Year: 1877




About ten years ago, just after gradu.
alton Mt the Bellevue Medical college
and hospital Of New Yory city, through
the influence of important political
friends I got an appointment as assistant
surgeon in the United States navy. My
vessel was the North Star, connected
with the North Pacific squadron, and
was stationed then at Acapulco, the most
prominent seaport on the west coast OF
Mexico.


Hard study had somewhat impaired
my health, but as the disorder was not
constitutional, it was quite likely that
some travel and sea voyaging would en-
tirely restore my health.


No matter if person is poor in purse.
if he has a good education, and knows
well what he does know, and can use the
knowledge, with good morals and sound
health, he need not fear his abilities will
not be recognized, sooner or later (gen-
orally later), and patience will have n
sure reward


I got leave to spend month in
reaching my vessel. Therefore leisure
ly journeyed from Washington through
the Southern States to New Orleans. I
took steamer for Havana and Vera Cruz
From there I had to go across the coun
try to the city of Mexico, and thence to
Acapulco. wished to see as much of
the country as possible, so took passage
in carriage known as diligence. He
soon found it was not as diligsnt rs
could be wished. Our road led across
the mountains and plains, following
nearly the same track as was pursued by
the American army in our war with that
country just thirty years ago.


Our party was composed of Senor
Juan Aka, a rich merchant of the capi-
tai, the Sonora and Senorita Aka, all of
whom had been to Havana on u trip of
pleasure and profit; Mons. Julius Per-
chawal, portrait PALMER going to exc
cute commission from some rich alcaid
of the interior, who wished to have his
wife painted for once by some other hand
than her maids; myself, besides one,
and-how shall I describe her ?-she,
the most beautiful woman I have ever
seen, and I've been around the world
twice, and I've known it's seven capital
cities, beginning with Paris and ending
with Chicago. She was Il creole, and
gave her name as Marguerite.


Our poor artist fell dead in love with
her at first sight, and she slightly en-
couraged him, too, and that with
woman's tact. Even Don Alka's surli-
ness of manner was softened by her
presence. The ladies in his train re-
garded her with that covert suspicion
ever shown by one lovely woman of an
other.


AS for myself, / stole furtive glances at
her, but really felt no other sentiment
than would i'll seeing perfect statue, n
peerless painting, an Illinois sunset, or
Seneca lake some moonlight summer
night. | afterward learned that this
Zone fair woman was born in Louisi-
ana and educated in Paris. She seemed
to be well informed on any interesting
subject, and in her low, sweet tones dis
coursed volubly in either French, Spanish
or English. We were already very
merry party as our dirty "greaser
driver cracked his long, cruel whip over
his half fed mules, and we rolled away
from our inn, La Guava, opposite the
plaza, OF public square.


Our mescorted young lady seemed to
be well acquainted with the road. She
pointed out many places as having some
peculiar interest. But the most fre-
quented spots of Importance were the lit
tie stone crosses stuck up by the road
side, which told where unlucky travellers
had been robbed and murdered by
brigands. These memorials presented
themselves with too startling frequency.
[ don't doubt that each of us had grave
Gears of these gentry, but every one
seemed to be too brave, or, rather, too
courteous, to mention them. However,
our lovely entertainer first mentioned the
subject Her treating it in a very flip
pant manner soon placed the whole of us
in the very best of spirits, and we
laughed lightly about what might be
bloody scene for us also. Our "rare,
pale Marguerite" turned her large and
lustrous black eyes full upon each of us,
and we were separately questioned as to
what we would do if attacked by the
robbers. All of us pro-
posed some plan.


Our painter gallantly said he would
defend her; he had a brace of pistols;
and could use them with deadly effect.
The merchant said he was unarmed; he
thought non-resistance was best. He
had but little money with him any way;
he never travelled with more than was
necessary for expenses-a very good plan
indeed. The ladies', of course, were nom
combative.


1 believe 1 said something about that
we three men ought to jump out of our
carriage, catch the villains by the napes
,f their necks, drag them to some horse
,opd and half drovn tber, and Lna,, ~, |