out of bed, so I would sit, rigid,
scared. "Jack! what is it?" "Nonsense, Mattie, go to sleep; it's
the toads jumping about in the leaves." But my sleep was fitful and
disturbed, and I never knew what a good night's rest was.

One night I was awakened by a tremendous snort right over my face. I
opened my eyes and looked into the wild eyes of a big black bull. I
think I must have screamed, for the bull ran clattering off the piazza
and out through the gate. By this time Jack was up, and Harry and
Katherine, who slept on the front piazza, came running out, and I said:
"Well, this is the limit of all things, and if that gate isn't mended
to-morrow, I will know the reason why."

Now I heard a vague rumor that there was a creature of this sort in or
near the post, and that he had a habit of wandering around at night,
but as I had never seen him, it had made no great impression on my mind.
Jack had a great laugh at me, but I did not think then, nor do I now,
that it was anything to be laughed at.

We had heard much of the old Mission of San Xavier del Bac, away the
other side of Tucson. Mrs. Kautz decided to go over there and go into
camp and paint a picture of San Xavier. It was about sixteen miles from
Fort Lowell.

So all the camp paraphernalia was gotten ready and several of the
officers joined the party, and we all went over to San Xavier and camped
for a few days under the shadow of those beautiful old walls. This
Mission is almost unknown to the American traveler.

Exquisite in color, form and architecture, it stands there a silent
reminder of the Past.

The curious carvings and paintings inside the church, and the precious
old vestments which were shown us by an ancient custodian, filled
my mind with wonder. The building is partly in ruins, and the little
squirrels were running about the galleries, but the great dome is
intact, and many of the wonderful figures which ornament it. Of course
we know the Spanish built it about the middle or last of the sixteenth
century, and that they tried to christianize the tribes of Indians
who lived around in the vicinity. But there is no sign of priest or
communicant now, nothing but a desolate plain around it for miles. No
one can possibly understand how the building of this large and beautiful
mission was accomplished, and I believe history furnishes very little
information. In its archives was found quite recently the charter given
by Ferdinand and Isabella, to establish