The citizen. (Frederick City, Md.) 1895-1923, 1896-05-29

your breakfast from these noble ca.
balleros. And now we must really be
going, so will say adicu; but, before
leaving, l want you all to seat your
selves in line on this fallen tree, and
look up at those rocks about so PAGES
from you. Do you see them? Well, I
have posted four men behind them, all
picked shots, with orders to shoot the
first of you that moves within the next
two hours
II suggested that if he would return to
me the watch which an hour ago was
mine, we should be more likely to know
when the time was up. He looked affec,
tionately at my gold time-piece as he re-
piled: L regret that l cannot oblige
you to that extent, senior. You will have
to guess the time; but advise you not
to be too soon, because the conse-
quences would be serious. Good morn
ing! and, with parting bow and
smile, our gentlemanly bandit went OFF,
in the direction of the horses, followed
by his men, and the whole party was
soon out of sight.
cit was blowing a norther that day,
and an icy wind was driving over the
s ows of the great volcano above us.
We felt half-frozen; yet there we had to
sit, in a shirtless condition, for what
seemed more like four hours than two,
and l don't think l have ever quite re,
covered from that chill. OF course no
one liked to move first, for fear of
drawing the fire of our unseen guards
behind the rocks; but at last we ven
tured to return to the coach, and when
we got to Aguas Frias, the breakfast
we ate, at about supper time, was really
surprising. Before starting again, we
managed to borrow some clothes and
blankets, for even down in the valley
the night was chilly. Fortified with
these and inspirited with our meal,
we drove off, hoping to be at least al
lowed to reach Vera Cruz in peace. Our
hopes soon proved to be ill-founded,
for about two a. IN. we were halted
by a shot being fired at the coachman,
which narrowly missed his nose. These
new bandits had an amateurish cut.
and were very different from our high
toned visitors of the morning. They
were ragged and dirty, and they treat
leaving Aguas Frias 1 and my shirtless
companion had placed ourso Ives next
to the windows, thinking that our ap-
pearance might prevent our being
stopped again, by bearing witness to
our poverty. But it was in vain that we
now threw back our blankets and
showed our unshrouded forms; we
were ruthlessly bundled out and
stripped of blankets, boots, and, in
deed, almost every thing we had left.
Again we pushed on in shivering
despair. 1t was bright night, so we
could make good time, and could travel
safely into the flat country beyond the
mountains, when-it Is almost incred-
ible, but-we were stopped for the
fourth time. We were passing through
endless miles of chapparal, which
might have concealed an army for aught
we knew, and to our horror we saw an
other band of armed men gliding out
of the bushes upon us. Once more we
were searched, and threatened with in
slant death unless we handed over
our valuables. We looked like a party
of damaged Venuses by now, and our
condition spoke for itself, but | ex-
planned to the principal ruffian of the
gang that we had already been stopped
three times that day, and, naturally,
had nothing of value left.
Holy Virgin!' he exclaimed; you
have been attacked three times! And
why did you not defend yourselves, oh,
men without shame?'
"Now, it was really too much for a
ladrone engaged in robbing us him.
self to begin calling us names because
we had not defended our property, in
order that he might take it. felt that
the limit of endurance had been
reached, and am afraid that my reply
was couched in very strong language
indeed. However, L suppose the gang
thought that nothing could be gained
by numbering us, so after fruitless
search, in the hope that something
might have been overlooked, they went
off swearing discontentedly, and. naked,
cold and miserable, we at last reache l
Vera Cruz, after the most unpleasant
journey | have ever taken.
"But we were told that there was a
case that overtopped ours, for the day
before a coach had arrived bearing
among it's passengers a young lady
lightly and chastely clad in news.
paper!"-From "a Strange Career"
published by Roberts Bros.