The Washington herald., 1909-04-04

dared not build a FIRE. We suffered from
hunger and had 70 sleep on the bare
ground. When we arrived IN San An
tonic We went 10 the house OF Mr Ur-
ban, the richest man IN Texas He had
stopped with US a few years previously.
When he left Us all that he had in tta
world was wrapped In a red handkerchief,
which he carried on the end OF a stick
swung across his shoulder.
Although a Confederate sympathJzer.
he was German and was grateful 10 nv
father. He hid US in his house for several
days and then my father went through
the form Of an Official examination. He
told the authorities. at the suggestion OF
Mr.. Urban. that he was on his way TO
Mexico 20 buy quinine. The story was
palpably untrue. but We were permitted
TO go. We left San Antonio for the Rio
! Grande River in an open wagon. accom-
panied by Confederate officer. who. as J
now believe. was also getting out Of the
United States as quickly as he could
When We crossed the Mexican frontier
he cut the buttons from his coat and dis
appeared.
We we're met on the southern bank OF
the Rio Grande by an agent OF Mr.. Ur-
ban, whose business. in my opinion. was
70 take gold into Texas and 70 take cot
ton out. He had covered wagon. drawn
by four good mules. and an armed Mex
lean guard. \ Confederate colonel was
member OF his party. Our acausint-
ance with the colonel led US eventually
to settle in St Louis. We Travelled south
and east toward the city Of Monterey.
Robbers and Indians infested the cOun-
try. We proceeded. therefore. with great
caution. and were not allowed fires. A
| n nar
Ny father s4d I crept under a huge raw
hide. The sand soon covered Us. but We
almost perished.
The Christmas holidays were spent in
Monterey. I remember that the town
was fun Of beggars snd bull fights. The
strange scenery impressed me greatly.
especially the distant MOUNTAINS wrapped
in violet-cOlored haze. From Monterey
we drove 10 Matamoras. on the Rio
Grande, opposite Brownsville. in Texas
Besides the Confederate colonel. we were
accompanied by a handsome and accom-
plished Spaniard. with whom 1 soon be-
came infatuated. He was probably one
OF the men who had called Maximillian to
the Mexican throne. Anyway. he spoke
many languages. sung mellow songs
about the moonlight. and was the most
interesting person I had ever seen. As
we approached Matamoras couriers on
aided horses brought him messages. He
laughed no more. Then j looked and he
was gone. We never saw him again.
"A bandit chief was carrying things
With a high hand in Matamoras. We met
fugitive uncle of mine in the city and
a number Of our neighbors. one man
whom we knew had hoan shot 5saa -
the street by robbers. We lived in an
old warehouse, warming our hands over
little fire which we built In a soap box
half fun of sand Federal soldiers were
in Brownsville. across the river. 1 roved
over one morning and visited their camp.
When peered into the open tent Of Gen.
Z. J. Davis, the officer in command, he
asked II 7 were hungry.
You bet L am I said pretty emphat-
ically.
Gen. Davis gave me generous break
fast OF ham and eggs. It was the only
satisfactory meal had eaten since leav-
! ing home. II 1880 sixteen years after
ward. called on Gen. Davis in Chicago.
He was delegate-st-lsrge from Texas
to the Republican national convention.
I" I am the lanky and hungry boy you
fed az Brownsville ] told HIM. WI you.
I asked. give me a ticket to the conven-
tion?'
Il sat in a reserved seat and saw Ros-
coe Conkling, Eugese Hale, William P
Frye. George F. Hoar, BENJAMIN Harri-
son, Emory A. Storrs, Chester A. Arthur,
and John A Logan. Moreover, I head
James A. Garfield speak felt from the
first that he would be nominated for
President. For long time afterward