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78 The Little Doves. High on the Up of an old pin# tre«, Broods a mother dore, with her young ones three, Warm ov*r them is her soft downy breast, And they sing so sweetly in their nest: “ Coo,” say the little ones ; “ Coo,” says she. Ail in their nest in the old pine tree. Soundly they sleep through the moonsliiny night, Each young one covered and tucked in tight ; Morn wakes them up with the first blush of light, And they sing to each other with all their might— “ Coo,” say the little ones: ” Coo,” says she, All in their nest in the old pine tree. When in the nest they are all left alone, While their mother far off for their dinner has flown Quiet and gentle they nil remain. Till their mother they see come home again; Then ** Coo,” say the little ones; “ Coo,” says she, All in their nest in the old pine tree. When they are fed by their tender mother, One will never push nor crowd another; Each opens widely his own little bill. And he patiently waits and gets his fill; Then “ Coo,” say the little ones; “ Coo,” says she, All in their nest in the old pine tree. Wisely the mother begins, by and by, To make her young ones learn to fly ; Just for a little way over the brink, Then back to the nest as quick as a wink ; And “ Coo,” say the little ones; “ Coo,” says she, All in their nest in the old pine tree. Fast grow the young ones, day and night, Till their wings are plumed for a longer flight; Till unto them at last draws nigh The time when they all must say good-bye; Then “ Coo,” say the little ones ; ” Coo,” says she, And away they fly from the old pine tree. Written for Burke’s Weekly. JACK DOBELL; Or, A Boys Adventures in Texas. A STORY FOR BOYS. CHAPTER IY. DESCRIPTION OF GOLIAD—PREPARING TO RE SIST INVASION—AN EXPEDITION TO CARLOS RANCH-THE “PADRE” AND HIS FRIENDS— CAVALIERS DISMOUNTED—RETURN TO GO LIAD. BOLIAD, at the time of which I write, contain ed a population of about 2,500 Mexicans, profess edly friendly to the Tex st they had the upper who afterwards, upon the invasion of Texas by Santa Anna, w proved to be their most cruel and vindictive foes. Goliad is situated on*the south bank of the San Antonio river, about fifty miles from its mouth, and ninety-five below the city of San Antonio. The American town of the same name, that has sprung up of late years, is situ ated nearly opposite on the northern side of the river. After the defeat of Santa Anna, the great majority of the inhabi tants of the “old town” abandoned the country and returned to Mexico. When I last saw it, a few years since, its population had dwindled down to a hundred or two miserable peons, and most of the buildings were gone. The “ Old Mission,” with its dilapidated walls, half BURKE’S WEEKLY. a dozen stone tenements, and a few adobe huts alone remain to designate the site of the once populous town of “ Old Goliad.” It is a healthy locality, and the lands around it are rich and productive. Thou sands of fat beeves roamed the prairies in every direction without an owner to claim them, and as corn was to be had in abun dance upon the neighboring “ranches,” or Mexican cattle farms, we were in no want of the necessaries of life. Besides, when the Americans took possession of the place, some months previous to our arrival, a large amount of sugar and cof fee was found in the Mexican Commis sary Department, which of course we made no scruple of appropriating to our own use. Some five or six weeks after our arrival at Goliad, undoubted information was ob tained through friendly Mexicans, that General Santa Anna Avas preparing to enter Texas with a large army ; conse quently all idea of invading Mexico was abandoned, and wo set to work to render the fortifications at Goliad as defensible as possible. We strengthened the walls around the Mission, wherever defective, added on several new bastions, and plant ed our artillery in such a way as to com mand all the roads by which an enemy could advance on the place. Every day we were drilled by our officers for three hours in the morning and two in the af ternoon, which was a great bore to me, *fcts I preferred hunting and fishing; but I knew it was necessary, and I did not at tempt to evade my duty. However, the monotony of this sort of life w r as occa sionally varied by a scout through the country. Once our company was ordered to San Patricio, an Irish settlement, about fifty miles southwest of Goliad, for the purpose of bringing away a couple of small pieces of artillery left there by the Mexicans. This we effected without any opposition, although our spies had informed Colonel Fannin that a considerable force of Mexi can guerrillas was in the vicinity of the place. A short time afterwards, our company was ordered to proceed to Carlos Ranch, a Mexican settlement, about twenty-five or thirty miles below on the river, and to make prisoners of certain of the inhabi tants thereof, who, it was ascertained, were in the habit of transmitting intelli gence of our movements to Santa Anna, and among the number the old “padre” or priest, of the village. A short distance below Goliad, we left the road and took our way through the woods and prairies, so as to prevent the Mexicans frem get ting notice of our approach; and about an hour before daylight, we surrounded the village and captured the obnoxious individuals we were sent for. We then marched about a quarter of a mile up the river, taking our prisoners along with us, and halted in a pecan grove upon the bank, for the purpose of cooking some breakfast, for which our night’s tramp had given us all a wolfish appetite. In a few moments we heard the most doleful cries and lamentations, and seeing a large crowd approaching from the direction of the village, avc has tily sprang to our arms, supposing that the Mexicans were about to make an at tempt to rescue our prisoners ; but as the crowd came nearer Ave saw that it was composed principally of Avomen and chil dren. It seems that they had just found out that their beloved padre had been captured by us, and they were coming to bid him good-bye and obtain his parting blessing. Such a scene I never Avitncssed before. Some throw themselves, Aveeping and moaning, at his feet, whilst others hung around him, striving for a kiss of his hand, or even of the hem of his priestly robe, as if their happiness in this world and the Avorld to come depended upon it. Presently another croAvd approached, bringing with them plates of hot “ tor tillas,” (a sort of batter-cake made of pounded hominy,) pots of coffee, SAveet meats, etc., which they deposited upon the grass for the padre’s breakfast, and as fast as they did so, avc appropriated the same, and found them a very agrecablo addition to our coarse fare of ‘ hard tack’ and dried beef. Finding that the padre stood no chance for his breakfast until avo had secured ours, the Avomen contin ued to renew the supplies as fast as they were disposed of, until even the padre cried out enough. We then prepared to resumo our march towards Goliad, but just as avo Avere on the e\ r e of starting, some ono remarked that there Avas a large “ cavallada” of horses at the village, and that riding was much more pleasant than Aval king. Wo all coincided unanimously in this opinion, and avo ordered some Mexicans who were standing around to bring us immediately thirty-five of their best horses, saddled and bridled. They were afraid torefuso, as we held their beloved padro and five or six others as hostages for their good be havior, and in a very little while the horses Avere forthcoming, saddlod and bridled, and ready for mounting. Each one of us selected the horse that pleasod him, and at the word of command, wo sprang into the saddles. I had hardly got yeated in mine, when