Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1896-05-07

DIN Z IdICISCO, anu dShcu d dcAlCdii
gentleman in our party for further bits
Of political information from the City
of Mexico. He told neat little story
about a funny experience among the
servants in his fathers home in Chihau-
hua when he was a boy, and when the
story drew forth humorous tale from
one of our party, he laughed as merrily
and genuinely cs you can imagine. 'Ah,
you Americans said he, in his smooth
musical Spanish accent, you Amer
leans have such a way of seeing funny
things. guess have missed good
deal of it by not being Yankee, too"
Turning to me, Vasquez asked if I
was not the Fillmore who once had a
herd of cattle and ranch down the
ella river country in Arizona. Upon
my answering yes, he said: oh, now I
know all about you, Mr.. Fillmore. Your
cattle outfit and my gang had some
little disputes about property several
years ago. believe we had to shoot
one or two of your men. Well, I am
sincerely sorry, Mr.. Fillmore, that !
ever did you any harm, but it seems to
me at this recollection we were in des-
perate straits when we were over youc
way. and we had to do something out of
the ordinary in our line of business
Now please don't harbor any ill will for
me after / am gone tomorrow for those
old bygones.
"Vasquez said he believed he once got
hold somewhere in Arizona of blooded
horse having my brand upon it, and
that it was the best animal he ever had
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speed to deliver its rider out of danger.
I'm sorry, Mr.. Fillmore. you were SO
much victim of my way of doing bust
ness said the young man, with the
only tinge of sorrow that escaped him
that day. He told of the pleasure he
had had in reading Bret Harte's stories
in the last two weeks, and regretted
that he had not known the fun and wit
there were in Don QuiXote in his early
days.
GAS he stood there, one hand on the
other, and showing courteous interest
in the efforts of the bustling deputy
to find seats for his guests he was far
from formidable in appearance. How
ever terrible he may have looked when,
shotgun in hand, he rode up to the stage
coach or the wayside store, the lonely
traveller or the isolated ranch house,
with his Gathering, criminal cavalry
behind him, as ready to blow out brains
and cut Threats as to take plumber, he
was now but short, broad-shouldered.
dark-skinned, pleasant-faced Mexican,
with nothing forbidding about him. In
deed, his manner was engaging.
81 would rather talk of something
else, if it is agreeable to you, gentle
men, he said to reporter who had
joined us and began business at once
10y asking Vasquez about his mental
condition.
II am to be hanged tomorrow. Very
well. 1 don't like it, but 1 have no
choice. See?'
"And he shrugged his shoulders and
smiled.
"'Do you feel that you deserve your
fate?' solemnly asked the reporter.
"'Well, that does not much NATTER
he answered, lighting a cigar. While
I never killed anybody myself permit
ted my men to do so, and in the eye of
the law that is the same thing so sup
pose deserve what is going to happen.
Since 1 cannot help myself / am con-
tent
"'Do you believe in hereafterY
asked the solemn reporter.
"'No-do you? he asked in return,
his black eyes twinkling.
1.-The solemn reporter grinned, and 81
did vasquez.
"'The priest has been here He saws
there is another world. He is a good
man and believes it. Very well, do
not know. But, seriously, I die
Christian, a Catholic, as 1 have lived.
Will you pardon me, gentlemen, if ask
you to talk about something else than
myself? L am glad to see you. like
company. The weather is pleasant,
eh?'
He leaned back in his rude chair
with an animated countenance, ready
to chat, like one who wished 10 while
away dragging hours. He had abou,
IA of them left.
''The mans face was strong and firm.
He was in the prime of life and in per-
feet health. His courage had been
proved in many bloody fight, and if
by numbering all his visitors it would
have given him one chance in thou
sand to escape that chance would have
been taken and God thanked for it. AS
it -':.s, he smile d cordially, and accepted
the inevitable with manly composure.
His politeness was inexhausible
The editor of one of the local papers
came in, greeted him with boisterous
hilarity meant at once to cheer the
condemned and display to the metro
politan journalists his superior intimacy
with celebrated character. The edito..
actually took copy of his paper from
his pocket, and, with the remark: i
suppose you want to hear what I said
about you tonight sat down and read
to Vasquez three solid columns about
his crime, the preparations for the
hanging, and a minute description of
the gallows, with mention of the other
criminals who had stepped upon it.
This performance appalled, the re-
pcrters. but yasquez bore it in silence.
without a winch or a frown.
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