The Republican journal., 1916-02-24

tee was formed, composed of the best
citizens of the town, and few days be
fore our arrival in San Antonio they ha
captured and hung to trees in the out
skirts five of these desperadoes. 500
after our arrival Hart, the leader, was 10
Gated in the adobe house of Mexican
woman just outside the town, and it wa
surrounded by the vigilants. Two o
them broke in the door and entered
Hart shot one dead and seriously wound
ed the other, but despite his wound hi
emptied bis six-shooter into Hart ant
then got hold of shot gun and put tive
charges of buckshot into him. Although
literally shot to pieces Hart lived for ar
hour afterward. Two of his band who
tried to escape by the back door were
shot down. The wounded vigilant re-
covered. An exodus of undesirable citi-
zens,, followed, but even then it was best
to take the middle of the street when
going abroad at night, and to have your
revolver in your hand, or readily at hand,
and everybody went armed, day or night,
as matter of course.
The army headquarters were in new
two-story building of limestone. The
first floor was occupied as storehouse
by the quartermaster, and the second
floor. access to which was by an outside
stairway, by the various offices. In one
corner were the offices of Gen. David E..
Twiggs, commander of the department,
large man of forceful presence, usual
ly seen in civilian dress. An L contain
ed offices opening from gallery, and at
the extreme end was the Office of Pay
master Prince-just large enough to con-
tain a safe aud the necessary desks,
tables and chairs. In a smaller room
opening from it was bed, where l slept
for time as guardia., of Uncle Sam s
cash. Later | had bachelor quarters in
two-room house-one room with fire.
place, combined sleeping and sitting
room, and the other used for storage and
by the colored man who cared for the
premises and performed such other ser
vices as he was called upon to do. That
was the way of bachelor living. You
could rent house of one, two or as
many rooms as you desired and take your
meals outside. l was fortunate in being
admitted to the household of lady from
fob loE g.
nothing to be desired.
San Antonio was certainly pictur-
esque place in those days, and the
strange scenes and sights naturally APP
pealed to youngster from way down
east. Then the climate. For weeks,
yes months, there would not be cloud
in the sky, and it was the bluest sky
have ever seen-almost an indigo blue
and the moonlight was so bright that you
could read the finest print by it. There
was no dew, and no mosquitoes; but
fieas-they were everywhere. Then
there were scorpions and centipedes,
though the latter were not common, and
that is also true of tarantulas. Outside
the town you had to reckon with rattle
snakes.
The days were hot; but after sunset
there was a never-failing breeze from
the Gulf and the evenings were delight
full. Business was practically suspend
ed during the hottest part of the day,
when everybody took siesta in ham,
mocks on a shady veranda or under the
trees. The store doors would be partly
closed and the clerks get into hammocks
hung inside.
You may have heard of a Texas
"norther," and | distinctly recall my
| first experience of one. 1t followed, as
usual, very hot day. was in the Of
flee with doors and windows open, with.
out coat or vest, and otherwise very
lightly clad, when I saw the branches of
the big pecan tree in the yard were vio-
lently agitated and the air was filled
with dead leaves whirling about. had
been Warned and knew what was coming.
Closing the doors and windows l started
on the run for my domicile, fortunately
not far distant; but was thoroughly chill
ed before reached it by the sudden fall
in temperature. / soon had a fire OF
mesquite wood blazing in the fireplace
and got into what would have been win
ter clothing in Maine, and was none toe
warm. The wind blew a gale, and il
soon began to rain, and then to hail. The
largest hailstones were about the size oil
ounce bullets, and venturing just outside
the door, protected by an umbrella,
picked up about pint of them, that
might have a drink of ice water. A
norther dies out the third day and the
Temperature returns to normal. Tha
was the only norther I experienced il
San Antonio, but some years later
went through another in the northern
part of the State.
Two rivers wind through San Antonio
flowing from living springs only shor
distance beyond the suburbs. Zone, thu
San Antonio, boils in vast volume from
rocky basin, which, environed by moss.
stones and overhanging foliage seems de
signed as the especial dwelling place o