The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1900-08-22
The DEATH CHAMBER.
A strruge but True Tale.
BY Frederick r. Guernsey.

Q By Frederick Il. Guernsey. q
Seo oooo oooo @ooooo oaeo oeS
There used to be, perhaps 1t still
stands, al old hacienda house down In
the state Of Guerrero which, for many
years. held an evil repute as place of
sudden and inexplicable death.
The state is now undergoing the
process so familiar in Mexico, known
rs Opening up by railway construc-
ton. Few people used to go down into
that region of heat and mystery; few
came up from it to the capital city,
for intercourse was difficult, matter
of stage riding over mountain roads
literally strewn with rocks, or else, in
the lower country, deep with dust in
the autumn and winter and, later on, as
the rainy season advanced, there was
mud-mud up to the bellies Of the
horses. To many parts Of the state
one had to go on horse, or, better, on
mule back. There Is no beast as safe
as @ mule, except for the fallen rider,
to whom the unholy hybrid, before
boiling, stops to administer parting
kick.
The house I have mentioned was on
q large tropical estate devoted to sugar
cane. out Of which much aguardiente
was made, and to various hot country
products Of local consumption, for the
bad roads placed q prohibitory charge
on transportation. You approached the
house through great fields green with
the cane, over O road which, though q
private way, was none of the best, and
finally you reached an avenue OF orange
and pepper trees and saw near at hand
the low, one story white stone house
and the plantation buildings, stables,
sugar mill, poems quarters, etc. Back
Of the house rose q fringe Of lofty
palms. whose clash during gale was
as Of the sails of windmills allowed to
run ut will. The house seemed so calm
and cool and wholly delightful The
traveller. weary Of the long ride, gazed
with delight on the whiteness, palm
In desert Of binding sunshine. It
gave promise Of rest for man and beast,
of cool water and rural plenty.
Such was the haciendn Of valverde.
The saints In heaven know that 1t was
o pleasant looking place. Don Diego
Prado and Maria Naranjo. his wife,
were a quiet, hospitable couple Of 45
and 40 years respectively with sever
al children grown to q companionable
age which means much In such soli-
tary place.
dc; they Drought the ne--s Of the oHteg
world, and months after the!r depart
ure their peculilritles Of face and. fig
ure. dress and gesture, even their
quaintnesses c1 speech, were subjects
for conversat' on over the dinner table,
or when tf, family gathered In the
inner patio for an evening chat, the
master Of the house TRANQUILITY smok-
ing-a large, good natured man, quiet
for lack Of themes to set his tongue
a-going. Maria Naranto was voluble,
fond OF company. and enthusiastically
hospitable; 80 much SO that Don Diego
used to say that she. would welcome
blind mule gone astray on the roads.
There were several guestr0oms, usu-
ally furnished with: the proper and
decent simplicity oe the hot country
cot beds with just the canvas to lie
on thick "frazadaB'' for TIE cool nights,
as 1t is often very chilly Ia the TERRA
calienta after the sun goes down and
night advances, chair or two, a.
bureau and small German looking
glass warranted to make one wish he
had never contemplated his features
therein. One could hardly use the
glass for shaving without danger of
cutting of an ear. The floors OF broad
red tiles. unglazed: the walls white
washed 80 you could see, even with the
Feeble light o: q candle, if 4here was
a scorpion Crawling about. suggesting
now now inscrutable are the DEGREES OF
Allah who embodles one. intelligence
IN horrid. creeping thing, and anoth-
er In that strange blped, man, that is
as god walking the earth, and, as
we all know, always and everywhere
me glory and Justification Of the im-
Mense time given to his evolution.
The room of honor for distinguished |
people was large one with two iron
grated windows looking out on q large
courtyard and a door which you closed
al night, and then placed across 1t, the
ends resting In each its hole, great
oeam for perfect security against in
uuders There were at least six chairs
VI Austrian bent wood, light colored,
TWO OF them comfortable ''mecedores,"
Or rocking chairs, ana there was even
q sofa Of the same material, one Of the
nnest products OF human Ingenuity.
Inc bed was q masterpiece Of brass,
WIN great canopy surmounied by
- a. Z