The Savannah morning news., 1900-08-25

beaten, and fleeing left the country, Thus
the dawn of modern Mexico began. A
man with vast and Napoleonic plans had
begun to build new national edifice,
a statesman who had no fear of Ameri-
can invasion, the friend of Grant and an
encourager of railways.
1t was as has been said, some two years
before the restorer of order took Mexico
in hand THAI "Col." Marion became the
de facto owner of the ancient city house
of the Alendes. Querendaro was a long
way from the federal capital; times wers
doubtful he had been a power in his
region and had shown that he could
raise troops and command them to good
purpose, and so his predatory tastes had
to be overlooked by men a the capital.
1t was no time to bother about a fighting
genteman's peccadilloes.
The occupancy of the old house by the
guerilla chieftain was characterized by
prodigal expenditure, much cock fight
ing on Sunday afternoons and high gam
ing. Awful tales were told of people in
weighed there, who were tortured into
sending letters TO heir friends in distant
places demanding large sums of money
for some unmentioned purpose. One party
in the city said these were high players
who had to S nd home for money to meet
debts of honor but the few Mochos, or
Clerical party men still alive whispered
that Col. Marion was no Republican Of
fl err but an out-and-out scoundrel They
only whispered this statement in the pri-
vacy of their own houses and with the
d-ors barred But Marion carried himself
with a high head he rode abroad with
his bodyguard of friends all armed to the
teeth, and nobody liked to talk of his
doings He had become possessed of all
the bakeries and meat shops Of the city,
leased them to enterprfsing north-country
Spani ards or 10 natives of a business turn
of mind, and so had a comfortable month
w income of fully 81. 600. Thus. with extra
income derived from queer sources, he
could live In the Style becoming a gen
tleman and support his henchmen quite
like an old-time feudal baron, and just
as respectfully. In fact, this type of
strong INSCRIPTIONS and resolute men
uaralleed, in the times spoken of the
powers of William the Conqueror; might
makes right till lawyers and notaries
come along with red sealing wax much
tape and stiff parchments. You have got
to begin somewhere and somehow, Fam
lilies of the arlstocracy begin like the
Duke OF ArgylI's race by killing off trou-
Bile property holders and Selling
what they have.
The house was ample. like all old-fash-
toned Mexican houses, built on broad and
generous principles, and suited to the pa
triarcha life of the people. Fifty guests
could easily be accommodated there, and
in the palmy days of the Alendes they
entertained in baronial style. Marion.
their successor, was lavish in his hospi-
talitv. Nobody outside of his following
lived there; he was a woman hater and
allowed none of the gentler ~ax on the
PREMISES His cooks were devoted follow
ers. They would not be tempted to poison
him.
No one exactly knows what went on in
The house and it's great gardens and en-
walled orchards There were high jinks,"
much feasting, gambling and pistol prac-
tice Occasionally strangers, apparently
well-to-do went to the house and popu-
lar rumor ran that they did not always
come QUE again The Marion tenure last
"a from 1874 till 1890. Then the Colonel,
hstno old and worn with excitement and
mos, Of all, with high living, fell III and
HE shirt departed 20 unknown regions.
the Mochos, who were unsympatheic,
said he had gone to hell, But as he had
,screlv lived rs other able men had done
a. many periods OF the worlds history
and rave OF his substance 20 the poor at
su times we may cherish she hope that
10 Jared as well az any feudal baron,
A keen and prosperous lawyer named
non Nicholas Yademoro, about " years