Martinsburg independent. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1875-1900, 1894-10-27

fSS4S9 anu IeeC against the protect
TS~ ing rail of the balcony, were
smoking their evening cigarettes.
Both were young and of goodly
presence. Western suns and winds
had tanned their cheeks and burned
in the red of youth to a rich tropic
hue.
Across the brow of one-a brow
whose boyish contour moved women
with mother instinct to sudden long
ing to caress-lay loose waves of
soft, yellow hair.
Beneath looked out eyes of dark
gray, heavy with the long thoughts
of those early, desperate days-days
when republic worked out in blood
her long probation.
The other had fairer counte.
nance, more lightsome and full Of
happy promise.
Superadded tonight to his native
exuberance was some foreign ele
ment of joyousness which seemed to
master spirit and muscles alike. He
was full of movement.
Tossing away a half finished cigar
cite, he clasped his hands back of
his curly head and broke the silence
with sudden speech.
Ned, | am too happy to smoke.
l am the happiest man in all this
borderland. Nellie Herndon has
promised to be my wife. It's se-
cret yet, but I couldn't keep it from
you any more than I could keep my
love from her. There is not anoth.
er woman like her north, south, east
or west. Did you ever notice the
gold Of her hair? 1t is like sunshine
spun into threads. Whenever I look
at her l think of some quaint old
words my mother used to read out
of book long years ago when I was
boy back in my old home. They
went like this: Whoseshoe latchet
l am not worthy to unloose." I
suppose the preachers would call
that irreverent, but God will bear
me witness there's no irreverence in
my heart when / think of herr
AtHarveyArmstrong's first words
the color washed cut of Ned Fos-
ter's face as with a sponge, his very
eyes seeming to pale.
Bringing his chair to the ground,
concealing his face with his hand, he
leaned over the railing and looked
down into the sluggish waters of the
river flowing few feet below.
AS thought piled itself upon
thought and Foster saw torn into
shreds the beautiful fabric of a
dream that he too, had woven, with
this woman for its center, he forgot
that heaven held his mother and lift.
ed up his heart against it ard against
his fellow man. But, thank God, it
was only for one fleeting moment.
Remembering whose brave right arm
had five years before at the battle of
San Jacinto intercepted the Mexican
bullet aimed at his own breast, be
was able to turn away from the dark
suggestions and give back undated
love and sincerity into the expectant
eyes of his happy rival.
Good for you, old fellow" he
said as he extended his hand. "May
you have centuries of happiness.
God knows"-with a tender look of
loyalty his friend never forgot" if
any man deserves her it is you, Har-
vey."
This was in the summer of 1841.
In the autumn of 1S42, whenPres-
ident Houston ordered out General
Somervell to the Rio Grande to or
ganize troops and avenge the insult
ing raids of Vasquez and Vol, Ned
Foster was among the first to respond
to the call for volunteers.
X
About $50 miles south of SaltiIlo
on the road to the City of Mexico is
an old fort known in history as the
Hacienda Salado.
The high walls, built in fortress
fashion around an immense square
court, are well fitted for defense and
in times of war are used for such
purpose.
This one stands in the midst of a
sandy plain whose dreary stretch Of
gray is broken here and there by
patches of bunch grass and tufts of
stunted sage.
To the east and west are noun
tains, and on the dividing ridges are
scattered lonely pines.
To this place on March 26th, 1843,
we're brought the recsptured rem
nant of the unfortunate Mier expe-
dition, that gallant band of 800 men,
the flower of western militia, who
went forth to do battle for the honor
of the young republic and were SO
treacherously dealt with by the fol-
lowers Of Santa Anna, to whom they
surrendered as prisoners of war.