The Roanoke times. [volume] (Roanoke, Va.) 1890-1895, 1894-09-09
LOVES SACRIFICE.

A littlo restaurant overlooking tho San
Antonio river. Two men, with chairs
tilted back and feet against tho protecting
rail Of tho balcony, were smoking their
evening cigarettes. Both woro young and
of goodly presence Western suns and
winds had tanned their checks and burned
in the red of youth to n rich tropic hue.
Across the brow of onc-a brow whose
boyish contour moved women with mother
instincts to sudden longing to carcss-lay
loose waves of soft, yellow hair. Beneath
looked out Dyes of dark gray heavy with
tho long thoughts of those carly, desperate
days-days when republic worked out in
blood her long probation. Tho other had a
faircr countcnance, moro lightsome and
full of happy promise.
Supcraddcd tonight to his native cxubcr-
ancc was some foreign climent of joyous
ness which seemed to master spirit and
muscles alike. He was full of movement
Tossing away half finished cigarette, hc
claspcd his hands back of his curly head
and broke the silence with sudden speech.
Ned, 1 am too happy to smoke am
tho happicst man in all this borderland
Ncllic Hcrndon has promised to be my
WIZ IL = a. SNNiCp W, buV L COuIllL hCcp
it from you any moro than 1 could keep
my love from her There is not another
woman like her north, south, east or west
Did you ever notice the gold of her hair? 1t
is like sunshine spun into threads. When
ever look ut her think of some quaint
old words my mother used 60 read out of
book long years ago when l was u boy
back in my old home. They went this
way: Whose shoe latchct l am not worth
to unloosc.' 1 suppose tho preachers
would call that irrcvcrcnt, but God will
bear me witness there's no irrevcrcnco in
my heart when think of her.
AT Harvey Armstrong; first words the
color was washed out of Ned Fosters face
as with SPONGE his very eyes seeming to
pale.
Bringing his chair to the ground, con-
ccaling' his face with his hand, he leaned
over the railing and looked down into the
sluggish waters of the river flowing u few
feet below
AS thought piled itself upon thought
and Foster saw torn into shreds tho beau
tiful fabric of II dream that he, too, had
woven, with this woman for its center. he
forgot that heaven held his mother and
lifted up his heart against it and against
his fellow man. But, thank God, it was
only for one 1eeting moment. Remcm-
years before at the battle Of San Jacinto
intercepted tho Mexican bullet aimed at
his own breast, he WIS able to turn away
from the dark suggestions and give back
unabated love and sincerity into tho ex-
pectant eyes of his happy rival.
Good for you, old fellow" he said rs
no extended his hand. MAY you have
centuries of happiness. God knows"--
with IA look of tender loyalty his friend
never forgot-"if any man deserves her it
is you, Harvey"
This was in tho summer of 1871.
III the autumn of 1912, when President
Houston ordered out General Somcrvcll
to the Rio Grandc to organize troops and
avcngc the insulting raids of Vnsqucz and
VOL, Ned Foster was among the first to
respond to the call for volunteers.
About $50 miles south of Saltllo on the
road to the City Of Mexico is an old fort
known in history MS 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 arc
used for such II purpose.
This one stands in the midst of IL sandy
plain whose drcary stretch of gray is bro
ken here and there by patches of bunch
grass and tufts of stuntcd sa4c. To the
east and west are mountains, and on the
dividing ridges nrc scattered lonely pines
To this place on March 26 1913, were
brought the rccaptured remnant of the
unfortunate Micr expedition, that gallant
band of 300 men, tho flower OF western
militia, who went forth to do battle for
tho honor OF the young republic and were
so trcachcrously dealt with by the follow
crs OF Santa Anna, to whom they surrcn-
dcrcd as prisoners of war All readers OF
history know how the terms of the treaty
were broken and the betrayed men shown
no mercy, but marched into the interior,
subjected to incredible hardships and
finally imprisoned miles away from home
and friends.
All this is history, but we have no writ
ten record of that interval between tho cs-
cape and the rccapturo when the little com
pany wandered, lost and helpless, among
the businesses of unfamiliar mountains,
no record OF those 1 days and nights when
the sun rose and set but to mark another
ana darker experience in the calendar of
human pain.
Ned Foster and Harvey Armstrong were
among the number The latter had, in
the ardent spirit of the times also answer
cd the far cry of the borders, leaving the
young wife so lately wed to wait in prayer
and tears II soldiers uncertain coming.
For four days the weary end footsorc
band Travelled down deep canyon, whose
steep sides narrowed and narrowed until
they closed and barred them in. Then the
rotracing of those same steps! On and on.
In the silence and gloom of the mighty
contortions of nature, without food, with
out drink, tired in limb, weary and dazcd
In mind, their tongues purple and swollen
with thirst, yet seeing in fancy tho flower
strewn prairies OF their beloved Texas and
tho fond hearts beating welcome there
still opening up new trails and pushing