For all are dear to heart of God,
And each can serve where'er he be;
Whether in life, full, rich, and free,
Or bound as I, by Prairie sod.
VI
San Antonio. — Work of Jesuit Missionaries. — Street Ramble. — The Old Cathedral. — Evenings in our Car. — A Mission Car. — The Tired Clergyman with his Renewal of Vigor. — The Alamo. — The Siege Sustained by Colonel Travis and his Men. — The Tragedy. — Hymn of the Alamo. — The Western Texas Military Academy.
After a glorious day along the southern line of Texas, at some points being very near the Mexican frontier, we reached San Antonio at tea time. Soon after, we were all ready, just in the gloaming, for a leisurely stroll through the streets of the beautiful and interesting town.
San Antonio had among its Spanish founders some Jesuit missionaries, and these wise Fathers set their Indian converts at once at good works which took practical shape in the deep water courses which still line the streets at each side to this day, and bring to every man's door water for irrigation, an absolute necessity in this dry climate. This accounts for the wealth of roses which embower the trees and houses. It is a paradise of sweet, flowery shrubs, and the air is vocal with the songs of the happy birds. "Never," says Mrs. Morgan in her diary, "Never have I heard such a wealth of bird music as here. Here, too, I first saw the Mexican red bird in its wild condition."
It has quite a charm to saunter round in a strange town, and mingle all unknown in the crowd. Thus we went in and out among them. The shops we found were attractive, especially those of the saddlers and harness makers, where the ingenious and practical shape of the goods, and their rich ornamentation in Mexican style, were quite interesting.