adventures and letters-第14章
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！
on daily newspaper which every day he read with the same interest that he read half a dozen New York newspapers and the interest was always that of the trained editor at work。 Richard was not only physically restless but his mind practically never relaxed。 When others； tired after a hard day's work or play； would devote the evening to cards or billiards or chatter； Richard would write letters or pore over some strange foreign magazine； consult maps； make notes； or read the stories of his contemporaries。 He practically read every American magazine from cover to coveradvertisements were a delight to him； and the finding of a new writer gave him as much pleasure as if he had been the fiction editor who had accepted the first story by the embryo genius。 The official organs of our army and navy he found of particular interest。 Not only did he thus follow the movements of his friends in these branches of the service but if he read of a case wherein he thought a sailor or a soldier had been done an injustice he would promptly take the matter up with the authorities at Washington； and the results he obtained were often not only extremely gratifying to the wronged party but caused Richard no end of pleasure。
According to my brother's arrangement with the Harpers； he was to devote a certain number of months of every year to the editing of The Weekly； and the remainder to travel and the writing of his experiences for Harper's Monthly。 He started on the first of these trips in January； 1892； and the result was a series of articles which afterward appeared under the title of 〃The West from a Car Window。〃
January； 1892。 （Some place in Texas）
I left St。 Louis last night； Wednesday； and went to bed and slept for twelve hours。 To…day has been most trying and I shall be very glad to get on dry land again。 The snow has ceased although the papers say this is the coldest snap they have had in San Antonio in ten years。 It might have waited a month for me I think。 It has been a most dreary trip from a car window point of view。 Now that the snow has gone； there is mud and ice and pine trees and colored people； but no cowboys as yet。 They talk nothing but Chili and war and they make such funny mistakes。 We have a G。 A。 R。 excursion on the train； consisting of one fat and prosperous G。 A。 R。； the rest of the excursion having backed out on account of Garza who the salient warriors imagine as a roaring lion seeking whom he may devour。 One old chap with white hair came on board at a desolate station and asked for 〃the boys in blue〃 and was very much disgusted when he found that 〃that grasshopper Garza〃 had scared them away He had tramped five miles through the mud to greet a possible comrade and was much chagrined。 The excursion shook hands with him and they took a drink together。 The excursion tells me he is a glass manufacturer； an owner of a slate quarry and the best embalmer of bodies in the country。 He says he can keep them four years and does so 〃for specimens〃 those that are left on his hands and others he purchases from the morgue。 He has a son who is an actor and he fills me full of the most harrowing tales of Indian warfare and the details of the undertaking business。 He is SO funny about the latter that I weep with laughter and he cannot see why Joe Jefferson and I went to a matinee on Wednesday and saw Robson in 〃She stoops to Conquer。〃 The house was absolutely packed and when Joe came in the box they yelled and applauded and he nodded to them in the most fatherly； friendly way as though to say 〃How are you； I don't just remember your name but I'm glad to see you〃 It was so much sweeter than if he had got up and bowed as I would have done。
SAN ANTONIO
I knew more about Texas than the Texans and when they told me I would find summer here I smiled knowingly That is all the smiling I have done…Did you ever see a stage set for a garden or wood scene by daylight or Coney Island in Marchthat is what the glorious； beautiful baking city of San Antonio is like。 There is mud and mud and mudin cans； in the gardens 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 info
