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Thcy had kept
up to this time,
to :lll'0l‘(.l him any further edumition.
the age of . . teen, he found it iiece.
to earn his own living. .
Dick was not the oldest of the family
him aia good school
A
,.
leit school there hail been ii good deal o
discussion as to what could he found fo
his nephew a chance to
and perhaps get fit‘
the cattle.
“I will ,
and all your ex c ,s, .
“iuiil that is twice its iliticli itstl got
inn
give vou thirty dollars it u
use "In ot ilr 4:.
when
dist started in this liusinc
I lizivc
iii i yOllI)&lItiV’t'.
I‘ l.'(!lt'Ll,lI.lI(ly0llWIl ,
cinny. if you are not lIII'ul(l oi wor .
a and man hood in him
iiess of his uncle's letter, and he fe
sure tlizit
wild, ex
ng
adventurous iiinev, d above all,
of his hands.
clined to look so favorzihly upon tli
And so Du ind come to Texas
The .ii -coacli, which hail
him iroiii Austin, the capital, then tli
journey inust ho niadcon horseback, an
as his uncle had proiiiised to send
guide
Dick was naturally iin patient to arrive.
the Salad’), the stage went up it
looking down from this olevaiion, I)
who had taken ‘out lwsiilc the lll t
while they u'ci'cstiippiiig for wzitcr at lli
five or six miles away.
At this distance, the grciit coinini
centre of Western
what lik a large
“ York State"
civ
c xcopt ll ir tli
wood in the hroad hind:-i.
and the liciuitiful, olcar Iiliio rlv
s 'klcrl in the. ziiit 'soi' llioscttiii
sun likc ll stream of li]1>lli‘ll silvor.
the city, it was straiigc onough to him.
appmiti-,lii-,il, “Ill road was over ii .-iiii
sion of gt-iitli: hills, tho last of ivh
thvy wcro iiowi rs ' o th4- llIil’ll
a grarliiallv-i
ond, wits nothing
oiiu vast e-.xteiitoi'opcii prairie, 'u
when he qiicstioiii-d tho rim-,r
unhrokon ll‘VI‘$l strotclicil away for
9 .
Driving down the long slope of tli
had been times when his father would
have found it hard to get along but for
the aid he hail received from “Uncle
Nelson,” for Dick's parents were poor
and had a large family of children to
but they were not alile
t
Y
His hrother Johii,wl.io was eighteen, had
heen at work for a year, as clerk in a
grocers store; hut Dick did not fancy
that kind of ciiiployniont, and when he ‘
r
him to do. The question was settled by
a letter from Uncle Nelson, who oilcred
earn his living,
. ,iii time, it‘ he chose
to come down to Texas and work among
, ii [was .
niade it good
llntl ht! noboily‘s i
on win he
Dick was not afraid of work, and he
privately held the opinion that there was
I of rit
lie hclieved tlliiitlie could live among
the “cow-boys“ and be true to the
(‘.hristian teachings of his good mother.
He liked the honest, ouirspoken blunt-
e should like the writer. The ,
life of the Texas prairies, l
as he had licard it described, suited his
was very positive that he should like to
got thirty dollars a month i'or the labor
His paroiits, at lirst, had not been iii-
lan, but alter much consiilcration, they
liad tinallydccidcd to give their consent.
' brought
limit of railroad travel in that dircction,
was now 1l.[’Yp)‘0iI(3llll1g San Antonio
Froin this place, the remainder of the ,
d
and a lioi-so to meet him there,
At last, alter crossing a small river, or
crcek,wliich one ofthe passengcmciillcil
liill, am
crcek, lielicld the city of San Aiilviiilt), l
ial
s l()'Il-Cell some-
i-ziigiiiiiii or
lack of SlI2ll,l(.'-CI‘0l‘S; ‘tor tlicrc was little ,
ape which Dick
clins aml towering piiios, m.iilc little ac- .
count of the cvoi'gri-oiis and shrulihcry
which adorned the gardens in the out-
skirisof the city: hut ho tlioiiglit thcrc ,
whoii Iii:-i i-yo-4 took in tho viow livyoiid
(hi the mist Nllli", train which tho stage ‘
s- Iii:-k‘s companion spoke a few worils
id hick,
- ti. illiriliill
how far the ])l':tli‘ll‘.H rczialioil, was I'lllllHl'
astunislioil tolic told that l.l)L‘HlIlll(‘gl‘1'.l'Il, l
hundred and titty miles to the Gulf of
M '
l hill, the stage passed through a stretch
; otcliapparai, the road hcing closed in on
‘either hand by inipeiietrahle walls of
thornv mes uit bushes.
. - ‘1. . . .
Aitcr leaving this behind, they rapid-
ly Llrcw near the city ant ‘ .
foiiiid hiinself pa lIl.(,l.lil'0lIj.’,‘ll streets
which had no look oi" l':iiiiilizirity to him.
In the outskirts of the city were lliltuly
fine modern dwellings and nc-.it little
, cottages oi’ crcainy-white limestone-not
1 to speak of the never- ling Aiiicriczui
white-painted i'riiin<i house, with greeii
l)llllllS; hut. getting into the olderptown,
these well-kept houses were mingle
with the little thatclicd adobe huts, or
“jll(:ls'.iIlS," of the poorer Mexican peo-
ple-the “gi'casers"-for ic ' ncver
licard them called aiiytliiiiag else.
Groups or hrowii, hiircihot boys and
girls . nod in front of these Mexican
iv linus to watch the stage go by, and
SiVi1[‘llIynlilel'], in jackets and leather
brecclies, sat sinokim; at the doors.
Now and then, ii black-liaired woman
was seen cooking over a little fire, out of
doors, or 21 group of them, washing at
the ditches of clear, ruiining water-
czillcd “aceqiii:is"-wliicli still remain
X‘
i‘
‘"1 5" 1"" -“'!“.“ ‘ "‘V,lr'.-i"” to prove the value oi" the old Spanish
B‘ nil‘ ,,',if(: ‘ system of irrigation that formerly ex-
po“, “R. 1,,”-,i,,,r ,,-up tended for inany miles around the city
or lIlt‘ll in the coun on w 1 ‘LV ii , oi San Antonio.
veto’ earn cvcryt iing that's wild and ‘ The ,,-;3ge.co;lc]1 rattled through the
13,” “ “,"”‘”' ‘ l"“03";“(‘“:"tlll,,"‘:,‘;: Mexican quarter, p‘lSt the square oi the
,,fl‘;,mn‘,',SO‘,'i‘ . ' ,,, you “,1 ", Alaino, and the old historic liiiildings
m “me of Such iWi,..,,,.g its yny ‘ that could tell such fearlul tales it, like
> s() ust have had. You W live the fabled stones of old, thev could have
power to speak, and crossing the hridge
over the river, entered Coinmerce Street,
the principal tliorouglifare, and present-
ly clashed into the plaza, or main square,
and discliai-god its load of piissengei in
front oi’ a s ‘I, lll4i(l(‘l'l] hotel, which
. formed a cui ms cu itrast ‘ s ncigli-
hor, the grim old Spanish cathedral op-
site.
UIIAI”l‘l']R II.
t ANTOSIU oxaciix.
Dick was about to enter the hotel
when he was accosted by zidark, slen-
der youth, apparently about his own
age, or a little o1dcr,wlio came up to him
with it respectful air, and touched his
broad-lirimmcd hat, as ho said :
“ Do I speak up the voung sonor who
l is cxpectcil at Los oy s Raii(ili?”
l)ii-.k stared for a moment, and then
l ans i-cred, Sllllllll1.'Z
e
-' I suppose that ineaiis me. I am
gt-iiii; to Mr. Van:-.e's ranch. Have you
conic to meet mo?“
The boy nodded, and Dick was struck
with the soft, iiiiisical tone of his voice,
as he replied:
l “Yes, scnor, your iiuclo sent me. I
l run to show you the i-ity, to-niorrow, it
i you wish, and the next day we will start
l tor the ranch. I have liroughtii horse
for you.”
l " But what. shall I do with niytriink ‘?"
l ‘ asked Dick, pointing to the small, stout
‘ travi,-liiig-triiiik, marked with his initials
on tno cud, “'lll(‘ll had just been hand-
cil down froni the back of the stage.
llis n iaintancc answered:
“'l‘liat will go by the w ,;on in the
morning. I have hoiight ii lot oi’ stiiil
for the rancli, to-iliiy. and hired a wagon-
‘or to deliver it, and he will take '0llr
Iiox with the othor things But can
show you a stoppiiig-pla -e that you will
l like hotter than this hotel, 1-nor "
G ,
a
(3 l
G l
l
surveyed, save a rare livc-oak trcc now “ Very well,” said Dick. “ Show me
and thcn,aiirl some pretty ;;i‘ovf‘. mind i where I caii gut supper the lirst thing,
the head of the San Antonio llivcr thouigh. I’m liiingry as a bear. ’
Dick, i'r(-sli from tliclaiidoi' spi .idin l “You will get a good meal at the
place I‘ speak oi‘, scnor," retiiriicd his
oiiiiipiiiiioii.
l The next inonient hc exclaimed:
“Ah, there is the wit on r ii lit '54 5,
in;: out to the riuicli with these things.
, Pcilro! llo, Pcilrol“
i A sw rthy Mcxu ll
‘ a two-lioi-so iv
ri).
, who was driving
L( ‘L
i, stopped his hm-.
ipavcinent whcrc the two boys “'('l‘0
standing.
h to him, in Spanish, and pointed in um
1. trunk, whivh Iw pmmpilv slioiililcruil,
and 4‘:ll'l‘lO(l it oil" to his u‘:iL[iill.
l :
Vi
S? 1
“.Miw we will go and mi gi,m,,,
nor.
“All right! lliii si-ii lmri-," .-laid llivk,
- “llI' name is Dick Lcslic
, .
“.‘lllIililii(i:il'(’l '
“'l‘hiii soiinils lilw ii Npiiiiish nanic.
Ai'i-yoii Spaiiis:i‘."'
'l‘lii,- lioy rolurcil a littleaiid licsitatcd
,‘ as he answered: '
a
ti
“I am ztliiexican, senor.”
“ You speak as if that was something
to be ashanied of,” said Dick, in a tone
oi‘ surprise. “I never knew there was
any harm in beinga Mexican. But, for
gracious sake, don't keep calling me
‘ senor!‘ What do you do it for?”
“For respect, Senor Leslie-or, Mr.
Dick, if you please.“ hesitated Antonio.
“(‘-racions, tliat‘s worse!" ejaculated
Dick. “I should hope you could re-
spcct me without all that nonsense. You
must be older than I am, but I've no
notion of calling you Mr. Antonio!"
The Mexican boy smiled, rather sadly,
as he reniarkcd:
“I should know that you mune from
the North, hy your treiitiiieiit oi’ me, if
I had met yoiiaiiywliero. You speak to
me as it‘ I were your equal."
“ Why shouldn’t I?” Dick deiiiaiided,
with a broad stare otamazeiiieiit.
Antonio replied 2
“ If you had been long in Texas, you
would know that Mexicans are despised
by almost all white people here. Many
pe(rlsons think ii greaser is no better than
o ."
“Agra you a greaser?” asked Dick,
bluntlv.
“’l‘Iilit is what they call me at the
ranch-the young greaser," said Anto-
ii' -his dark cheek flushing, as he
spoke, tliougli he pretended to laugh.
’ou don‘t look much like thztt, what-
ever it me: ‘," Dick remarked, casting
a glance oi genuine adiniration at the
tall, grziccfiil iigure, and dark but hand-
some liicc of his coinpanion.
Antonio‘s complexion was a clear,
warni olive tint, his hair was hlack as
night, his eyes were large and dark, with
a soft, dreamy look when he was quiet,
but lllll of animation when he became iii-
terested or excited; and his features were
so regular and pleasing, that, ordinarily,
Dick would have tliuught that he looked
a ivreat deal too much like a girl.
In fact, he did think so, but his S, n
pathy was awakened by the hali'-coii-
cealed liitterness with which the hoy
spoke oi‘ being looked down upon and
sliglited asa “greascr ;” he resolved that
In: would never use the word, and more
than that, he inadc up his niiiid to lot
ery one see that he considered Antonio
.is coil as anybody, and uiider the in-
fluence of t)icse generous feelings, he
found it easy to like his new frienil, and
to forgive him for the rather fcniiiiiiic
Iieauty of his person.
Dick was destined to lcarii, in the
course of his acquaintance with Antonio
at
:
Ev
1'.
(D
7
-A
no
.5
C-
so girlish as lit! lookctl.
was dressed in t he usual
)1 xio-.iiii'asliion-a ilannel shirt and
short Jacket, breechcs oi‘ wash-leather,
with rows oi bright buttons down the
seaiiis, and open at the sides to the tops
i ‘ bo . a red sash aroiiiiil his waist,
and a broad fclt hat upon his head.
gay silk liaiidkcrciiief was knotted
loosely aroiind his neck.
, “lg ii work for my uncle?" Dick
inqiiircd.
Antonio nodded.
"" X es,’ he said. “I used to pick up a
living hero 1 Antonio, doing anv
odd job that I could lind, and one (lav
when Colonel "aiice was in town, 1 did
some errands. l'or him. He found mo
handy and quick, and sin ho otliircd me
tcn dollarsa month to go down to the
ranch and make myself generally use.
nil. I have been there about a year
now.“
“Ten dollars a inontli‘?” .i
Dick. “ VVhy, how is that‘? I :llll‘etgClrl‘4'lf’((1!
thirty, and I doii‘t think I‘in as old as
you "
from lieing
9.
“ How old are vou ?"
rein.“ mi Iiicl
“ I am scveiitecn, iid Antonio ' “and
I think ten (loll: 's anioiilh tho: vciir
rllillvllll, licsidcs my living’ is ,.c,.y lgoml
p.it. It is more than anv one cl :3 would
I I) inc iuttlio coloiielis al '1 H ‘ . .
[0 his hevm.” ii i) s liberal
“ lhit how is it that I am to - '>
dollai-s?" Dic X persisted. gd “mty
Antonio i-vplivd:
“'l‘liat is the re yn],"- ., . ‘ .
ii ith uni‘ hors . Mlin Wlltl)l%rl:0l‘I)“L:lilf‘li:i
lllI'lll'lV(5 arc cxpcoted to iiiriiislitl
"“"‘ l"’1'“l‘Si and il‘ a niaii h-isit "U1
ihrur, he can get i'roiii iiltv td ls - E“) Lnvr
livi: dollars a inontli. I liiit'(- iiohlien )-
N'l'. and so I cannot hip,’ .,;;.d ,.e",‘V1‘,’"
ltiiiil, to herd and r rive ‘.1 3 ‘Tu M
cliori-s around the ranch ” . H 3
"liutll-.' -. .‘ - .
MM‘. i ii on tan) horse, em,e,.,n smd
“ I our uncle is goiiigtogive vou one "
‘htiid then pav me for the use ofl‘ I?
Well, that's :1 great idea In “"1
lii
l
l
l
l
do i
l
s
I aiui they keep tivoor thi-cc ho
January 21, 1882.
“ I suppose he thinks you will be
smarter or more trustworthytlian acum-
iiioii cow-hoy,”saiLl Antonio, seriously.
“You know how to ride, oi‘ course?"
“Yes,” Dick answered, coniidently.
“I can ride verv well, though I‘vc
cverowiied a ho J’
"'l‘hcn how did you learn ?”
“ Why, Uncle John Leslie, my father's
brotlier, lives on a farin in Coniiecticui,
and he used to ask uic down there iic:ir-
lv evcrv sunimcr, to spend HIV vacation;
‘ Dick
‘ 3
, explaiiiiiig. “Tho hovs used to
catcli them in the pastiirc and ride them
bareback: that's how I lcariicd. ’l‘hcre
was one horse they called Old Pi'iiirr.
lle had been aiainoiis trottcrwlien he
was young, and he had lots of go in him
yet, it he was old. Tlivy kept liiui for
the wonieii-Ililk 0 drive. llc wasn't
iit for i'ai'iii-work; hut how that old
horse could go! I‘vc had lots of fun on
his hack,” said Dick, laugliiiig.
Antonio smiled, and rciiiarkei .
“I am ai'raid you will not find it so
much fun riding alter the cattle."
“Vow I thought there would he a
good deal oi l'uii ahout it," said Dick.
“Lots of cxcitemeiit, you know.”
it is exciting!" returned
“Oh, '05,
Antonio;
it.
most of the men seem to like it.”
“ Don‘t you like it?
“ I have never tried it much; only for
a few days at a time, when a spare hand
was wanted,“ said Antonio. “ I did think
I should like to go up the Kansas trail
with Captain Loren, this suinmcr; but
I have no horse, and he won't take any
hand unless he has two, at least. Be-
sides, the colonel wants me at the ranch."
" XVho is Captain Loren
“ He is Colonel Vaiice‘s head boss; you
will like him."
“I didii‘t know my uncle was a col-
onel,” said Dick. “lie don‘t heloiig to
the army, does he ?”
“ No, suppose not," said Antonio,
in a doiihtl'ul tone. “ I have been told
that he once coiiimanded acoinpany oi
Rangers.
I)lck had not been a great while in
Texas before he discovered that almost
every man of any lIlllllt‘ll(,'t3 or position
horc a military title oi SUIIIO sort, and it
soon heoiinie a matter oi’ course to hear
oi" Ma,‘ This and (‘oloncl 'l‘liat among
the cattle-incn, and never to think of
asking how the titles were acquired.
liven his iin('lc‘s head hoss, it seemed,
'as it “ ca itziin.
“Why do you thinli I shall like Cap-
tziin Loi-cii'."’ ho asked. “And what do
you iiieaiimhy going up the Kiiiisas trail
with him
Antonio explained
" Most of this To cattle are sold in
Kaiisas, you know, and they have to he
driven up there in lit-rds, and piisturcil
out on the pi'airio till the hi gets a
chance to sell them. 'l'hcrc is a giuii,
hroail trail all the war i'roni Austin to
Ellis, going lllrllllgll tiib Ililllllll ix'iiii..ii;
and ii lioss will take a liig licr sonic-
tiincs two or iliroo tlioiiszinil hi-ad- nd
ii gran, of l ‘ind.-4 to drive ill('lll, and s irt
up the trail and IN‘, goiictlirocor tour
iiioiiilis ll()ll)l'4‘ hi- 2-] s out and gets
home again. (limo lv, the owner i.:vu‘S
on to Ellis and ili.l.I'lltlS to the svlliiur,
but the cnloni-l trusts L-vcrvtliiii-.-' to (‘ap-
taiii Lorcn. I could give yoil it grriit
niaiiy rvasoiis for liking him, hut you
will liiid them all out when ‘(ill ooiiic
to know him. Fvci'vI)odv likes (‘aptaiii
Iioroii.” " ‘
“I suppose he doesn’t call y 0 U 1‘
gt or?" said Dick, sniiling.
aiisivcrcd thc Mi: can lioyj
“ lic calls me Aiitoiiio.”
“So shall I,” said Dick. “And you
call me Dick.”
“Very well, Dick," respoiidcil Anto-
nio. “ licro wc are at IilllllIi5's.'
Tlicy hail walkcd tlirough Ci
T: L. While they w talking, and (.1-
lCt'O(l a iuirrow, l>llSV .Sl-’l(,'-Sll'(‘(‘1,“'llll'h
presented an odd juiiililc of old Mcxicaii
onses, turned into shops, s:ili-oiis and
Rufus, llll.Ol'S[)lll'.‘lL.‘(l wiili iinc stor "‘l
tall, IIlI)(l(3I'll hiiildiiius, inanv oi‘thi-m
ilisplaviiig signs whicli iiiiliiriiied the
coiisiilcriihlc Gerinaii population oi'h'1"‘
Antonio.
The house at which Antonio lllltl stol”
pod was one oi‘ ' 5””
sqiiarc, low, ding; ‘”'""'
the residcncii oi soinc Span
prrliaps, in tho <l- vs when t
<7)
was all Spanish lltl (‘:itholio, and iii.-vi‘!
dreamed that i sol inn old ciiiiiullffll
would cvor he the llI‘lJ:llllUI‘ of hall it
dozen other ('llIll‘i'.lll‘>‘, i'0prcseiitlll‘4' “'5,
many different sects, or its narrow streets