The St. Mary banner. (Franklin, Parish of St. Mary, La.) 1889-1931, 1909-02-13
Sc Go

When the drawing was ended,
those who drew the white beans were
handcuffed and led away to their
speedier death. The others were
conducted back to the Jail, confined
IN separate cells, and left to the fate
accorded to them by the decree of
the court
But outside of the file of soldiers
there was one unexpected witness to
the enactment Of this murde rous de-
cree.
The alcalde's daughter Senorita
Carlotta de Bonita was awakened
at midnight by the noise of misstep
made by her father, as he passed her
door. Being of courageous nature,
and now suspicious of evil intent to-
ward the Americans, she rose from
her bed, hastily put on a wrapper
and shawl of dark colors, and fol-
lowed cautiously in his footsteps to
the castle gate, and thence to the
plaza. Here she found a secure hid
ing place behind the trunk of a huge
magnolia, within twenty feet of the
outer rank of soldiers, and not more
than thirty feet from and directly
| branches of the tree cast such a shad-
ow about the trunk that she had no
fear of discovery.
Here she listened and heard all
that was spoken by the alcalde and
the officer in command of the SOL
diers.
She had witnessed the triumphant
entry of the victorious Mexican troops
with their squad of twenty Ameri-
cans, and had remarked one of the
captives in particular. This one was
the captain of the Texan Rangers.
Her awakened interest prompted
her to intercede with her father, the
alcalde, in behalf of the unfortunate
| prisoners.
She likewise prevailed upon the
| jailer to admit her occasionally to
| the prison; and, though always in
the jailer's presence, many pleasant
| interviews were had between the cap
tain of the Rangers and the alcalde's
| daughter, and many baskets of fruit
and other delicacies of the season, not
included in prison fare, found tLeir
way through the doors Of the Jail for
the captive Texans.
But, although Carlotta succeeded
in alleviating the loneliness of prison
| life, and added much to the comfort
feeling of more than friendship in
| the heart of Captain Hallowell, she
failed utterly in her attempt to save
| the life of the prisoners, or to exact
| promise from her father that their
punishment should be mitigated
Hence, she followed her father
that night to tho plaza, anxious to
| know the fate of the imprisoned
Americans, and determined to save
| the life Of at least their captain, If it
was possible of accomplishment. For
the dark skinned senorita had let
her heart warm in it's interest for the
handsome Tennesseean more and
more within the one shor. week of
their acquaintance.
Her heart sank when she heard
her father pronounce the decree of
death, and she could scarcely restrain
a cry of dismay when she knew that
the young captain had drawn black
bean.
She started from her place of con-
cealment, and rushed almost to the
edge of the friendly shade of the
overhanging branches of the mag
nola, with the intention of breaking
through the sncircling soldiery and
pleading in their presence for his life.
But she checked her footsteps ere
she was discovered, and retreated
again to the secure protection of the
tree trunk.
After the plaza was cleared OF its
occupants, she returned to the house
and retired to her room.
The night waned; morning dawned
bright and beautiful, but no sleep
came to her eyes.
The private grounds of the alcalde
extended through rough and rocky
wooded height, to the very walls OF
the castle like building used for
jail The senorita dressed herself
early in the morning, and started out,
unattended for the prison.
She knew not what she expected
to accomplishments nothing but an
understandable desire to proceed
thither. She intended to see the
keeper, but had no definite plan laid
out for the liberation of the captives.
She reached the edge of the woods on
an unfrequented side Of the old
building and as she emerged she
raised her eyes to the gloomy walls
and frowning battlements.
She could not REDRESS an eXclama-