The review. [volume] (High Point, N.C.) 1908-19??, 1914-03-19
Vivid Tales By a Real
"Old- Timer

And here is regular Indian story
of the southwest OF 90 years ago
gathered by Mr.. Wright from still
older O!d-timerS:
LAST STAND OF MEXICAN DRIVERS
In the summer of 1853 a freight.
ing train consisting of 81 men and
40 wagons started rom Mexico
across these plains for Independence
No., to purchase goods. The whole
outfit was in charge of an old Mexi'
can freigNter named Jesus M. Mar
tinez. They travelled along what is
known as the old Santa Fe trail and
every night corralIed their wagons
ard kept guards posted to give the
alarm if danger should approach in
the wav OF Indians, bandits or
prairie fires.
! .One evening they halted abcut
shutdown, formed the usual corral
and prepared to rest for the night.
They had observed Indians during
the day, but the sight of these child
rem OF the plains was no source Of
annoyance to them. as they had
never been troubled and had seen
no hostile manifestations. Some
time during the night the men who
were on watch observed objects not
fai from camp; the dogs commenced
making fuss, ana presently the
wa,chmen became suspicious and
arouse1 old man Martinez.
Martinez, after closely observing
through the darkness, came TO the
opinion that Indians were lurking
around, and that their intentions
were not good. He awoke some of
his men and they held a kind Of con-
sultaton as to the best course to
pursue, and finally decided to pre-
pare for the worst. They immediate
Iy commenced digging trenches and
preparing for defense. The objects
around them during all this time
seemed to grow more numerous
every moment, and finally could be
seen on all sides.
Tie MexiCans waited in; sus-
pense, having intrenched themselves
as we'll as possible in bitches and
behind piles of dirt. Finally, with
yells and shouts, as is always their
custom the Indians made dash up
on the camp from all sides. The
Mexi1arS received them like tue
martyrs, and being wei. toltitle> = hau
every advantage Their 81 guns
poured fatal balls into the yelling
enemy at every report. The H.
dams finally fell tack, and the Mex
cans then hoped tor deliveranIe; oct
it was like hoping against fate.
he next day the attack-Was re
neWed at intervals, and at each at
tack the M7xicans fought like de-
mons. For five days the siege con-
tinued, a few Of the Mexicans being
killed in the meantime and many
| Indians. During the time ,he Mexi-
cans had scarcely slept; but what
struck terror to their hearts was the
consciousness that their anmuni-
ton was nearly gone.
"On the sixth night the Indians
made more desperate attack than
before. They seemed crazei for
blood and vengeance for the chiefs
thew had already lost. AS long as
their ammunition lasted the Mexi-
cans continued their stern resistance,
but powder and lead was not like
the widows oil 1t steadily de-
creased until none was left. Then
their guns were still, and they were
Swallowed up like Pharaoh's hosts
in the Red sea by wild Cheyennes,
Arapahoes and kiowas.'
BY accident and good luck Mar
tinez escaped the massacre Hiding
| he train cash, about $4,000 (Mexi-
can) he got away to his old home.
| The buried treasure has never been
| found.
Our author lanents thus the
passing of one phenomenon of the
olden days.
WONDERFUL KANSAS MIRAGE BAN
lSHED
II | were gifted with descriptive
| powers, what . wonderful scenes
coulc relate of the mirage on the
plains OF Kansas. What grand
cities towering to the skies have |
seen, with their palaces and cathe-
drals and domed churches, with tall
towers and spires reaching almost
up to the clouds with the rlslng sun
Clustering upon them until they