The Somerset press. [volume] (Somerset, Ohio) 1873-1977, 1876-09-22
MISCELLANY.
Lonesome Charley"
A TRUE SKETCH.

out before ur ano hhc rh'iy W AHef hei-
rible fate il told with all Its horrors, the
more we realize what an act Of bravery
that ride Of Clusters was. Linking fact
with circumstance, and the fact is appar-
ent that over confidence was the cause Of
their DEATH Three hundred braver men
never died in war; there never was a
.terner test Of personal courage.
see in the list of the killed the name
Of Charley Reynolds Lonesome Char
ley" Reynolds. He was one Of those re-
markable characters sometimes met with |
in the rude life OF the frontier-more re-
markable in some respects than it has
been my fortune to meet in somewhat
varied experience and q somewhat wide
association with people Of his class; for
under bis rough exterior there was a
soul rs refined and gentle as ever reign
ed in a woman's breast; and, as usual in
such cases, no amour. Of vulgar associa
lions or want Of kindred sympathy
could dull its lustre one degree.
When Custer was at the base of Har-
ney's Peak in 1874, and our camp was in
a blaze Of excitement over the gold dis
coveries, Custer sent for Bloody Knife,
the chief Of his scouts, and asked for an
Indian to carry dispatches to Fort Lar
annie, 200 miles below. Bloody Knife
shook his head solemnly, and said:
."My warriors are brave, but they are
wise. They will carry bag ofletters to
Fort Lincoln, but I cannot ask them to
20 through tho Sioux country to Fort
Laramie"
Fort Lincoln was 200 miles further
than Laramie, although the latter route
was beset with tenfold more dangers. 1t
led directly through the Sioux hunting
ground, and just at this particular time
Of the year the young men were all out
in hunting parties, so that the plains
we're full Of them. Bloody Knife's
braves were Rees-a tribe for which the
Sioux have hereditary enmity, and he
was too wise to ask one OF them TO un-
dertake so suicidal project. But mails
must be sent somehow and Custer was
pondering what to do. Charley Reynolds
was sitting on the ground with his legs
crossed, cleaning revolver, and seem
ingly inattentive 10 the conversation
Custer had been thinking but a moment
when Reynolds looked up and said:
an carry the mails to Laramie, Gen.
eral."
Custer was familiar with courage il
eyery form, but such a proposition ever
surprised him.
II wouldn't ask you to go, Reynolds.
said he.
"I have no fear" responded the scou
quietly. "When will the mails b,
resdy2"
''I was intending to send something to
morrow night" replied Custer.
"I'll go tomorrow night"
And picking up his piece of buckskil
and bottle Of oil, Reynolds strobe quiet
ly away.
"There goes n man." said Custer
"who is succession of surprises to me
am getting so that feel a humiliation
in his presence. Scarcely day passe
and have known him three years
that he does not develop some new an
strong trait in his character. ! woul
rs soon have asked my brother Tom t
carry n mail to Laramie as Reynolds"
The next day saw Reynolds lead a
old, ill-shaped, bony, dun colored hors
TO the farrier's. was somewhat curiou
TO know II he was going to ride that ar
imal to Laramie, and asked him.
"Yes," said he in his quiet way. "Th
General let me..pick my own mount, an
this one suits me-"
Noticing my surprise at his choice, /
continued:
III suppose / could have picked out
better looking one, but this is the 80
for my trip" And scanning the bea
over no added; "He knows more than
man il he is bony. Look at his eye."
The farrier took the horses shoes G
and pared his hoofs neatly. Reynol
then went TO the saddler and had a s
Of leather shoes made to fit the horse
feet, 20 rs to buckle round the fetlocl
"what are those for?" asked.
"a little dodge Of mine to fool t
Indians. They make no trail"
Then he packed few days rations
n saddle pocket, prepared a supply
ammunition, and cleaned up long, {
fashioned rifle. Then, eating a hear
dinner, he lay down under wagon 70
nap.
About o'clock at.evening, an
gineering party started off in the dir
tion Reynolds was to take, and saddli
ishorse and strapping on a canvas
ofletters, he accompanied us. We rc
until about ten o'clock, and vent II
camp in cluster of trees near bro
A FIRE was lighted, pot Of coffee '
made, and after drinking cupfl
Reynolds rode silently of into
dark.
His path lay through trackless '
derness-200 miles Of 1.-THE const
haunt OF hostile Indians, and not
Of the ground had Reynolds ever =
before. He had never been at Larau
he only knew the general direction
which il lay, and his only guidebo
was the stars. After four nights of
ing and three days Of sleeping he res
ed his destination unharmed. ] saw
afterwards at Fort Lincoln on our
turn. He told me that he got thro
nicely, and mailed the letters I entr
ed TO his care.
| had been told that under his ge
demeapor lay a romance as remarks
as any Cooper ever wrote, and one d.
asked him TO tell me the story Of his
He blushed little, laughed quietly,
replied that he didn't think il w,
while.
"But they tell me you have had q
msrkable experience" suggested.
"Not so very remarkable" he ans