Fayetteville observer. [volume] (Fayetteville, Tenn.) 1850-1966, 1870-11-17
PAUL JASON'S MARK
A TALE OF COLORADO. iI]( :

I n
over the vast plains Of Colorado
1t had reached a point known a
Pole Creek Rancho, situated up
on the southern bank of the Platt,
River, perhaps forty, or fifty
miles above Fort Sedgwick.- =
When it halted. darkness hac
fully set in. The ranchmar
came out with his light, and the
weary passengers were about t.
leave their cramped positions
when that terrible sound, the war
whoop of the Sioux, broke the
stiffness of the night and in ar
instant after, fifty dusky forms
were seen dashing to and fro
brandishing their bloody toma
hawks, and striking all who came
in their way. s..5 s'''
The coach had been crowded
with passengers, about one-half
of whom were women. There
were elso 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 towards ;
but they, too, were soon numbered
with the dead. Then came firing
of the rancho, after barrels of
whisky had been brought out,
and one of those horrible scenes
OF revelry over the burning pile
and around the scalped dead tol-
lowed. s5-s7-.
For some time after the coach
left Fort Sedgwick Station, it had
been closely followed by a "team, -
consisting of a common wagon,
covered with canvas, which was
drawn by pair Of small mules;
but as the road became heavier
with snow drifts, the small ami
mails could not keep pace with the
six fine stage horses, and so they
were left in the background. %
This wagon was occupied by
three persons-a man of twenty
five, a woman who could not have
been more than seventeen or
eighteen years of age, and a young
infant.
As they found they could not
keep with the stage, the woman
said, and rather impatiently, 81
am sorry we are lett behind. We
may lose cur way, or be attacked
by the savages."
"No," replied the man, "for al
though we are both strangers iD
this country, we couldn't have
a better guide than the telegraph
poles. And as for the Indians at.
tacking US, they are q great deal
more likely, in my opinion, to be
on the lookout for the stage and
attack it."
"How much further have we to
drive to-dayIP ii4
."I can't well tell. But from
the distance we had to travel at.
noon, / 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 dwell
ing in the city, saves it for bis
children, and sends for us. /
have not seen him since / was a.
child; but | am sure / shall love
him"
1t was something like an hour
after darkness had set in, that the
lonely travellers saw the air be-
coming red ahead of them
Brighter and brighter grew the
light, until they could actually
see the flames as they shot up in
the snow-filled Atmosphere
Then a nearer approach revealed
the true state of affairs; and to
save himself and his family the
young man ut once turned the
heads, of his mules over the bluffs
and away from the river. q
Then cane a weary ride of two
hours, during which time a close
lookout was kept for a light. At
length one was discovered, and
nearing it the party found them
selves at the base OF a steep bluff,
or mountain, which unlike other
portions of the country, appeared
to be thickly wooded.
Leaving his team, together with
his wife aud child, almost entire
ly concealed by the overhanging
branches of atree, he began his
difficult ascent for the purpose of
ascertaining what the light he