Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1893-04-29
JUAN AND YSABEL.

=
Of the Rio Florido, in the state of Chi
huahua, not far from the station of Cor
ralitos on the Mexican Central railway,
there may bo seen the ruins of what
30 years ago was tho magnificent
manor house on hacienda of large
rancho. There, too, were raised the
strong, black bulls for the arenas of Chi
huahua and the lower provinces of
| Mexico. Tho gateway to this once fa-
nous place, although dilapidated and
| thrown down, has not yet crum6led
| into dust, but still shsNvs the marks of
| its former splendur. On the left side of
the entrance, about 800 feet distant from
the broad road which led to the stately
mansion, side by side, are two wooden
crosses roughly fashioned out of oak
logs, on both of which with care may
still be traced Il rudely carved inscrip-
ton. The words are in that crude
McXico-Castilian language common to
the country. That on the right as you
face the line of what was once the fence
surrounding the grounds of the haci-
enda invites the passerby to offer:
lone ave maria and pater noster for
the repose of the soul of Ysabel Mora,
who fell by the hands of the Indians on
the lth day of October in the year 1916,
in the flower Of her youth and beauty"
On the other:
Here lies Juan Maria Orteza, native
of -, killed by the Indians on the 18th
of October, 1916. Christian, for the sake
OF God, pray for him." {.
The story of the young girl and young
man who lie under these rudely hewn
crosses is sad one and absolutely true.
| The rancho de Cadena is about half way
| between the cities of Durango and Chi
huahua. 1t flourished so years ago under
the careful management of its owner, an
aged Mexican known all over the region
as "El CoHo' (the game leg) He was
widower. with Il family of eight sons,
each of whom was an expert in the ex-
citing games Of the country-"Colea de
toros," or the more cruel and barbarous
pastime of Ell gallo"
"Colea de toros" in plain English is
bull tailing-that is, seizing the bull in
the ring by the tail and securing it un-
der the right leg. The rider then, by
wheeling his horse suddenly outward,
upsets the bull in the midst of his mad
career, the huge animal rolling over and
over in the dust, believing with pain
and fright. "El gallo much more bru.
tai, consists of fastening rooster by
the leg to Il tree or to a picket driven into
the ground, with its head and neck well
| creased. The game is played on horse
back, all, starting together, strive to
reach the bird first, and seizing it by the
neck try to break the strings that hold
it and ride off with the prize. The we'll
creased neck generally slips through the
fingers Of the first who grasps it, but as
soon as one finds himself Sin possession
he rides of pursued by the rest, whose
object is to rescue the fowl. OF course
in the exciting contest which ensues the
| bird is torn to pieces. Then the fortu-
nate possessor Of the bleeding morsels
presents them to his lady love as a gage
! d'amour.
The eight sons of "El Coxo" were con-
ceded to be the bravest the handsomest
and the best III handling the lasso of any
| young men i'll the state of Chihuahua.
Their experience from boyhood as va
Queros or herdsmen on their fathers vast
pastures had made them as used to sit
ting on horse as i'll chair, and the
character of the fierce bulls which were
raised on the ranch expressly for the are
mas of the City of Mexico inspired them
with the brave nature of the famous ami
mails themselves
Residing with the family was young
girl, ward of "El Coxo," an orphan
and the daughter of friend and class
mate at school. Ysabel Mora was in
1915 but 16 years old-a very pretty,
black eyed, black haired girl, the "toast"
of both the valley of Rio Florido and Of
| the valley OF Nazos. Her extreme love-
liness even had been the talk of the great
fair held in San Bartolomo.
Escamilla, the third son of ''El Coxo,"
was just 90, stood 5 feet 10 in his shoes,
was as straight as an arrow and as 1.-the
some as the reeds that grew on the mar
gin of the lagoons on the ranch. He was
better educated than the rest of his broth
ers, both in a practical sense and in the
usages of the besG society the republic
afforded, as he had attended two or three
terms at school in the City of Mexico,
the great capital of the great nation to
which he belonged, and which he be-
lieved to be the best on earth. In his
first bull fight after his return from the
metropolis, he made his appearance in
the arena in most elaborate suit, fash
ioned from the reigning style at the cap
ital, creating surprise among his own
sex that bordered upon jealousy and a
furore among those of the opposite. He
distinguished himself further by throw
ing three bulls successfully.
Escamilla's rival in good looks and ex-
pertness in the bull ring was his brother
Juan Maria-in fact, there were many
of the people of the Rio Florido, both old
vaqueros and young maidens, who
thought Juan far surpassed Escamilla IN