Santa Fe daily New Mexican. [volume] (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1885-1897, 1894-03-08
A LITTLE HEROINE.

"A LITTLE HEKUlNE.
The spring sun was shining brightly
on the peaks and slopes of the Andalu-
sian Sierras and on the white hamlet that
snugly nestled in the fertile valley be-
low. 1t was pretty sight-this little
village with its small whitewashed
houses shining in the morning sun, sur
rounded on every side by the blue noun
tains and thick, green forest. The coun-
try is very picturesque and wild in this
mountainous part Of Andalusia, and it is
very thinly populated, but the little vii
lage of Saldana nestled there contented-
ly, as if wishing to be shielded from the
hot winds of Africa in August or the
cold ones coming from the Pyrenees in
January.
Saldana people were in general very
cheerful, polite and sociable to any
stranger who by chance strayed among
their wilds, but now the village wears a
mournful aspect. The streets are de-
serted, the houses, clean and neat as
"little silver cups" have their ever hos
pitable doors closed. Once in awhile
woman is seen on the street going quick
ly on some errand, and returning imme-
diately with all possible speed to her
home.
The reason for this depression was
that the Carlist war was waging holly
in Spain, and the day before news had
reached Saldana that Carlist detach-
ment composed Of the fierce northern
Basques, followers of Don Carlos, was
approaching the little town.
All the able men of Saldana had joined
a small company of the royal army and
were concealed about in the mountains,
from whence they expected to surprise
the Carlists, to whom this part of the
country was unknown.
About noon Of the day after the news
was received, Petrona, wife of Juan
Alvarez, the carpenter of the village,
called Gloria, her eldest daughter, a
pretty 15-year-old girl with dark curly
hair and big, black eyes, and putting in
her hands large basket, said:
go, child, to La Quebrada and carry
something to eat to your poor father and
brother and take care that no reprobate
Carlist sees you"
Gloria took the basket and briskly
went on her way without misgivings,
for no Carlist had as yet been seen near
Saldana. She had walked about mile
from her home by path cut into the
rock when the song that came so merrily
from her lips stopped suddenly, for on
reaching big rock which marked the
half way between Saldana and La Que
brada an unseen person cried to her:
"Halt!'
Mechanically Gloria paused on her
way and looked around her. As if by
magic she saw herself surrounded by
many soldiers on horseback, and this
was not the worst-shc recognized by
the uniforms and colors that they were
followers of Don Carlos the Pretender.
One of the men, who seemed to be their
leader, approached her and asked:
"Where are you going"
The poor child was 60 frightened that
she burst into tears.
The officer dlsmounted. "Let me see
what you have in that basket" he said.
"Ah, food! That is good. We have not
had anything so good for long time
eggs, bread, meat, fruit. Now, my dear,
you were taking these provisions to
some royalists concealed about these
mountains, were you not? Now, tell me
where they are"
Poor Gloria knew that if she told him
the place Of their concealment all the
soldiers would be slain. including her IA
ther and brother, for the number of Carl
lists was SO much larger than the royal
lists. In her fright she thought their
number reached many thousands. On
the other hand, If she refused to tell
where the royalist soldiers were, she was
sure these monsters would kill her.
The commanding officer took the bas-
ket from her arm and gave it to one Of
the soldiers, then said in his strong,
harsh northern accent:
Look here, girl, you were taking food
to some soldiers around here. l know
that. If you lead US to where they are,
I will give you these two shining gold
ounces. If you refuse, will shoot you
with this musket. Do you understand?
Now go aheadf'
A desperate resolve was forming itself
in Gloria's brain, the undaunted cour-
age Of her ancestors began to rise in her
soul. She turned to the captain and
said:
Eyes, know where they are, but they
are very far away. If you wish, will
take you to them"
"That is right"
The captain ordered q soldier to give
her one Of the extra horses captured in
the morning, and, tying rope, which he
kept in his hand, to the neck Of the ami
NAL, he told her to lead on.
Everybody followed her. Across clear
streams and roaring torrents she took
them. They walked by dangerous paths
beside deep precipices. Here and there
they crossed picturesque valley. After
nearly four hours of incessant marching,
and when the sun was in his descent
toward the horizon, Gloria stopped, and
turning to the captain said:
Il am too tired and can 90 no far
Their"
The Basque eyed her suspiciously and
asked:
''Are we near their camp" IS
II do not know. have lost my way"