Beadle's Dime Library No. 120: The Texan Spy — page 1: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

i VA ililiiin’ te le = on cSorvrRiGuHttTternm oe ee ne SS = Spy; THE PRAIRIE GUIDE. BY NEWTON M. CURTIS. CHAPTER L THE ENCAMPMENT THE PRAIRIE GUIDE—THE DEPARTURE. Ir was a mild morning in April, 1846. Not a cloud obscured the bright rays of the sun, and they danced and flashed upon the green leaves, the sweet flowers, and the glittering waters. The groves were vocal with the songs of the birds that fluttered from branch to branch, displaying their rich plumage, and sing- ing their sweetest notes. The air was balmy, and filled with a delicious fragrance that arose from the aromatic plants that grow in such prodigal Juxuriance in the rich val- ley of the Rio Grande, On the banks of the “Great River,” whose waters were brawling over a rocky bed, was clustered the encampment of the “‘ Army of Occupa- tion.” Rude breastworks, erected for temporary use, stretched along the margin of the stream, and upon the top and sides ofa gente acclivity near at hand, the white tents of the suldiery glittered in the sun. Grim-looking cannons peered through the openings of the fortifi- cations, armed sentiuels were walking to and fro, the stripes and stars waved in the breeze, and fre- quently the sbrill tones of the trumpet, the rich strains of the bugle, or the dull roll of the drum, recalied to the senses the fact, that death was look- ing at the beautiful pic- ture, and ,reparing fora banquet u).on its elements, . short distance from the encampment, up the stream, stood Fort Biown. lis walls were rudely con- structed, and presented but a rough and iwis-shap- ell appearance, vet its frowning batteries, its bristl ng bayonets, and the files of hardy men within the inclosure, denoted tha’ neither beauty of me- Chanism, or pieturesq e- meses Of Appearasce, was the object sought for in its ENTERED aT THE Post Orvice ar New York, N. ¥., aT Published Every clea Week. Hi | HAA hy] Hl tm ee 88 WILLIAM STREET, N. Y., Febuary 9, 1881, a 2 ny rere construction. Proudly, from the stalwart flag- staff, floated the ‘‘ Flag of the Free.”’ On the opposite side of the river could be seen the low dwellings, the towering domes, and the squalid huts of Matamoras. There, too, were frowning cannons, and armed men. Squads of lancers, dressed in gorgeous uniforms, galloped upon the banks of the river in front of the town, and groups of artillerymen were lounging beside their batteries upon the soft, green grass, Long columns of somber infantry were displayed in front of their barracks, and occasionally, a splendid staff, the escort of some titled officer, displayed its fiery steeds and flashing uniforms before the humble dwel- lers of the town. Above the city, in long, silken folds, floated the flag of Mexico, Only the waters of the sballow river, sepa- rated the men that were soon to be engaged in the deadly strife. Just behind Fort Brown, a few rods up the nl Lia a a ie ee meee eee t= SrcoxpD Crass Marr RATES. dle ¢ Adams, Publishers, EG eSeePenEEeaEEeees ait, ean ANA aa = 2 'S6'(,B8vV BEADLE & ADAMS. ee ee ee side of the acclivity we have before mentioned, stood a tent, larger than those around it, and with its center pole elevated several feet upon the canvas roof. From the top of this pole floated a flag—the flag of the United States, Except its size, and the distinction just men- tioned, there was nothing in, or about, this tent, to attract the eye of an observer. Its furniture was plain and common, while it was entirely destitute of ornament, It was the tent of the Commander-in. Chief, who, on the morning in question, was sitting at a rough deal-table, within its folds, intently poring over a parchment that he held in his hands, Upon a camp-chest, immediately behind the general, two men were sitting, as if awaiting the movements of theirsuperior. One of these men was a tall, commanding personage, clothed in a suit of thin cotton cloth, entirely destitute of military trappings, and the other was a smaller man, yet with a bold and determined coun- tenance, and he was dress- ed in the uniform of a captain of dragoons. Tbe former might have been fitty years of age, the lat- ter wus scarcely thirty. Like the general, their countenances were expres- sive of great iv‘ercst in some important matter, but they maintained a strict silence, scarcely moving a iimb, A half hour elapsed. be- fore the general aroused from bis reflections. Then, however, he threw bis parchment upon the table Lefore him, stretched bis limbs as if fatigued | y his position, and turning round in his cLair in such a menner as {0 tace bis friends, he observed, as if speaking to them both; * The fact is, gentlemen, that the information of which I have spc ken, is of the utmost importance. The mre I study upon the matter, the mere I am strengthened in the be.iet that we cannot get along witbout the information. The person who ans wer- ed to this question was the tallest and eldest of the two men who sat upon the camp-cbest. “Tam of your cpinion decidedly. Wemvcstblave the infermetion, and should obtain it at once.” The general bowed, and eontinued; ‘Do you agree with us, Captain Field?” eae Ten Cents a Copy. $5.00 a Year, oe oe = ee + eee GOMmiicbdooks (E(0)