The States and Union. [volume] (Ashland, Ohio) 1868-1872, 1870-10-12
Paul Jason's Mark.
A STORY OF COLORADO.


ging its way slowly through the blind
ing and drifting snow over the vast
plains of Colorado 1t had reached q
point known as Pole Creek Rancho,
situated upon the southern bank of
the Platte River, perhaps forty or fifty
miles above Fort Sedgwick When it
halted darkness had fully set in. The
ranchman came out with his light, and
the weary passengers were about to
leave their cramped positions, when
that terrible sound, the war. whoop of
the Sioux. broke the stiffness of the
night, and in an instant after, fifty
dusky forms were dasiling to. and fro,
brandishing their bloody tomahawks
and striking all who came in their
way.
The coach had been crow led with
passengers, about onc.half of whom
were women. There were also two
infants in the party. Fathers fought
desperately, but they fell, although
they sold their lives dearly. The
guard appeared almost invincible, but
they were small in number, and they
did not long survive. The ranchmen
proved themselves no cowarIs; but
they too, were soon, numbered with
the dead, Then came the firing of
the rancho, after barrels of whisky
had been brought out and one of those
terrible scenes OF reyelry over the
burning pile and around the. scalped
dead followed. ...,,.-.. 1900, .,.,-i.9a
For some time after the coach LETT
Fort Sedgwick Station, it had been
closely followed by a "team,D con-
81 ting of common wagon, covered
with canvass, which was drawn by Al
pair of small mules, but as the road
became heavier with snowdrifts, the
small animals could not keep pace
with the six fine stage horses, and so
they were left in the background.
Thiswagon was occupied by three
Persons man of twenty-five, wo
man who could not have been more
than seventeen or eighteen years of
age, and a young infant.
AS they found they could not keep
pace with the stage, the woman said,
and rather impatiently, II am sorry
we are. left behind. We may loose
our way, or be attacked by the sava-1
ges." f f5f a-
"No," replied the man, ''for, al
though we are both strangers in this
country, we couldn't have better
guide than the eltgraph poles. And
for the Indians attacking US, they are
great deal more likely, in my -opini-
on, to be on the lookout for the stagc
and attack il" R rE
sHow much further do we drive,
to.day?.' gi4fli 3
"I can't well tell. But from the
distance we had to travel at noon, l
should say that nine o'clock in the
evening ought to bring us to Pole
Creek.
"And three days more will bring us
to my fathers house in Denver
Good old man, weary of hunting. he
builds a fine dwelling in the CITY, says
it is for his children, and sends for us.
have not seen him since Il was
child, but l am sure I shall love him. 2
1t was something like an honr af-
ter darkness had set in, that the lone
iy travellers saw the air becoming red
ahead of them. Brighter and bright
er grew. the light, until they could
actually see the flames as they shot up
in the snow filled atmosphere. 8 Then
anearer approach revealed the true
state of affairs, and to save himselfand
family, the young man at once turn
ed the heads of mis- mules over the
blnffss and away from the river. (