The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1898-01-05
A TEXAS MYSTERY.
cen, Monte C1istes OF the Plains.
saa saba (2er., Correspondence csose- Democrat

lu uUOuutdtuS Cu VIC Va
Texas one hoars Of strange characters.
Bold and daring men como here to
make fortunes, others como to escape
from the memory Of their misfortuncs
and others IN search Of adventure.
No one ever knew what brought the
man Carlcen to San Saba He was a
mystery and almost his every act was
cloudcd in mystery from the hour he
.ct his brogan shoes into the black
mud ofMcnardville, until one fine day,
ten years later. when he bid his COW
boys farewell, and they said as the
stage disappeared over the hills to-
ward San Antonio: There goes the
strangcst character that ever struck
Texas
Mr.. Carlccn was Frenchnan, be
:raying his nationality in the pronun
ciation Of the score Or more English
words he had picked up on the road
from New Orleans to the prairics Of
The lone Star State. When he ap-
rcarcd for the first time in the streets
of the little frontier village where he
aftcrward became so we'll known, hc
was dressed as common lab0rcr.
smoked Il short pipe, and carried a
stout stick. The cowboys lounging
about the BrindIc Steer saloon sized
him up and rendered verdict that Il
good average job ol strengthening
would just about fit the degree Of ten
dcrfootctlncss that was manifested in
his language, manner and carriage.
After few moments conversation
the winks that were exchanged be
tween the loungcrs indicated the SUI
pcrior satisfaction that they expert
cnccd over the correctness Of their
judgment. but their organs Of vision
were suddenly expanded beyond all
capacity by the action Of the new
conner, who with little ceremony and
few words invited the whole crowd to
refresh themselves at the bar Of the
Brindle Steer. lie did want job Of
herdiDg sheep, and he began to ask
questions as to wages and about the
price Of lambs and ewes and rams,
while the barkccpcr was giving him
change for the big yellow doubloon
that he had selected from handful Of
loose coins to pay for the drinks.
Something like rcspcctfulncss on the
part of the crowd toward the stranger,
which had succeeded the curiosity he
had aroused, grew into admiration
when Mr.. Carlecn accidentally drop
ped slvcr-mountcd revolver fronl
his coat pocket and carclcssly picked
it up with the Indifference of an old
plainsman. MI were apparently eager
to answer his questions and grant him
information upon every subject with
such promptncss and pleasure as To
please the Frcnchman immensely.
Carlccn loungcd about the hotel for
several days getting acquainted with
the people and making himself i'm
mcnscly popular by his libcrality.
People thought it rather strange that
such il man woEld 90 off into shc
mountains to herd sheep for SO per
month but those who were mos, init
mate with the stranger said that they
thought he simply wanted to learn the
business. There were others. how
ever, who did not hesitate to express
the opinion that the Frcnchman was Il
stage robbrr and that he had cone out
into the mountains to hide.
Mr. Carlcen soon demonstrat eli that
he was not sowo man lie dcvcl-
oped and executed his plans with the
rapidity that distinguished the great
est Of all Of his countrymen. While
everything about him appeared to be
shroudod in mystery, he acted as if he
had nothing to conceal. lie appeared
to live for the purpose Of astounding
and mystifying those who were watch
ing him. In the course of eight or
ten days the news came to town that
the mysterious Frcnchman. after Il
few days hcrding, had expressed him
self rs being tired of following the
flock for wages. lie had purc.:scd
10000 head of sheep and paid fer
them i'll good San Antonio paper, so
the story ran. Next he bought the
famous Los FlorctaS grant, containing
100 sections Of grazing land, and soon
aftcrward Mr.. Carlccn came to town.
confirming all these stories and max
ing arrangements to put barhcd wire
fence around one of the largest pas
lures in western Texas. Could it BE-
possible that the man was going to ac-
tually fence in "a 900 acres Of land?
This happened back in the early 7O's.