The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1901-06-15

was NOT lonS DeIore could hear them
crashing their teeth. l knew that the
bull could not run long and l felt pretty
sure l could whip whole pack of wolves
If l could get hold of club.
1T is likely that the bull would have
| fallen on the prairie from exhaustion
and the wolves would have devoured us
before we could have released ourselves
had it not been that the bull had run
back directly over the trail the Indians
had made. Animal instinct led him back
to the locality from which he had been
taken, and he ran right into a column
of settlers who were pursuing the In
dams. Sallie saw the horsemen, and when
she began to scream her father who was
in command of the pursuing party, recog-
4 niZed her voice. The bull, being nearly
exhausted. was easily captured.
Il don't think that I told Sallie that
loved her while we were on the back of
that bull, but l did fall On love with her
while the arrows were falling about us.
Not long after we were married"
A 14-Yenr-OId in Battle.
When the captains audience had re-
gained their breath the old fellow told
how he happened to get into the battle
of San Jacinto when he was only four
teen years old. II was blowing a piece
of new ground" said he when a
stranger came elong the road and told
me that the Mexicans had taken the
Alama and were swarming over the
prairies. Without going to the house to
bid the folks good-by, l mounted the old
gray horse that was hitched to the plow
and galloped away to join General Sam
Houstbn's army l soon fell in with
company of young men from my neighbour
hood, commanded by Captain Bird. The
captain advised me to go back home;
hot I 70 4ba
hardships of a campaign, but begged so
hard that he allowed ME to join the COM
pany as a driver of pack mules. AS soon
as the firing began at the battle of San
JacGnto l tied his mules to tree and
galloped to the firing line arriving the
just as the Mexicans were giving away
l Joined in the pursuit, and at night re-
turned to camp driving two prisoners in
front of me- General Houston compH-
mented me. / got the first pair of shoes
that ever had on my feet from Next
can officer on the field of San Jacinto
GambIed for Liberty.
Yes" continued the old man, II have
been in some pretty close places. think
my hair turned white at the hacienda del
Salado, where we, the prisoners of Mier,
drew for life or death. One hundred and
seventy of us were on the road to the
dungeons of Perote under a strong guard
When We discovered that the Mexicans
intended to violate the conditions of the
surrender we threw ourselves upon a COM
pany of Dragons and endorsed and dis
armed them Mounting the horses of our
former guards. we galloped out of the
gates of the hacienda del Salado and fed
to the mountains. If we had kept the
main highway we might have defed the
whole Mexican army, but unfortunately
Scattprp1 n hn
soon lost Famished and dying of thirst,
we were in no condition to defend our
serves, and when we encountered a force
OF Mexican cavalry we were compelled to
surrender Santa Ana ordered every
tenth man to be shot. We were drawn
up In the Place of the hacienda and told
of our fate. A cruel and temorseless
Mexican officer appeared with an eathern
jar containing bean for each prisoner
Every tenth one of them was a black
one. Captain Cameron, a brave Scot. was
the hrst to draw, and he drew life, but
Santa Ana had him shot the next day.
That was the most solemn scene that I
ever witnessed. Hardly word was
spoken The brave fellows advanced to
the jar and drew for life or death i'm 81
lence. Whenever a poor fellow drew
black bean he turned to his comrades
and whispered messages to loved ones
at nome, ana then with a firm step Joined
the ranks of the doomed. We saw the
hopeless men marched away and heard
the firing that ended their careers We
were informed that the Mexicans strip-
ped them naked and burned their bodies
! and others who drew white beans were
sent to the City of Mexico, where we
were kept in prison for several years
Santa Anas wife, on her deathbed. made
the cruel monster promise to return
the prisoners of Mier to Texas. ONLY
two of them are alive now-myself and
an old man who lives In Diano county
Bigfoot Wallace was one Of the prisoners
isis Life the stake at Cards.
II have often been badly scared and
1t is my opinion that the man who saws
he never felt fear Is first-class Har
ON one occasion / think my heart stood
still for several seconds. I had been cap
tured by band Of Comancbes under the
notorious old chief, Lost Day. This In
dian was "a great drunkard and gambler.
and something Of humorist. had often
played cards with him at the frontier
when the whites and Comanches were
on good terms. While we were riding
along the trail Lost Day proposed a game
OF cards, and since I had nothing TO bet
he suggested that to make the game in
teresting ! should stake my life. ! ac-
Ccpted the proposition, ana we halted
and spread O deerskin out under the
shade Of a tree The warriors gathered
about us. and we began playing the des-
perate game. The rascal was very lucky
and / began to get nervous in spite Of
every effort. The Indians noticed my
fright and many OF them laughed. The
final game stood 6 10 6 and It was my
deal. We were playing points. dealt
the cards and was about TO turn trump
when / felt that my heart had ceased
10 beat My life depended upon that card
II could only turn a Jack ] would be
saved. Breathless and specifies, mana
ged to reverse the card. and / heard
Lost Days grunt Of disappointment.
was too blind TO see that had turned
a Jack and saved my life.
Fought Ten Apncbes.
zone time / fought ten Apaches single
handed The Indians attacked n man
named Walker and myself while we were
driving across the pnairio IN a wagon. We
saw tho Indians coming. and tried 10
reach a point Of timber about n mile
away Walker sat IN tho bind part OF the
wagon. and when me Indians came with
In range he fired ana Killed one The next
instant an arrow struck Wlikrr in the
right arm. and he dropped his pistol out
OF the wagon The horees were fairly
nylng over the prairie. The Indians we're