on　the　brave　hearts　and　strong　arms　that　I　set　me　here！〃　　And
  they　answered　the　silent　appeal　with　a　cheer　that　promised
  everything；　with　a　love　that　even　then　began　to　wonder　if
  there　were　not　a　place　for　such　a　glorious　star　in　the　grand
  constellation　under　which　most　of　them　had　been　born。
  A　short　time　after　their　return；　the　Senora　had　a　letter　from
  her　husband；　saying　that　he　was　going　to　New　Orleans　with
  General　Houston；　whose　wound　was　in　a　dangerous　condition。
  Thomas　Worth　had　been　appointed　to　an　important　post　in　the
  civil　government；　and　his　labors；　like　those　of　all　the　public
  men　of　Texas　at　that　date；　were　continuous　and　Herculean。　　It
  was　impossible　for　him　to　leave　them；　but　the　doctor　assured
  his　wife　that　he　would　return　as　soon　as　he　had　placed　Houston
  in　the　hands　of　skilful　surgeons；　and　he　asked　her；　until
  then；　to　be　as　happy　as　her　circumstances　permitted。
  She　was　quite　willing　to　obey　the　request。　　Not　naturally
  inclined　to　worry；　she　found　many　sources　of　content　and
  pleasure；　until　the　early　days　of　June　brought　back　to　her　the
  husband　she　so　truly　loved；　and　with　him　the　promise　of　a
  return　to　her　own　home。　　Indeed　the　difficulties　in　the　way　of
  this　return　had　vanished　ere　they　were　to　meet。　　Fray　Ignatius
  had　convinced　himself　that　his　short　lease　had　fully　expired；
  and　when　Dr。　Worth　went　armed　with　the　legal　process　necessary
  to　resume　his　rights；　he　found　his　enemy　had　already
  surrendered　them。　　The　house　was　empty。　　Nothing　of　its　old
  splendor　remained。　　Every　one　of　its　properties　had　been
  scattered。　　The　poor　Senora　walked　through　the　desolate　rooms
  with　a　heartache。
  〃It　was　precisely　in　this　spot　that　the　sideboard　stood；
  Roberto！the　sideboard　that　my　cousin　Johar　presented　to　me。
  It　came　from　the　City　of　Mexico；　and　there　was　not　another
  like　it。　　I　shall　regret　it　all　my　life。〃
  〃Maria；　my　dearest；　it　might　have　been　worse。　　The　silver
  which　adorned　it　is　safe。　　Those　rmonks　did　not　find
  out　its　hiding…place；　and　I　bought　you　a　far　more　beautiful
  sideboard　in　New　Orleans；　the　very　newest　style；　Maria。〃
  〃Roberto！　　Roberto！　　How　happy　you　make　me！　　To　be　sure　my
  cousin　Johar's　sideboard　was　already　shabbyand　to　have　a
  sideboard　from　New　Orleans；　that；　indeed；　is　something　to　talk
  about！〃
  〃Besides；　which；　dearest　one；　I　bought　new　furniture　for　the
  parlors；　and　for　your　own　apartments；　also　for　Antonia's　and
  Isabel's　rooms。　　Indeed；　Maria；　I　thought　it　best　to　provide
  afresh　for　the　whole　house。〃
  〃How　wonderful！　No　wife　in　San　Antonio　has　a　husband　so　good。
  I　will　never　condescend　to　speak　of　you　when　other　women　talk
  of　their　husbands。　　New　furniture　for　my　whole　house！　　The
  thing　is　inconceivably　charming。　　But　when；　Roberto；　will
  these　things　arrive？　　Is　there　danger　on　the　road　they　are
  coming？　　Might　not　some　one　take　them　away？　　I　shall　not　be
  able　to　sleep　until　I　am　sure　they　are　safe。〃
  〃I　chartered　a　schooner　in　New　Orleans；　and　came　with　them　to
  the　Bay　of　Espiritu　Santo。　　There　I　saw　them　placed　upon
  wagons；　and　only　left　them　after　the　customs　had　been　paid　in
  the　interiorsixty　miles　away。　　You　may　hire　servants　at　once
  to　prepare　the　rooms：　the　furniture　will　be　here　in　about
  three　days。〃
  〃I　am　the　happiest　woman　in　the　world；　Roberto！　　〃And　she
  really　felt　herself　to　be　so。　　Thoughtful　love　could　have
  devised　nothing　more　likely　to　bridge　pleasantly　and　surely
  over　the　transition　between　the　past　and　the　coming　life。
  Every　fresh　piece　of　furniture　unpacked　was　a　new　wonder　and
  a　new　delight。　　With　her　satin　skirts　tucked　daintily　clear　of
  soil；　and　her　mantilla　wrapped　around　her　head　and　shoulders；
  she　went　from　room　to　room；　interesting　herself　in　every　strip
  of　carpet；　and　every　yard　of　drapery。　　Her　delight　was
  infectious。　　The　doctor　smiled　to　find　himself　comparing
  shades；　and　gravely　considering　the　arrangement　of　chairs　and
  tables。
  But　how　was　it　possible　for　so　loving　a　husband　and　father　to
  avoid　sharing　the　pleasure　he　had　provided？　　And　Isabel　was
  even　more　excited　than　her　mother。　　All　this　grandeur　had　a
  double　meaning　to　her；　it　would　reflect　honor　upon　the
  betrothal　receptions　which　would　be　given　for　Luis　and
  herself〃amber　satin　and　white　lace　is　exactly　what　I　should
  have　desired；　Antonia；〃　she　said　delightedly。　　〃How
  exceedingly　suitable　it　will　be　to　me！　　And　those　delicious
  chintzes　and　dimities　for　our　bedrooms！　　Did　you　ever　conceive
  of　things　so　beautiful？〃
  Antonia　was　quite　ready　to　echo　her　delight。　　Housekeeping　and
  homemaking；　in　all　its　ways；　was　her　lovable　talent。　　It　was
  really　Antonia　who　saw　all　the　plans　and　the　desires　of　the
  Senora　thoroughly　carried　out。　　It　was　her　clever　fingers　and
  natural　taste　which　gave　to　every　room　that　air　of　comfort　and
  refinement　which　all　felt　and　admired；　but　which　seemed　to
  elude　their　power　to　imitate。
  On　the　fourth　of　July　the　doctor　and　his　family　ate　together
  their　first　dinner　in　their　renovated　home。　　The　day　was　one
  that　he　never　forgot；　and　he　was　glad　to　link　it　with　a
  domestic　occurence　so　happy　and　so　fortunate。
  Sometimes　silently；　sometimes　with　a　few　words　to　his　boys；　he
  had　always；　on　this　festival；　drank　his　glass　of　fine　Xeres　to
  the　honor　and　glory　of　the　land　he　loved。　　This　day　he
  spoke　her　name　proudly。　　He　recalled　the　wonders　of　her　past
  progress；　he　anticipated　the　blessings　which　she　would　bring
  to　Texas；　he　said；　as　he　lifted　the　glass　in　his　hand；　and　let
  the　happy　tears　flow　down　his　browned　and　thinned　face：
  〃My　wife　and　daughters；　I　believe　I　shall　live　to　see　the　lone
  star　set　in　the　glorious　assemblage　of　her　sister　stars！　　I
  shall　live　to　say；　I　dwell　in　San　Antonio；　which　is　the
  loveliest　city　in　the　loveliest　State　of　the　American　Union。
  For；　dear　ones；　I　was　born　an　American　citizen；　and　I　ask　this
  favor　of　God；　that　I　may　also　die　an　American　citizen。〃
  〃MI　ROBERTO；　when　you　die　I　shall　not　long　survive　you。
  And　now　that　the　house　is　made　so　beautiful！　　With　so　much　new
  furniture！　　How　can　you　speak　of　dying？〃
  〃And；　my　dear　father；　remember　how　you　have　toiled　and　suffered
  for　THE　INDEPENDENCE　OF　TEXAS。〃
  〃Because；　Antonia；　I　would　have　Texas　go　free　into　a　union　of
  free　States。　　This　was　the　hope　of　Houston。　　‘We　can　have
  help；'　he　often　said　to　his　little　army；　〃a　word　will　call
  help　from　Nacogdoches；but　we　will　emancipate　ourselves。
  If　we　go　into　the　American　States；　we　will　go　as　equals；　we
  will　go　as　men　who　have　won　the　right　to　say：　LET　US　DWELL　UNDER
  THE　SAME　FLAG；　FOR　WE　ARE　BROTHERS！〃
  CHAPTER　XVIII。
  UNDER　ONE　FLAG。
  〃And　through　thee　I　believe
  In　the　noble　and　great；　who　are　gone。〃
  〃Yes！　　I　believe　that　there　lived
  Others　like　thee　in　the　past。
  Not　like　the　men　of　the　crowd。
  Who　all　around　me　to…day；
  Bluster；　or　cringe；　and　make　life
  Hideous；　and　arid；　and　vile；
  But　souls　temper'd　with　fire；
  Fervent；　heroic；　and　good；
  Helpers；　and　friends　of　mankind。〃
  ARNOLD。
  〃Our　armor　now　may　rust；　our　idle　scimitars
  Hang　by　our　sides　for　ornament；　not　use。
  Children　shall　beat　our　atabals　and　drums；
  And　all　the　noisy　trades　of　war　no　more
  Shall　wake　the　peaceful　morn。〃
  DRYDEN。
  As　the　years　go　on　they　bring　many　changeschanges　that　come
  as　naturally　as　the　seasonsthat　tend　as　naturally　to
  anticipated　growth　and　decaythat　scarcely　startle　the
  subjects　of　them；　till　a　lengthened…out　period　of
  time　discloses　their　vitality　and　extent。　　Between　the　ages　of
  twenty　and　thirty；　ten　years　do　not　seem　very　destructive　to
  life。　　The　woman　at　eighteen；　and　twenty…eight；　if　changed；　is
  usually　ripened　and　improved；　the　man　at　thirty；　finer　and
  more　mature　than　he　was　at　twenty。　　But　when　this　same　period
  is　placed　to　women　and　men　who　are　either　approaching　fifty；
  or　have　passed　it；　the　change　is　distinctly　felt。
  It　was　even　confessed　by　the　Senora　one　exquisite　morning　in
  the　beginning　of　March；　though　the　sun　was　shining　warmly；　and
  the　flowers　blooming；　and　the　birds　singing；　and　all　nature
  rejoicing；　as　though　it　was　the　first　season　of　creation。
  〃I　am　far　from　being　as　gay　and　strong　as　I　wish　to　be；
  Roberto；〃　she；　said；　〃and　today；　consider　what　a　company　there
  is　coming！　　And　if　General　Houston　is　to　be　added　to　it；　I
  shall　be　as　weary　as　I　shall　be　happy。〃
  〃He　is　the　simplest　of　men；　a　cup　of　coffee；　a　bit　of　steak〃
  〃SAN　BLAS！　　That　is　how　you　talk！　　But　is；　it　possible　to
  receive　him　like　a　common　mortal？　　He　is　a　hero；　and；　besides
  that；　among　hidalgos　de　casa　Solar〃　（gentlemen　of　known
  property）
  〃Well；　then；　you　have　servants；　Maria；　my　dear　one。〃
  〃Servants！　　Bah！　　Of　what　use　are　they；　Roberto；　since　they
  also　have　got　hold　of　American　ideas？〃
  〃Isabel　and　Antonia　will　be　here。〃
  〃Let　me　only　enumerate　to　you；　Roberto。　　Thomas　and　his　wife
  and　four　children　arrived　last　night。　　You　may　at　this　moment
  hear　the　little　Maria　crying。　　I　dare　say　Pepita　is　washing
  the　child；　and　using　soap　which　is　very　disagreeable。　　I　have
  always　admired　the