Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1874-03-12
UNDER 4 LOAD OF HAY.

glander would take it for brushwood, and
would as soon think of feeding his horses
from his woodpile as of giving them fod-
der so woody and coarse.
Frequently, instead of trying to mo1
| the brush from which it is made, the hay
gatherers dig it up by the roots with stout
hoes, or cut it off with hatchets. Yet the
mules and "burros'' (donkeys) will eat, or
rather gnaw, it and keep in fair condition
that is, when they have time enough
given them for eating.
All the mules and horses used by the
| miners and on the stage and mail routes
are fed on this bush-hay. And the getting
1t in from the country about the towns
and fortified ranches is one of the perils
| incident to farming in this Territory.
A party of halls dozen men and boys
Will make contract to furnish hay to
one of the Government posts, or at a
mining rancho. They sally out with
mules, carts, hoes and bush-hooks, and
are armed with double barreled guns and
revolvers.
Arrived at a place where browse" is
tolerably abundant, these warlike hay
makers fall to work to fell the grass, hav-
ing first posted one Of their number, rifle
IN hand, to look out for providing Apaches
Not long since one of these haying par
ties was attacked, and one of the boys
had most exciting adventure-one he
will not soon forget.
The party was under the charge of a
Mr.. Gillespie. The men had been having
for week or over, near one of the Gov
eminent mail stations, about sixty miles
from Tucson, and were driving home one
afternoon with a wagon load
f)1T how haro fouoJ, foIJou, oF
thirteen, named Luke Bartlett, had been
placing and treading down the hay, and
was now enjoying ride upon it, snugIy
burrowing in hole on the top.
The wagon was drawn by four mules,
and was within half mile of the sta
ton, when just as it was emerging from
a scrub growth of mesquit there came a
terrific yell, and in an instant. the men
were set upon by a score of Apaches,
who leaped out from the bushes and began
shooting their arrows and charging up
toward the wagon!
AS i'll luck would have it, the men
had that day taken but a single rife
with them; for during the whole week
they had seen no signs of the savages.
Gillespie was quite cool, however.
Hold the team, boys!" said he to the
three others, land give me the gun!"
The moment he presented the rifle the
Indians would leap backward, lodging
from side to side with wonderful adroit-
ness, to prevent him from taking accurate
aim. At the same time, too, they were
shooting their arrows with great dexterity.
One Of the mules was hit and began to
plunge violently. Seeing this, the
Apaches, thinking, perhaps, that the gun
was not loaded, approached still nearer
the haymakers, led on by brawny, hide
ous-teatured savage, who seemed to be
their chief
Gillespie saw that his party would be
overpOwered.
"Cut the traces" said he, and run for
the stationi"
Then, taking deliberate aim at the big
Apache, he shot him through the head.
With a frightful yell and flourish of his
war-club the savage dropped to the
ground
At that the others recoiled a little. In
the confusion thus made the men with
the mules, closely followed by Gillespie,
ran toward the fort as fast as they could.
In the suddenness of the attack and
fight they none of them thought of the
boy burrowed in the hay on the top of the
load.
When the Apaches set upon them Luke
had crouched down amid the hay, and
cuddled all the closer when the arrows be-
gan to fly. There he lay completely hid
den; and the savages were yelling SO
Justify that he did not hear Gillespie tell
the men to cut the traces. He heard the
rit1e-shot and the terrible yell OF the
wounded Apache. Then there was a clat-
ter and lull.
He was just on the point of peeping
out from his hiding place when he heard
the savages near the wagon. With
shudder of horror he skunk down into the
hay again, knowing now that he was left
alone among them.
His first thought was to leap off the
load and run for his life. But he hest
tated about doing it; and it was well that
he did, for the savages had not seen him.
They at once began to wrangle for the
parts of the harness that had been left at
tached to the wagon. One of the hay
makers had dropped a pitchfork and an
other hoe. These were eagerly seized by
the savages with whoops Of joyous laugh
ter
Not daring to stir, Luke lay still, fear
ing that even his heartbeats would betray
him to them.
The iron tires of the wagon wheels next
attracted the notice of some of the lndl-
ans, and they began to beat upon them
with their clubs One of the wheels was
soon broken and one corner OF the LOAD
fell heavily to the ground.
Luke now gave himself up for lost, but
he was buried so deeply in his nest that
still the savages did not see him. They
pounded at the wheel till they got the
tire of, talking and whooping all the
while.
Then the iron-work of the cart body
underneath caught their eyes. Luxe
could feel them pulling and wrenchlng'
and they yelled and cutfed each other as
they worked at it.
Not succeeding in getting it of, they
leaped back with angry whoops, and then
suddenly sprang at the wagon-body, ana,
tugging and lifting at the side, overturned
it, hay and all.
Luke could not help an Involuntary cry
as he struck the ground with hay over
him. Fortunately it was drowned by the
shouts of the savages. He was consider
ably shaken by the fall, but still had
sufficient sense to lie quiet. The Indians
were all on the farther side when the load
was upset. Even now he escaped their
| notice.