Rutland weekly herald. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1859-1877, 1870-01-27
Paul Jason's Mark.
A STORY OF COLORADO.

| \ STORY OF COLORADO.
| The overland mail coach was dragging
its way slowly along through the blind
ing and drifting snow over the vast plains
of Colorado. 1t had reached a point or
rancho, known as Pole Greek Rancho, stu
ated 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 position,
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 seen dashiug to and fro, bran
dishing their tomahawks and striking
down all who came in their way.
The coach had been crowded with pas
sengers, about one-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 two 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 the firing of the ranch, after
barrels of whiskey had been brought out,
and one of those horrible scenes of revelry
over the burning pile and around the
scalped dead followed.
For some time after the coach had left
Fort Sedgwick Station, it had been closely
followed by team, consisting of a COM
mon wagon, covered with canvass, which
was drawn by pair of small mules. But,
as the road became heavier with snow
drifts, the small animals could not keep
pace with the six fine stage-horses, and so
they were left in the background.
This second team was occupied by three
persons-a man of twenty-five, woman,
who could not have been more than seven
teen or eighteen years of age, and young
infant.
As they found that they could not keep
pace with the stage, the woman said, and
rather impatiently:
IL ana sorry we must be left behind.
We may lose our way, or be attacked by
the savages."
"No," replied the man, "for although
we are both strangers in this country, we
couldn't have better guide than the tel
egraph poles. And as for the Indians at
lacking US, they are great deal more
likely, in my opinion, to be on the look
out for the stage, and attack it.
'How much further do we drive to-
day."
II can't well tell! But from the dis
lance we had to travel at noon, I should
say that nine o'clock in the evening ought
to bring us to Pole Creek"
ga fbyoa dave mora will 70,
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. I have not
seen him since I was child, but / am
sure / shall love him"
1t was something like an hour after
darkness had set in that the lonely travel
lers saw the air becoming red ahead of
them. Brighter and brighter grew the
light until they could actually see the
flames as they shot up into the snow filled
atmosphere. Then nearer approach re-
vealed the true state of affairs; and to
save himself and family, the young man
at once turned the heads of his mules
over the bluffs and away from the river
Then came weary ride of two hours,
during which time close look out was
kept for light. At length one was dis
covered, and, nearing it, the party found
themselves at the foot of steep bluff, or
mountain, which, unlike the other
portions of the country appeared to be
thickly wooded.
Leaving his team, together with his
wife and child, almost entirely concealed
by the overhanging branches of tree, he
began his difficult ascent for the purpose
of ascertaining what the light he saw
meant. In fifteen minutes he was within
a few feet of the place. He was satisfied |
that the glimmer did not come from a
cabin; and as near as he could calculate, |
it came from rocky cave.
Up to this time the young man felt
sure that he had not made the least noise, |
for the snow was soft. Neither could he |
well be seen, for the snow which covered |
his entire person rendered him of the |
same color as everything around him.
And yet he heard dog growl, and then
a voice say:
"Keep yer distance, Injin. Pete an me
is just as ready for a scrimmage as we |
was this afternoon. Keep yer distance"
Il am not an Indian, but benighted
returned the young man. al
saw this light, and did not know but it
proceeded from the fire in some white
settlers cabin"
Il knew Pete diden't smell Injin, or
he'd be maxim bigger fuss than that.
But wait, an I'll be thar an show We the
way inter my Serbasterpole."
i IN 8 moment the hunter stood by the
deof the young man, and, bending close
81 bis lace, he appeared to be satisfied.
The dog had his smell, and agreed with
ais master that the matter was all right.
a few words of explanation passed, and
,he old hunter exclaimed:
20! get wife an baby, Ell? Lord
owe m! we can't leave 'em down thar
reezin'v'
And away he went down the hill ct
uch rapid rate that the traveller found
impossible to keep pace with him.
When he did arrive, he found that his
ac hm1 hAa~ e. ~ = - Il