Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1905-05-01
DAILY SHORT STORY
a MEXICAN ADVENTURE.
lOriginal.l

gave me the IOIIOWlnS account "a HiS
experience in Mexico:
After my entrance into the army
served on the SpaniRNrontier. where
| picked up a knowledge Of the Span
ish language From there l went with
nv regiment 10 Mexico, where our
troops were supporting Macmillan.
After his capture by the French l en-
gagged in a desperate plot 10 effect his
escape, bur we failed, were arrested
and put in prison TO await either being
garroted or shot The night before we
were to be executed the officer in com
mand came into the room where we
were confined and asked if any of US
spoke Spanish Three of us responded.
Then he asked us if we were Greek
scholars l alone replied in the attirma-
tive. ! was taken out of the room ana
was the only one of my comrades who
was not shot the next morning
The commandment took me TO his colo
mel, who told me that be wished for a
tutor in Greek for his son, who was
preparing for college, and asked me II
| was competent TO I'LL the position.
was not "A proficient Greek scholar, but
of course did not throw away a chance
for my life. l undertook the work
and was promised that if l succeeded
l would be permitted to return TO
France The colonel then sent me TO
his hacienda in the province of Tamau-
lipas, first providing me with permit
TO remain there signed by General
JuareZ himself.
My pupil, boy OF sixteen, and his
sister. two or three years his senior.
were on the veranda when l was driv-
en- up to the house. They knew my
story. and the boy regarded me with
keen interest AS for the girl. ii was
far more than this. A great sympathy
welled up in her lustrous Spanish eyes.
| shuddered. for | knew that | could
not live near her without loving her.
and To love her meant to me a return
to the death / had so narrowly es
capped
People of Spanish blood have always
been careful of their young girls, but
there Is no degree of watchfulness that
would have prevented the stolen meet
ings between Donna Anita and me.
Both understood that we were on the
brink Of u volcano. But danger only
strengthens love, and we passed the
quicker for IT from one degree to an
other Then when we both knew and
acknowledged that we were necessary
to each other we were ready to run any
risk rather than be separated. We dare
not ask Anitas fathers consent to our
union. for, if refused-and refusal was
almost certain-my life would pay for
our rashnesS. We must make an at
tempt at flight. Failure in this also
meant death TO me. though / regarded
the chances more in my favor. That
we agreed to take even this risk can
only tie explained under the theory that
love is stronger than the fear of death.
The hacienda was situated 100 miles
south OF the Texas border and thirty
five miles west of the gulf of Mexico
| chose the shorter line. A Frenchman
TO he travelling with q young girl at
that day would at once excite suspi-
ciOn: therefore | decided that Anita
must go as a boy. ApprOpriating a suit
Of her brothers, she left her room one
night after the lights were out and met
me at the stable. | had her own horse
already saddled and one for myself.
Leading our nags under the shadow of
a hedge to the gate, we mounted and
rode away.
Before Us was happiness, behind us
death. The risk We ran made the ex-
element keen as the edge of a scimi-
ter, and TO me not unmixed with a sen
satiOn of pleasure. Fortunately Anita
was as much at home on her horse as
OH foot. We made the first ten miles
in less than an hour and the next ten
In an hour aud u half. At / 80 in the
morning we stopped TO rest our horses
and water them at Il stream. l dared
not attempt to use them further for an
hour. when we started again. We
made the next ten miles by 4:3O, and
the day da wned. We were within few
miles of the coast when we passed u
band of Mexican guerrillas encamped
beside the road. They called on us to
return, and ! considered the better
chance for us TO obey. Their com
mander questioned me, and, assuming
to he indignant pulled out my permit
and, pointing to the name of JuareZ,
threatened the man with dire cOnse-
quences IL he detained me. Without
waiting for him TO read the document
we rode on, leaving him In the road
looking at us wonderingly.
In half an hour we reached the coast,
and ! set about securing a craft on
which to reach Brownville. the nearest
point in Texas. Our departure must
he by this time discovered, and one
party of pursuers al least would make
for the coast. In a couple OF hours we
must be afiOat or captured. There was
but one craft in sight-a fishing smack
some two miles out. Fortunately /
found a boat and pulled out to her. l
told the owner that l was anxious to
get to Brownville ON important bust
ness for General JusreZ, whose magic
name showed him on my permit,
offering the man a large sum for the
use of his smack. A fter much delay he
consented. pulled me ashore, took in
Anita and provisions and pulled back
10 the smack and set sail When far