Omaha daily bee., 1897-01-10

one of them discovered that his horse was
missing.
"The beast has united himself again. a
| trick OF hls;" exclaimed that worthy as he
| looked at the vacant spot where his horse
had stood.
You should get a better steed or break
him OF the habit captain" observed Santa
! Anna, and the officer after looking In vain
| for the horse and beating the bush till tho
others grew tired OF his absence was COM
| PEELED to mount behind one Of his brother
\ soldiers and all rode away.
| Meantime Kit, the Texas boy, was riding
| fast over the gloomy country toward tho
| camp OF General Houston.
He kept the horse in the trail as we'll as
| he was able and after long ride heard a
| stern Haiti" which caused him to draw
rein and lean forward.
A man in the rough garb OF n frontiers
man loomed up in front bf him and Kit
asked him II he had reached tho Texan en-
campment.
That's owing to who you are" was the
answer, "and you may be miles from General
Houston and you may be very close to him.
Who are vou?"
"Ioit Benson; Kit the boy who shoots at
marks at the prize tournaments and"
Then you've found us, boy" was the in
terruptiOn, and the picket asked the boy to
dismount and follow him
Delighted at having found the army of in
dependence Kit dismounted and oboycd.
Soon they came upon a few fires burning
low in secluded valley and the boy Won
dered if he could be within the lines of tho
Texan forces. since he had never visited an
armed camp.
SAM HOUSTON.
A tall, heavy set man was standing near
few smoulderng embers. with his back
to the boy, and his large hands folded be.
hind him. The picket stopped at sight of
this man and looked at him a moment as
II half afraid to approach nearer.
Suddenly. however, the tall man turned
and Kit looked into face he knew on sight,
though he had never seen II before He
know he stood in the presence of General
Houston, the defender of Texan liberty, and
one of the most noted men OF his day.
Sam Houston fixed his gaze on the boy
marksnan and motioned him forward.
Tell your story. What is it?' he said,
and thus addressed the boy obeyed.
Patiently did the backwoods commander
listen to every word. and Kit was not in
torrupted till he had finished his narrative.
They had you In a trap sure enough.
You did well to escape when you did, for
If you had not l wouldn't have given much
for the head that wears your coonskin cap,
boy"
Such was Sam Houston's comment on the
thrilling story Kit had brought to camp,
and then he directed that the boy should
have a blanket the rest of the night.
The next day there was active preparations
in the Texan camp looking to the thwarting
of Santa Anna's intended surprise, and when
night came the camp was ready.
Believing he had not been betrayed by
any one, Santa Anna made the well planned
attack, but never did an attacking army get
such complete whipping
They found General Houston well prepared
for the attack and the Mexicans were COM
PEELED to retreat, leaving numbers Of their
dead on the field of battleJ
Kit not only remained in camp until after
the surprise, but he was enrolled in the
ranks of the Texan army and a short time
later took part in the battle OF San Jacinto
by which Texas independence was gained.
1t was at this battle that Santa Anna him
self fell into General Houston's hands and
Kit took the liberty of speaking to the dis
tinguished captive, asking him If he knew
why the night attack had failed.
The Mexican general shook his head,
whereupon Kit told the story of his adven-
ture in the old cabin and Santa Anna re-
marked with cutting sarcasm that there
would have been one Texas rat" less If he
had dreamed that the old garret held tho
Involuntary young spy
Kit Benson lived to see Texas achieve her
and for many years afterwards
le was often called ON to relate how he
iaved General Houston's little army of he
'oes from annhiliation at the hands of tho
nerciless MeXicans.