Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1872-03-19
MARK HEBER's LUCK.
AN INDIAN STORY.


brance, upon stony, wOrn-out farm of fifty acres
situated upon the Seneca lake, in western New
York. His father had become heavily involved il
debt, that two weeks before his death the farm ha,
| been sold by foreclosure OF mortgage
And now what was Mark to do?
He was lad Of nineteen slight and boyish il
frame but with the strength of man in his sinewl
| arms he had had the usual advantages of educa
| tion afforded TO farmers sons.
He returned home from his fathers grave to tn
small, implanted story and a half house, and afte
| him came his fathers only brother, a well-to-dt
farmer, who resided in the neighborhood.
This uncle, Mr.. VIM. Heber, was man of siXtl
years, p0mpous and self-important His soul was o
the smallest pattern, and he had never been known
to do generous deed, while he had done many NEAR
ones.
Dwell, Mark" said his uncle, Owe sent my folk
on home, so that can have a good talk with You
Morgan tells Inc he wants the farm. He has helt
off two weeks while George was dying but he wants
to move in next week. What are yOu going TO dOg
What can dor"
81 have thought the matter over" said Mr. He
Der, "and have thought upon plan. 1 am willing
to take you, Mark, and treat you as my own son
You shall have home at my house, and seat al
my table. What do you say?"
You forget, uncle, that have some one to pro
vide for besides myself" said Mark. Suppose
were to accept this offer of yours what will you dc
for Gay?'
THE girl is no relation of yours, Mark"
The boy sighed.
"Poor little Gay" he said; hers is hard lot
"Do you remember how the child came by heI
name? 1t is thirteen years this spring since a lady
stopped at our door and asked leave to remain over
night She staid on day after day, growing weaker
and weaker. 1t did not take long to discover that
she was insane She called the child Gay, and some
times Gabrielle, which is Gays true name. But she
did not tell her surname, nor anything concerning
herself. Late that summer she died No one ever
came TO inquire after her or the child"
"Her mother was a crazy tramp, and nothing
more. No wonder George was behindhand, when
his wife adopted tine child of tramp and brought
her up a lady" said his uncle.
Mark colored.
II cannot hear a word against my mother sir, -
he said. 81 shall protect Gay while live, and she
shall not be separated from me-"
'lhen wash my hands of you " exclaimed Mr..
Heber angrily. ''You can go your own way, and
get your own living"
Every well, sir" said Mark quietly; chat is set
tied then"
In one week Mark had sold pair of colts which
he had raised himself for five hundred dollars, the
household furniture for nearly as much more, and
on his way with little Gay to the far west, to
seek their fortune.
The Young travellers arrived at LeaYenworth after
long and fatigutng journey.
Here Mark, while looking for wagon and yoke
of oxen with which to cross the pTairies, fell in
with an old farmer named Whitman, who had been
living in western Kansas but did not like it, and
was now on his way to Nebraska. Mark concluded
to join him, and Mr. Whitman assisted him in pur-
chasing a suitable outfit and that same night Mark
and Cay were snugly ensconsed in their huge travel
ing wagon, outside OF the city, on the edge of the
prairie, where Mr.. Whitman, with mis- wife and
seven children, had encamped. Six other families
were with them-the seven wagons being parked
in the form of crCle-that is, the pole of one
wagon resting upon the rear of another-and the
oxen, mules, horses, cows, dogs and pigs, being
gathered into the circle thus protected.
Outside the circle of wagons great fire was
burning and as Marks wagon drove up, the con
ductor of the train, Mr.. Landlord, came forward
and welcomed the newcomers.
It seemed to Gay and to Mark that they had en-
tered new and wondrOus world.
Both lay long awake that night in their wagon,
close up under the canvas root and they talked in
whispers of their great future, and wondered what
it had in store for them.
The next morning at daybreak the camp was astir.
BY sunrise the wagon train was on its way toward
the northwest
Alright they halted beside small stream and
parked the wagons, and had supper, and talked and
sang songs ami told stories, like one great Joyous
family,
at daybreak again they were on the way
IN tine course of ten days, having Travelled rapid
a branch of the Big Blue. The women built fires
and began the preparation of supper. The men pro-
ceeded to park the wagons.
"rhe last train took over this route was attacked
by Indians just here" said Conductor Landlord
"Ghey were unusually bold, and we had q tough
fght-Good heavensl What is that?"
lie beheld by the last rays of the sunset, mount
ed bandof Indians, their weapons glittering in the
yellow light, their plumes nOdding in the wind, as
they came on like whirlwind.
"IadiaRS!" yelled the conductor, in voice that
made every wOmal's face turn white "Pawnees or
Sioux, can't tell which They seem to be on the
war path can see their weapons. They outnum-
Der US, counting in our women. Call in tha chill
He blew shriII bas on his bnas tbes ro, ont
le DeM a snpti Dast On ills nuse Ihat rang out
tra a anu wy de were ely swepg down upon me
tb I'LL IN t anu yeiis' nuruer anu raplhe III
CnnJn:yor Gsnford ,v,s sli1o7 =,
and as scout Of cansiJarabIo r ~ l"ui" "arile'
,,oror I ho t"en n ne announced Re
and sistere show ne ~, youi p'Ls ne
a'i Inn ba sbonto us "n"' SUN you are maue o.
"kow, men, the gun! Have out the gun! They
4 az III va i,is' anu mean mlScheL "hen give
" m, + TD NJ ii,v oo,,o ,o., 81 -
u; ia; Sio ne'ier anu nearer advancing
"a ~. = ~ a. 49, ~ li'e, e.; A., -.
e,ii o", DGge, 1--WE Sheh u hlnt tnat we are not
lo3,imS' 1 sSiu tle gulle grlniy.
L. ANA n AAV''' On" MS 9o"is coIiIaues hred Noi-
lcn,
NJ; me next moment shower of bullets came hurt
lia I'm So"aIu iDe uelenGeIs o. Ile camp.
Wbit TN gu ~ ''ie" l-"huloru' '0iFe II 10 en-
hm ti ,.
tb whitman dia give it to them moving down
three mounted saVages, horses and riders rolling
over I anu over IN horrible death agony,
me remaining sayageS AGAIN came 10 malt but
only 1or an instant WIN terrific warwhoop,
they came on again to the onslaught firing as they
o',ue, anu I lVsAIn ~, llke Inearhate lemons
,r Ah tQgether!. cried me guide.
dng I'ii9r ie anu an Iae boys hred each with
espeGlal ann Six mounted Sayages fell before the
deadly ram.
In a MN w icy sezeu upon the SURVIVORS
s,J ny mus. oL ~ "hi'indh STlliy touched on ms
neI III , anew a. e A.. III,
III ,-,lIs b,ot a., ;,r.,r
~ ems oea' a % retreat leaving the!r
utau upon tlle helu' ana dragglnS away Their
"V ns ,,,,,.. ~.
AHiofy liaq Oullet wound IN MS shoulder, and
Arno9.s eldest son mad flesh wound in his arm,
oGt neIlh l.a, OF tneie injuries was serious
ARE you safe, GayE' demanded Mark coming
to N9 her her,
ar, Yes, put I'm almost smothered," answered Gay
L lj tllt ssAYl9es surely gone, MARX ~
gay IT Ii GTepI iorth WINE she was speak
ing. me remaining wagons dlsgorged their
cIuIcnlis OcSulldulS, women ana cmlaren coming
~ m pI NJ iu .lenleihs out Iull OF Joyful gratl-
Sue DIT mn escape from ueat OF tate worse than
Se Fun oai,p ooA vi us usual appearance even
@ t me f s'STses were enIey Iost 70
view IN the Iar Instance mat nlght they eneamped
upon the prairie, ana met with no adventure. A
sudiu az 1iValieu as On the previous nlght but
no iuVldlia were 70 pe seen;
Every uay lot me week thaI followed the encamp-
aet on tIe Llttie ble was iull OF INGREDIENT, but all
vi he peasant sort morning occurring TO alarm the
en- sr ~ ~ =, .,,,-
anu az the emu OF tne Week 10 thelf great JOY and
relIet' they arrived at Fort hearney.
Inc emsrehts did not matt at the fort, but pressed
on 10 hearney Clty, where they encamped just at
nghtfall.
q, here Conductor Landlord found another train,
Ine Rulue oI winch had Deen stabbed the night be-
lore a9 Iy notorious man VINO mad escaped arrest.
The tram was offered to landlord to be united with
his own.
Inc assault that had been made upon the con-
uuctor OF me previously arrived train was made a
matter OF discussion, and regret that his assaant
had escaped was universal
81 know the fellow who dirked the conduc tor,''
said Landlord "He is perfect demon | know
that he has killed several men. / saw him at Dem
yer last year. lie had just stabbed a miner from be.
hind and robbed him OF all his money and gold He
Is called Blue jack