttered curses
was the answer TO this question. A
change of name, either partial or total,
was so common a thing that the Mexi-
can knew better than TO trust a mans