Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1899-01-07
CHiRti OF THE ALAMO.

tons OF Texans who refused to ADMIT that
numbers ana Mexicans were arguments.
Whether the swirl of life, the crowd upon
the streets. pauSes to look or not, the spirit
, that lives ia this building. it's air of con-
telnoiative silence is as eloquent as an old
battle flag.
The first Americans to visit San Antonio
arrived in irons. This was the wear 1900.
There We're eleven of them. They had
fought 100 Spanish soldiers en- the eastern
frontier. and by one of those incomprehen-
slo'e chances which so often decides the
color OF battles, they had lost the fight.
Afterward Americans began to filter down
through Louisiana until in 1874 there were
enough of them TO openly disagree with
the young federal government in the City
OF Mexico, although there was not really
any great number of them. Santa Anna
didn't give tin whistle for the people of
fexas He assured himself that he was
capable of managing the republic of Mex
leo, and after coming to this decision he
said to himself that that part of il which
formed the state of Texas had better re-
main quiet with the others. In writing Of
what followed a Mexican sergeant says:
Tie Texans fought like devils"
A Desperate Defense.
There was culmina ton at the old mis-
sion of the Alamo in 1896. This structure
then consisted of a rectangular stone para
pet 100 feet long and about 100 feet wide
with the existing Church of the Alamo in
Travis, David Crockett and Colonel Bowie
whose monument is knife with a peculiar
blade, were in this inc.osure with a garri-
son of something like 100 men, when they
heard that Santa Anna was marching
against them with an army of I 900 The
Texans shut themselves in the mission. and
when Santa Anna demanded their surren-
der they fired a cannon and inaugurate ed
the most appalling conflict of the continent
once Colonel Travis called his men to-
gether during a lull of the battle and said
to them: Our fate is sealed. Our
friends We're evidently not informed of
our peri'ous situation in time to save US
Doubtless they would have been here by
this time if they had expected any consid-
cradle force of the enemy. Then
We must die
Three Ways of Being Killed.
He pointed out to them the three ways of
being killed-surrendering to the enemy and
being executed, making a rush through the
enemy's lines and getting shot before they
could inflict much damage, or of staying in
the Alamo ana holding out to the last,
making themselves into a huge and terrible
porcupine TO be swallowed by the Mexican
god of war. All the men save one adopted
the last plan with their colonel.
This minority was man named Rose.
L m not prepared to die, and shall not DO
so If | can avoid it He was some kind of
q doSSed philosopher. Perhaps he said:
What's the use?" There is a strange in
yerted courage in the manner in which he
faced his companions with this sudden and
snort refusal in the midst of general ex-
hibitiOn of supreme bravery mo" ne
said. He babe them adieu and climbed the
wall. Upon its top ne turned to look down
at the upturned faces of his silent COM
radeS.
After the battle there were 521 dead Next
cans mingled with the corpses of the
Texans
The Mexicans form a certain large part
of the population of'San Antonio Modern
inventions haze driven them toward the
suburbs, but they are still seen upon the
main streets IN the ratio of one to eight
ana IN their distant quarter of course they
swarm. A small percentage have reached
positions OF business eminence.
The men wear for the most part wide
brlmmed hats with peaked crowns, and
under these shelters appear their brown
faces and the inevitable cigarettes The re-
malnder of their apparel has become rather
Amerlcanized, but the hat Of romance is
sui superior Many of the young girls are
pretty, and all of the old ones are ugly.
lhese latter squat like clay images and the
mes upon their faces and especially about
the eyes make 1t appear as if they were al
| ways staring into the eye of a binding sun.
Food That is Hot When 1t is Cold.
Upon one of the plazas Mexican vendors
with open-air stands sell feed that tastes
exactly like pounded friedrich from hades
verde, frijoles. In the soft atmosphere of
the southern night the cheap glass bottles
Upon the stands shine like crystal and the
la mpS glow with tender radiance A hum
OF conversation ascends from the stro!linS
! visitors who are at their social shrine
The prairie about San Antonio is wrinkled
into long low hills, ike immense waves
ana upon them spreads q wilderness of the
persistent mesquite, a bush that grows in
defiance of everything. Some forty years
ago the mesquite first assailed the prairies
about the city, and now from various high
points 1t can be seen to extend to the ioin-
ing of earth and sky. The individual bush
es do not grow close together, and roads
| and bride paths cut through the dwarf
forest in all directions. 4 certain class of
Mexicans dwell In novels amid the mes
quite.
In the Mexican quarter of the town the
gambling houses are crowded nightly and
before the serene dea ers lie little stacks of
silver dollars. Mexican may not be able
to raise enough money to buy beef tea for
ms dying grandmother. but he can always
stake himself for a game of monte
upon hlllock of the prairie in the out
skirts of the city is situated the govern
ment military post, Fort Sam Houston
There are four beautiful yellow and blue
squadronS of cavalry. two beautiful red and
blue batteries of light artillery and six
beautiful white and blue companies of in
Iantry. Officers row resembles a collection
or Newport cottages. There are magniti-
cent lawns and gardens. The presence of
50 many officers of the line beside the COR
seous members of the staff of the com
hant quality to San Antonio society The
drills upon the wide parade ground make a
citizen proud.