按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
of preparation immediately； Houston was lending his great
physical strength to the mechanical difficulties to be
encountered。 A crowd of men was around。 Suddenly a woman
touched him on the arm； and he straightened himself and looked
at her。
〃You will kill Santa Anna； General？ You will kill this fiend
who has escaped from hell！ By the mother of Christ； I ask
it。〃
〃My dear madam！〃
He was so moved with pity that he could not for a moment or
two give her any stronger assurance。 For this suppliant；
pallid and frenzied with sorrow； was the once beautiful Senora
Worth。 He looked at her hollow eyes； and shrunk form； and
worn clothing； and remembered with a pang； the lovely；
gracious lady clad in satin and lace； with a jewelled comb in
her fine hair and a jewelled fan in her beautiful hands； and
a wave of pity and anger passed like a flame over his face。
〃By the memory of my own dear mother； Senora； I will make
Santa Anna pay the full price of his cruelties。〃
〃Thank you； Senor〃； and she glided away with her tearless eyes
fixed upon the curl of black hair in her open palm。
CHAPTER XVI。
THE LOADSTONE IN THE BREAST。
〃But to the hero； when his sword
Has won the battle for the free；
Thy voice sounds like a prophet's word；
And in its hollow tones are heard。
The thanks of millions yet to be；〃
〃Who battled for the true and just；
〃And grasps the skirts of happy chance；
And breasts the blows of circumstance。
〃And lives to clutch the golden keys；
To mould a mighty state's decrees。〃
The memorial of wrongs； which resulted in the Declaration of
Texan Independence； was drawn up with statesmanlike ability by
David G。 Burnett； a native of New Jersey； a man of great
learning； dignity； and experience； who； as early as 1806；
sailed from New York to join Miranda in his effort to give
Spanish America liberty。 The paper need not be quoted here。
It gave the greatest prominence to the refusal of
trial by jury； the failure too establish a system of public
education； the tyranny of military law； the demand that the
colonists should give up arms necessary for their protection
or their sustenance； the inciting of the Indians to massacre
the American settlers； and the refusal of the right to worship
the Almighty according to the dictates of their own
consciences。 Burnett was elected Governor； and Houston felt
that he could now give his whole attention to military
affairs。
The seat of Government was removed to Harrisburg； a small
place on the Buffalo Bayou； and Houston was sure that this
change would cause Santa Anna to diverge from his route to
Nacogdoches。 He dispatched orders to the men scattered up and
down the Brazos from Washington to Fort Benda distance of
eighty milesto join him on the march to Harrisburg； and he
struck his own camp at the time he had specified。
In less than twenty…four hours they reached San Felipe； a
distance of twenty…eight miles。 The suffering of the women
and children on that march can never be told。 Acts of heroism
on the part of the men and of fortitude on the part of
the women that are almost incredible； marked every step of the
way。 The Senora sat in her wagon； speechless； and lost in a
maze of melancholy anguish。 She did not seem to heed want； or
cold； or wet； or the utter misery of her surroundings。 Her
soul had concentrated all its consciousness upon the strand of
hair she continually smoothed through her fingers。 Dr。 Worth；
in his capacity of physician； accompanied the flying families；
and he was thus able to pay some attention to his distraught
wife； but she answered nothing he said to her。 If she looked
at him； her eyes either flamed with anger； or expressed
something of the terror to be seen in the eyes of a hunted
animal。 It was evident that her childish intelligence had
seized upon him as the most obvious cause of all her loss and
misery。
The condition of a wife so beloved almost broke his heart。
The tragic death of his dear son was not so hard to endure as
this living woe at his side。 And when they reached San Felipe
and found it in ashes； a bitter cry of hopeless suffering came
from every woman's lips。 They had thought to find there a
little food； and a day's sheltered resting…place。 Even
Antonia's brave soul fainted； at the want and suffering around
her。 She had gold； but it could not buy bread for the little
ones； weeping with hunger and terrified by the fretfulness of
mothers suffering the pangs of want and in the last stage of
human weariness。
It was on this night Houston wrote： 〃I will do the best I
can； but be assured the fame of Jackson could never compensate
me for my anxiety and mental pain。〃 And yet； when he was told
that a blind woman and her seven children had been passed by；
and did not know the enemy were approaching； he delayed the
march until men had been sent back to bring them into safety。
During these days of grief and privation Isabel's nature grew
to its finest proportions。 Her patient efforts to arouse her
mother； and her cheerfulness under the loss of all comforts；
were delightful。 Besides which； she had an inexhaustible fund
of sympathy for the babies。 She was never without one in her
arms。 Three mothers； who had died on the road； left their
children to her care。 And it was wonderful and pitiful to see
the delicately nurtured girl； making all kinds of efforts
to secure little necessaries for the children she had elected
to care for。
〃The Holy Mother helps me；〃 she said to； Antonia。 〃She makes
the poor little ones good； and I am not very tired。〃
At San Felipe they were joined by nearly one hundred men； who
also brought word that a fine company were advancing to their
aid from Mississippi； under General Quitman； and that two
large cannon； sent by the people of Cincinnati； were within a
few miles。 And thus hoping and fearing； hungry and weary to
the death； they reached； on the 16th of April； after a march
of eighteen miles； a place called McArley's。 They had come
over a boggy prairie under a cold rain； and were depressed
beyond expression。 But there was a little shelter here for
the women and children to sleep under。 The men camped in the
open。 They had not a tent in their possession。
About ten o'clock that night； Doctor Worth was sitting with
his wife and children and Antonia in one corner of a room in
a deserted cabin。 He had the Senora's wasted hand in his own；
and was talking to her。 She sat in apathetic silence。
It was impossible to tell whether she heard or understood him。
〃I wonder where Isabel is；〃 said Antonia； and with the words
the girl entered the room。 She had in her arms a little lad
of four years old； suffering the tortures of croup。
〃Mi madre；〃 she cried； 〃you know how to save him！ He is
dying！ Save him！ Listen to me！ The Holy Mother says so〃；
and she laid the child on her knee。
A change like a flash of light passed over the Senora's face。
〃The poor little one！〃 Her motherly instincts crushed down
everything else。 In the child's agony she forgot her own
grief。 With glad hearts the doctor and Antonia encouraged her
in her good work； and when at length the sufferer had been
relieved and was sleeping against her breast； the Senora had
wept。 The stone from her heart had been rolled away by a
little child。 Her own selfish sorrow had been buried in a
wave of holy； unselfish maternal affection。 The key to her
nature had been found； and henceforward Isabel brought to her
every suffering baby。
On the next day they marched ten miles through a heavy rain；
and arrived at Burnett's settlement。 The women had
shelter； the men slept on the wet groundtook the prairie
without coverwith their arms in their hands。 They knew they
were in the vicinity of Santa Anna； and all were ready to
answer in an instant the three taps of the drum； which was the
only instrument of martial music in the camp； and which was
never touched but by Houston。
Another day of eighteen miles brought them to within a short
distance of Harrisburg。 Santa Anna had just been there； and
the place was in ashes。 It was evident to all； now； that the
day and the hour was at hand。 Houston first thought of the
two hundred families he had in charge； and they were quickly
taken over the bayou。 When he had seen the last one in this
comparative safety； he uttered so fervent a 〃Thank God！〃 that
the men around unconsciously repeated it。 The bayou though
narrow was twenty feet deep； and the very home of alligators。
There was only one small bridge in the vicinity。 He intended
its destruction； and thus to make his little band and the
deep； dangerous stream a double barrier between the Mexicans
and the women and children beyond them。 It was after
this duty he wrote：
〃This morning we are in preparation to meet Santa Anna。 We
will only be about seven hundred to march； besides the camp
guard。 But we go to conquest。 The troops are in fine
spirits； and now is the time for action。 I leave the result
in the hands of an all…wise God； and I rely confidently in his
Providence。