The National tribune., 1901-04-18

started for WebberYille, hungry, drenched
and SO benumbed as to be scarcely able
to walk. 1t was five miles into town, but
| one mile of that distance stretched over O
quagmire known and described in that
section as "HelPs Half Acre." and the
| truthful inhabitants of Webberyille re,
lated Of this delectable ground that dur
ing the rainy season its powers of absorp-
| ton were SO great that it would even re-
tain the gigantic Texan mosquito, should
! it happen to take a seat there.
The bog was impossible to the travel
ers, who finally bartered with the owners
| of hog-wagon to be carried over the
| marsh for silver half dollar each. This
was far better than remaining on the
other side, and they finally trudged into
| town more dead than alive.
Fortunately for the detectives, the
| brother OF ex-Gov. Lubbock, OF Texas,
| was one of the party, and as they had
common misery will quickly make trav-
elers, he took my son and Heating TO
the residence of Col. Banks, a merchant
OF Webberville, whose good wife provided
the party with a splendid meal, some
thing with which to wash 1t down, and
beds which seemed to them all to have
been composed Of down.
After good rest the passengers for
Austin were got together and the situa-
ton explained to them.
The creek the other side of WebberTille
was a mighty river. The driver thought
he could possibly get the stage across,
but was certain he could not do so with
drag more heavily; but he thought that il
once on the other side, they might get
to Austin the same day. William was
anxious to push ahead, and looking about
town discovered a rather venturesome
negro who owned a monstrous mule, and
at aTNT rad 1FNfn fanfa . u
him for the transfer of the party and
baggage, sink or swim.
When the stage arrived at the creek
the baggage was unloaded, and the stage
successfully forded the stream. But as
the water covered SO broad an eXpanse,
was so deep and rapid, and altogether
presented such a forbidding appearance.
the passengers refused to try the mule
experiment, unless William, who had
proposed the mode of transfer, and had
secured the novel ferry, which stood with
the grinning negro upon its back ready for
passengers, would first cross the Rubicon
to demonstrate the convenience and safe
ty of the passage. So, handing the
Captain one of the yalises, he mounted
the mule, which after few whirls, a lit
tie 'bucking," several suspicious sidewise
movements, and shouted "Ya-a-oop, da,
Dani-el.-don quit dis heyah foolishnessp'
plunged into the current without further
ceremony.
The passengers saw that Daniel and his
master were up to a thing or two in that
section of the country; and after seeing
Kcating cross the stream in safety also,
they one by one yentured upon the trans
fer which was finished without accident,
but with q good deal OF merriment; and
| the colored clown, paid even beyond his
| contract price, the stage was enabled to
| go numbering on to Austin, where II ar
rived at a late hour of the same day. r
In Austin-though the seat of the State
Government and the headquarters of the
Military Department of Texas, full OF leg
| islators, lobbyists, officers and soldiers,
everything had the appearance Of having
! been through q washing that had lasted
an age, and had been prematurely wrung
out to dry, but had been caught on the
| lines by an eternal rainy day.
The very first man my son met In tha
Office of the hotel the next morning was
member Of the Legislature from Baxar
| County, who. hearing his inquiries Of the
| Clerk concerning Taylor, informed him
/ that he had been introduced to him In
San Antonio few weeks previous; that
he was in company with much younger
man. whom he represented as his brother
and that he had ostensibly come to San
Antonio TO make some inquiries concern
ing the hide and wool trade; but whether
with an idea Of settling at that point, OF
whether he could yet be found in San An.
tonic. he was unable to state.
In any event, this was cheering news;
for It assured my detectives that their
long and weary search would not prove
unayailing; and William directed Keat.
| ing to make himself useful about the
different hotels and hide and stock dealers
AS 1t 10 a detectives business to work
all the time. and the slightest cessation
of vigilance after the beginning of an Cd.
| GRAFTON might at the most unexpected mo-
ment cause the beginning of a series of
circumstances eventually permitting a
criminals escape-whiie he himself
| sought out Gen: Potter. who escorted him
| to Gen. Canby's headquarters, where he
was most cordially received, and not only