adventures and letters-第13节

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ardens　of　the　Mexicans　and　snow　around　the　palms　and　palmettos　Does　the　sun　shine　anywhere？　　Are　people　ever　warm　It　is　raw；　ugly　and　muddy；　the　Mexicans　are　merely　dirty　and　not　picturesque。　　I　am　greatly　disappointed。　　But　I　have　set　my　teeth　hard　and　I　will　go　on　and　see　it　through　to　the　bitter　end　But　I　will　not　write　anything　for　publication　until　I　can　take　a　more　cheerful　view　of　it。　　I　already　have　reached　the　stage　where　I　admit　the　laugh　is　on　me　But　there　is　still　London　to　look　forward　to　and　this　may　get　better　when　the　sun　comes　out…I　went　to　the　fort　to…day　and　was　most　courteously　received。　　But　they　told　me　I　should　go　on　to　Laredo；　if　I　expected　to　see　any　campaigning　There　is　no　fighting　nor　is　any　expected　but　they　say　they　will　give　me　a　horse　and　I　can　ride　around　the　chaparral　as　long　as　I　want。　　I　will　write　you　from　Laredo；　where　I　go　to…morrow；　Saturday

DICK。


At　Laredo　Richard　left　the　beaten　track　of　the　traveller；　and　with　Trooper　Tyler；　who　acted　as　his　guide；　joined　Captain　Hardie　in　his　search　for　Garza。　　The　famous　revolutionist　was　supposed　to　be　in　hiding　this　side　of　the　border；　and　the　Mexican　Government　had　asked　the　United　States　to　find　him　and　return　him　to　the　officials　of　his　own　country。


In　Camp；　February　2nd。　DEAR　MOTHER：

We　have　stopped　by　the　side　of　a　trail　for　a　while　and　I　will　take　the　chance　it　gives　me　to　tell　you　what　I　have　been　doing。　　After　Tyler　and　I　returned　to　camp；　we　had　a　day　of　rest　before　Captain　Hardie　arrived。　　He　is　a　young；　red…moustached；　pointed…bearded　chap　with　light　blue　eyes；　rough　with　living　in　the　West　but　most　kind　hearted　and　enthusiastic。　　He　treats　me　as　though　I　were　his　son　which　is　rather　absurd　as　he　is　only　up　to　my　shoulder。　　It　is　so　hot　I　cannot　make　the　words　go　straight　and　you　must　not　mind　if　I　wander。　　We　are　hugging　a　fence　for　all　the　shade　there　is　and　the　horses　and　men　have　all　crawled　to　the　dark　side　of　it　and　are　sleeping　or　swearing　at　the　sun。　　It　is　about　two　o'clock　and　we　have　been　riding　since　half…past　seven。　　I　have　had　a　first　rate　time　but　I　do　not　see　that　there　has　been　much　in　it　to　interest　any　one　but　myself　and　where　Harper　Brothers　or　the　〃gentle　reader〃　comes　in；　I　am　afraid　I　cannot　see；　and　if　I　cannot　see　it　I　fear　he　will　be　in　a　bad　way。　　It　has　pleased　and　interested　me　to　see　how　I　could　get　along　under　difficult　circumstances　and　with　so　much　discomfort　but　as　I　say　I　was　not　sent　out　here　to　improve　my　temper　or　my　health　or　to　make　me　more　content　with　my　good　things　in　the　East。　　If　we　could　have　a　fight　or　something　that　would　excuse　and　make　a　climax　for　all　this　marching　and　reconnoitering　and　discomfort　the　story　would　have　a　suitable　finale　and　a　raison　d'etre。　　However；　I　may　get　something　out　of　it　if　only　to　abuse　the　Government　for　their　stupidity　in　chasing　a　jack　rabbit　with　a　brass　band　or　by　praising　the　men　for　doing　their　duty　when　they　know　there　is　no　duty　to　be　done。　　This　country　is　more　like　the　ocean　than　anything　else　and　drives　one　crazy　with　its　monotony　and　desolation。　　And　to　think　we　went　to　war　with　Mexico　for　it　To…day　is　my　tenth　day　with　the　troops　in　the　camp　and　in　the　field　and　I　will　leave　them　as　soon　as　this　scout　is　over　which　will　be　in　three　days　at　the　most。　　Then　I　will　go　to　Corpus　Christi　and　from　there　to　the　ranches　but　I　will　wait　until　I　get　baths；　hair　cuts　and　a　dinner　and　cool　things　to　drink　One　thing　has　pleased　me　very　much　and　that　is　that　I；　with　Tyler　and　the　Mexican　Scout　made　the　second　best　riding　record　of　the　troop　since　they　have　been　in　the　field　this　winter。　　The　others　rode　115　miles　in　32　hours；　four　of　them　under　the　first　Sergeant；　after　revolutionists；　and　we　made　110　miles　in　33　hours。　　The　rest　of　the　detachment　made　90　miles　and　our　having　the　extra　thirty　to　our　credit　was　an　accident。　　On　the　31st　Hardie　sent　out　the　scout　and　two　troopers；　of　which　Tyler　was　one；　to　get　a　trail　and　as　I　had　been　resting　and　loafing　for　three　days；　I　went　out　with　them。　　We　left　at　eight　after　breakfast　and　returned　at　seven；　having　made　thirty　miles。　　When　we　got　in　we　found　that　a　　detachment　was　going　out　on　information　sent　in　while　we　were　out。　　Tyler　was　in　it　and　so　we　got　fresh　horses　and　put　out　at　nine　o'clock　by　moonlight。　　That　was　to　keep　the　people　in　the　ranch　from　knowing　we　were　going　out。　　We　rode　until　half…past　three　in　the　morning　and　then　camped　at　the　side　of　the　road　until　halfpast　six；　when　we　rode　on　until　five　in　the　afternoon。　　The　men　who　were　watching　to　see　me　give　up　grew　more　and　more　interested　as　the　miles　rolled　out　and　the　First　Sergeant　was　very　fearful　for　his　record　for　which　he　has　been　recommended　for　the　certificate　of　merit。　　The　Captain　was　very　much　pleased　and　all　the　men　came　and　spoke　to　me。　　It　must　have　been　a　good　ride　for　Tyler　who　is　a　fifth　year　man　was　so　tired　that　he　paid　a　man　to　do　his　sentry　duty。　　We　slept　at　Captain　Hunter's　camp　that　last　night　and　we　both　came　on　this　morning；　riding　thirty　miles　up　to　two　o'clock　to…day。　　From　here　we　go　on　into　the　brush　again。　　I　am　very　proud　of　that　riding　record　and　of　my　beard　which　is　fine。　　I　will　finish　this　when　we　get　near　a　post…office。

DICK。


February　4th　We　rode　forty　miles　through　the　brush　but　saw　nothing　of　Garza；　who　was　supposed　to　be　in　it。　　But　we　captured　3　revolutionists；　one　of　whom　ran　away　but　the　scout　got　him。　　Hardie；　Tyler；　who　is　his　orderly；　and　the　scout　and　I　took　them　in　because　the　rest　of　the　column　was　lagging　in　the　rear　and　the　Lieutenant　got　bally　hooly　for　it。　　Tyler　disarmed　one　and　I　took　away　the　other　chaps　things。　　Then　we　took　a　fourth　in　and　let　them　all　go　for　want　of　evidence　and　after　some　of　the　ranch　men　had　identified　them。


CORPUS　CHRISTI；　February　6。

We　ended　our　scout　yesterday；　and　camped　at　Captain　Hunter's　last　night　Mother　can　now　rest　her　soul　in　peace　as　I　have　done　with　scoutings　and　have　replaced　the　free　and　easy　belt　and　revolver　for　the　black　silk　suspenders　and　the　fire　badge　of　civilization。　　I　am　still　covered　with　11　days　dirt　but　will　get　lots　of　good　things　to　eat　and　drink　and　smoke　at　Corpus　Christi　to　night；　where　I　will　stay　for　two　days。　　I　am　writing　this　on　the　car　and　a　ranger　is　shooting　splinters　out　of　the　telegraph　poles　from　the　window　in　front　and　has　a　New　York　drummer　in　a　state　of　absolute　nervous　prostration。　　I　met　the　Rangers　last　night　as　we　came　into　camp　and　find　them　quite　the　most　interesting　things　yet。　　They　are　just　what　I　expected　to　find　here　and　have　not　disappointed　me。　　Everything　else　is　either　what　we　know　it　to　be　and　know　all　about　or　else　is　disappointingly　commonplace。　　I　mean　we　know　certain　things　are　picturesque　and　I　find　them　so　but　they　have　been　〃done〃　to　death　and　new　material　seems　so　scarce。　　I　am　sometimes　very　fearful　of　the　success　of　the　letters　However；　the　Rangers　I　simply　loved。　　They　were　gentle　voiced　and　did　not　swear　as　the　soldiers　do　and　some　of　them　were　as　handsome　men　as　I　ever　saw　and　SO　BIG。　　And　such　children。　　They　showed　me　all　their　tricks　at　the　request　of　the　Adjutant　General；　who　looks　upon　them　as　his　special　property。　　They　shot　four　shots　into　a　tree　with　a　revolver；　going　at　full　gallop；　hit　a　mark　with　both　hands　at　once；　shot　with　the　pistol　upside　down　and　the　Captain　put　eight　shots　into　a　board　with　a　Winchester；　while　I　was　putting　two　into　the　field　around　it。　　We　got　along　very　well　indeed　and　they　were　quite　keen　for　me　to　go　back　and　chase　Garza。　　They　are　sure　they　have　him　now。　　I　gave　the　Captain　permission　to　put　four　shots　into　my　white　helmet。　　He　only　put　two　and　the　rest　of　the　company　thinking　their　reputations　were　at　stake　whipped　out　their　guns　and　snatched　up　their　rifles　and　blazed　away　until　they　danced　the　hat　all　over　the　ranch。　　Then　remorse　overcame　them　and　they　proposed　taking　up　a　collection　to　get　me　a　sombrero；　which　I　stopped。　　So　Nora's　hat　is　gone　but　I　am　going　to　get　another　and　save　myself　from　sunstroke　again。　　The　last　part　of　the　ride　was　enlivened　by　the　presence　of　three　Mexican　murderers　handcuffed　and　chained　with　iron　bands　around　the　neck；　that　is　Texas　civilization　isn't　it

I　have　had　my　dinner　and　a　fine　dinner　it　was　with　fresh　fish　and　duck　and　oysters　and　segars　which　I　have　not　had　for　a　week。　　I　am　finishing　this　at　Constantine's　and　will　be　here　for　two　days　to　write　things　and　will　then　go　on　to　King's　ranch　and　from　there　to　San　Antonio；　where　I　will　also　rest　a　week。　　I　will　just　about　get　through　my　schedule　in　the　ten　weeks　at　this　rate。　　I　had　a　good　time　in　the　bush　and　am　enjoying　it　very　much　though　it　is　lonely　now　and　then　Still；　it　is　very　interesting　and　if　the　stories　amount　to　anything　I　will　be　pleased　but　I　am　constantly　wondering　how　on　earth　Chas　stood　it　as　he　did。　　He　is　a　hero　to　me　for　I　have　some　hope　of　getting　back　and　he　had　not　He　is　a　sport　How　I　will　sleep　to　nighta　real　bed　and　sheets　and　pajamas；　after　the　ground　and　the　same　clothes　for　eleven　days。

of　love。

DICK。


While　Richard　was　travelling　in　the　West；　his　second　volume　of　short　stories；　〃Van　Bibber　and　Others；〃　was　published。　　The　volume　was　dedicated　to　my　father；　who　wrote　Richard　the　following　letter：


PHILADEL