Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1872-03-26

wagon, close up under ths canva. roof
they talked III whispers of their grea
future. and wondered " hat it had in stor,
for them. The next morning al day
break the camp MAS sslir. BY sunris,
the wagon train was on its way toward
the north. .wsst.
At night they halted beside small
stream AMI parked the wagons, and hat
supper, and talked and sang songs M,
, told stories. like one CREST joyou, rsmi.
ly.
At daybieak again they were on III,
way.
In the course OF ten days. having lrav.
sllsd rapidly for OK teams. the, reached
The Little Blue river, a branch oi the Big
Blus The women built fires and began
The preparation oi sspper. Tn, men
proceeded 10 park the wagon.
The last train took over this route
wa' attacked by Indians jus. here, said
Conductor Landlord. They were un-
usually bold, and we had tough fight
Good Heavens What is that 2"
lie b.hsld by the last rays OF the sun q.
set. moustsd band o indians, their
weapons glitering in the yellow hgh,.
their plumss nodding in the wind. as
they came on like whirlwind
Indians ." yelled the conductor, in Il
voice that made every woman's lace turn
white. 'Pawnees nr Sioux, cant tell
which. They seem To be on The war
path. can see their weapons. They
ontnumbcr US, counting III our mon,.n. q.
Call ~ thu children. We shall have to
defend oursslves'
lie blew a .hrill blast on his bugle
that rang out lar and wide. They were
swsepiss down upon the train, with
~hoops and yells. murder and rapiue in
their very aspect.
Conductor Landlord was skilled in la.
dian warlsre. and was = scout OF consi,l
rr.hic note.
There are twenty sayagss.' he All
nounced. 'Rsmember, boys, YOU are
fighting for your mothers and sisters.
Show US what stuff you are made Of
Then he shouted
Now, men, the gun Have out the
gun They ale in war paint, and mean
mischief. When give the word, fire {"
The Indian. came nearer and nearer,
advancing in straigh: line.
Now, boys, give them hin, that we
are not iooling.' said the guild. grimly
Mark Heber and his young comrades
fired a volcy.
The next moment shower OF bullets
came hurling toward the defenders of
the camp.
The gun cried Landlord Give 1t 10
em. Whitman
Whitman did give it to thom.' NOW
in down three mounted sayages. horses
and riders rolling over and over in hor-
rible death agony.
The remaining savages again came
to halt. bu! only for an instant. With
terrific wsrwhoop they came on again
10 the onslaught, firing as they came,
and looking like incarnatc demons.
All together = cried the guide.
The other men and all tho boys fired,
each with especial aim. Six mounted
saya.es Tell before the deadly rain.
A panic Immediately seized upon the
survivors In the midst OF it, Whitman
grimly touched of his iield.piece anew.
This ended the conflict. The savages
with horrible yclls beat an instantaneous
retreat. leaving their dead upon the field,
and dragging away their wounded.
Amory had bullet wound in his
shoulder. and Arnold's eldest son had a
flesh wound in his arm, but neither Of
these injuries was serious.
Are you sale, Gay p demanded Marx,
coming toward her.
Yes, but I'm almost smoihered,
answered Gay. Have the savages gone,
Mark?'
Gay cautiously crept forth while she
was speaking, The remaining wagons
disgorged their crouching occupants,
women and children coming forth pale
and trembling. but full of joyful gratitude
at their escape from death. or fate worse
than death. The camp took IN its usual
appearance even before the retreatmg
sayages were entirely lost to view in the
far distance. That night they encamped
upon the prairie, and met with no adyen.
ture. A guard was maintained as on the
previous night, but no Indians were tc
be seen.
Every day tor the week that felowet
the encampment on the Little Blue wa:
full of incident, but all of the pleasant
sort, nothing occurring to alarm the emf
grants.
And at the end of the week, to theil
, great Joy and relief they arrived AT For
. Kearney.
The emigrants did not halt at the fort
but pressed on TO KearAey City, where
they encamped just at nightfall
Here Conductor Landlord found anothe
train, the guide OF which had been stab
bed the night before by notorious man
who had escaped arrest. The train wa
offered to Landlord, to be united with hi
own.
: The assault that had been made upo
S the conductor of the previously arrire
= train, was made matter OF discussion
y IA ..u4xr.t ihnt his a.snllanI had PScapn