Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1872-03-20

er to spot at little distance, where Blue
Jacks horse stood grazing, saddled for use.
In an instant the chief desperate darted un-
der the wagons toward the waiting horse. He
reached him and leaped upon his back
And in the next moment that desperate rose
gracefully in his stirrups at the distance of
few rods. and with the fierce defiant yell of
wild Indian, dashed his spurs into his horses
side, and was away like the wind
The troops gave an answering yell of sur
prise and anger, and the officer in command
led the swift pursuit
Blue Jack had the advantage Of a good start,
and was splendid|y mounted, his horse being
| seasoned animal, born and bread on the plains,
and endowed with great life and spirit.
Blue Jack laughed aloud as the strong ami
NAL bore him onward as if he had been
feathers weight. He rose again in his stir
rups, and shouted back defaDtly:
Come on. Take Blue Jack if you can
| The pursuing officer shouted TO the outlaw
to surrender, but the only reply was knocking
laugh. The officer then fired a shot at the
fugitive, but the bullet missed its mark, and
Blue Jack, bending low to his horses neck,
and digging the spurs into the animals sides,
swept on aud away with the rush of tornado
And after him swept the pursuers.
The emigrants watched the pursuit with
breathless interest until the foremost figure
upon the powerful Indian steed had passed be-
yond their line OF vision.
During the confusion Burk escaped also.
At nlghttall they halted upon the south bank
of the Platte. and were at supper around their
fires when the troops we're seen to approach,
weary and dispirited -without their prisoner
The fellow has escaped us, . said the officer.
you held on 10 the chase we'll Lieutenant,
said the conductor.
II can bear to go back to the fort without
him, was the quick reply. There's excite
nent all through the fort. Poor Fallon was
nearly murdered, and was left for dead. He
was flung over into Deep Canyon, and happen
ed to lodge in cump Of bushes There he
came to himself, an hour or more afterward,
and more dead than alive, he climbed up TO
the ground above, and fell down in dead faint.
A party was Immediately organized, and sent
in pursuit OF the outlaw.
The next day they encountered the party Of
soldiers that had been sent in pursuit Of Blue
Jack They had found no trace Of the despe-
RADIO or his companion.
NO use looking Tor Blue Jack. said the
officer in charge Of the party addressing Land
| ford. There has been party Of Sioux about
this quarter for Il few days past, and no doubt
Blue Jack has fallen ir with them. The party
is hardly large enough to attack your train
and | understand they have gone up toward
Dakotah. Biue Jack has an Indian wife some
where up there. y
Upon the second day after leaving For. Nc
! Phcrson. the cml grants made their midday
| halt in a grove of cotton woods, upon the bank
| of the south fork OF the Platte, at its junction
with a wide, tree tringed river which descend
ed from the northward, and here they conclud
ed to settle.
The site of the village was selected exactly at
the junction oft rivers upon low bluff over
looking the two streams.
Then public square was carefully laid out
with mathematical exactness
Then each man lot was as goed him.
Mark Ueber's was next to Whitman's on the
eastern side Of the square, facing west. and his
future garden ran back to the edge Of the low
bluff
Mark IIebcr did mans work, and from
the first day Of this hard toll Whitman ceased
to class the youth among the boys.
In the course of week, eight strong log
houses, each story in height, and pierced
with loop holes. and each provided with sim
Gle capaciouS chimney, were finished. and 'front.'
cd the little naked square.
Mark Hcbcr's house was simply arranged,
built upon the plan generally adopted by the
settlers There were but two rooms, one being
entered through the other. The inner room
was to be Gays. The outer room was to be
parlor, dining room: kitchen, library, and Mark's
bed room.
The house is your province, Gay" said the
youth. upon the morning after the house was
flushed | shall leave you to furnish it aud
transform it into a home while work upon the
stockade. If you need my help when the stock
oI, ,n1 block hnusn sha6 I will tp~n
myself into house carpenter
Il sha Mt need you SIR said Gay saucily.
'You attend to the farm, and leave the house
to me.
The shelter provided, the eight houses we're
left entirely to the management of the women.
the men working upon the stockade, which
was constructed upon strict military principles
and was a model of worth and excellence.
Ii required two weeks and the labor Of six
teen men to complete this work.
Whitman and his family had been living in
their house for week. All the families had
moved into their homes save the Hebers, but
Cray with pretty tyranny had not allowed Mark
ty cross the threshold of his house since he had
inishcd it.
Now, when Mark unyoked his oxen, turning
them looose IN his own yard. and drew his wa
gon under great cotton wood III his back
pdTucuI bdN Cdlicu liW Will
saying that he might enter the house with her.
He came pleased and smiling, but paused
upon the threshold in mute amazement.
Was this the room with four rough log walls
which he had given into her hands?
Was this sunny little home log house on
the plains?
1t seemed incredible.
For little clever-wittcd Gay, with her deli
cate, skilltul fingers, had fashioned lovely
home out Of her barren materials, such an
one as would delight the eye to rest upon,
and her sole helps had been two kindly boys
of fifteen years, who had worked under her
directions.
It's the prettiest room | ever saw" cried
Mark, with enthusiasm. There isn't house
in town like it. Won't the people open their
eyes It's just lovcly!'' cried Mark delighted
ly. "You are regular home fairy, Gay. You
we're meant for the frontier, and you are the
fairest flower on all the plains Ny precious lit
tie sister!
He drew her to him and kissed her tenderly.
But Gay, most unaceountably, broke from him