Rutland weekly herald. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1859-1877, 1872-03-28
MARK HEBER'S LUCK
AN INDIAN STORY.

| Ills nome 1aQ been, from MS earnest
remembrance, upon a stony, WORKOUT
| farm of fifty acres, situated on the Sena-
ca Lake, in Western New York. His
| father had become SO heavily involved
in debt, that two weeks before his death
| the farm had been sold by foreclosure OF
mortgage.
| And now what was Mark to do!
| He was lad of nineteen, slight and
| boyish in frame, but with the strength
of a man in his sinewy arms. He had
| had the usual advantages Of education
afforded to farmers sons.
He returned home from his fathers
| grave to the small, implanted story and
a half house, and after him came his
fathers only brother, well-to-do farm
er who resided in the neighborhood.
This uncle, Mr.. William Heber, was a
man of sixty years, pompous and self
important. His soul was one of the
smallest pattern, and he had never been
known to do generous deed, while he
had done many mean ones.
''WeD, Mark" said his uncle, I've
sent my folks on home, so that | can
have good talk with you. Morgan
tells me he wants the farm. He has
held off two weeks while George was
diving, but he wants to move in next
week What are you going to do ?"
Il don't know, uncle. am trying TO
think. What can | do ?"
II have thought the matter over,
said Mr.. Heber, land have thought upon
a plan. am willing to take you, Mark,
and treat you as my own son. You
shall have a home at my house, and a
seat at my table. What do you say
You forget uncle, that have some
one to provide for besides myself, said
Mark Suppose | were to accept this
offer of yours, what will you do for
Gay?"
%The girl is no relation of yours,
Mark"
The boy sighed.
Poor little Gay" he said hers is a
hard lot. Do YOU remember how the
child came by her name ? 1t is thirteen
wears 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. It did not
take long to discover that she was IN
sane. She called the child Gay, and
sometimes 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 look after her or the child.
a. Her mother was a crazy tramp, and
nothing more. No wonder George was
behindhand, when his wife adopted the
child of tramp and brought her NJ 4
lady, said his uncle
Mark c0lOred.
i cannot hear wordS against my
mother, sir" he said I shall protect
Cav while | live, and she shall not be
separated from me
''Then [ wash my hands Of YOU, eA
claimed Mr.. Hebcr angrily. You may
60 your own way and get your own
living.
Very we'll sir. said Mark quietly
that is settled then.
In one week Mark had sold pair ct
colts which he had raised himself, for
five hundred dollars, the household tuTn-
iture for nearly as much more, and was
on his way with little Gay to the far
West to seek their fortune.
The Young travellers arrived at LeaYcn-
worth after a long and fatiguing jour
ncy.
|. Here Mark, while looking for a wagon
and q woke Of oxen with which to cross
the prairies. fell in with an old farmer
named Whitman. who had been living
in Western Kansas, but did not like 1t.
and was now on his way to Nebraska.
Mark concluded to join him, and Mr.,
Whitman assisted him in purchasing d
suitable outfit, and that same night Mark
and Gay were snugly enscOnCed in thciI
huge travelling wagon. outside OF the
city, on the edge Of the prairie, where
MI Whitman, with his wife and seven
children. had cncamped Six other fami-
lies were with thcm-thc seven wagons
being ,.parked' in the form of a circle
that is, the pole of one wagon resting
upon the rear of another and the oxen,
mules, horses COWS, dogs, and pigs be
! inc gathered into the circle thus pro
| tected.
Outside the circle of wagons great
| fire was burning, and as Mark s Wagon
drove up, the conductor of the train Mr.
Landlord. came forward and welcomed
| the new corners.
1t seemed to Gay and to Mark thai
they had entered new and wondrou
world.
Both Law long awake that night in theil
! wagon, close up under their canvas root
and they talked in whispers Of theil
| great future. and wondered what il hac
| in store for them.
The next morning at daybreak The
! camp was astir. BY sunrise the Wagon
! train was on its way toward the north
west.
At night they halted behind a small
stream and parked the wagons, and haC
supper. and talked and sang songs anC
| told stories, like one great joyous family
At daybreak, again they were on tho
way.
In the course of ten days, having
travelled rapidly for OK teams, they
reached the little Blue river, branch Of
the Big Blue. The women built fires
and began the preparation of supper
! The men proceeded to park the wagons
The last train | took over this route
was attacked by Indians just here, sale
! Conductor Landlord. They were I'M
usually bold, and we had tough tigh
Good Heavens. What is that q
He beheld, by the last rays of the sun
set. a mounted band of Indians, thei
weapons glittering in the yellow light
their D,umes nodding in the wind u
they came on like a whirlWind.
.:Indians i' yelled the conductor, in {
I voice ttdb HIATT NNtt NCliic'Li - 'ttNN '''i i
white. ,sPawnces or Sioux, can't tel
which. They seem to be on the va
path. | can see their weapons. They
outnumber lis, counting i'll our women
Call in the children. We shall have II
defend ourselves.
He blew shrill blast on his bugle tina
rang out far and wide. They were
sweeping down upon the train, Will
whoops and yells, murder and rapinc IL
their very aspect
Conductor Landlord Was skilled in In
dian warfare. and was 4 scout Of consid
| eratle note.
There are twenty sayages, he an
nounced Remember, boys. you ART
fighting for your mothers and sisters
Show us what stuff you are made Of.
Then he shouted
Now. men. the gun Have out thu
gun! They are in war paint, and meal
mischief When | give the word, fire :
The Indians came nearer and nearer
/ ,Jv-oD~i1,r in a STRAIGHT line