The Rutland daily globe. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1873-1877, 1876-05-20
Life or Death.

"Youll not do it and get in, young
chap, with hair on your head, I'll tell ye
that and, marke we, It's no town-bred
green-horn who says it, but old Joe Burton,
that has fought Injuns and hunted BUTLER
on the plains afore you left your mothers
side. | calculate. faint to be DONE"
'But colonel" pnt in smiling, yet not
quite so much at my ease as l desired to
appear for this tough old frontiersman,
who remembered the foundation Of the set
Element, was no light authority as to the
practicabiitv of such an enterprise rs that
which l had, perhaps rashly, undertaken.
"a clear throwing away of life, that's
ALL" grufiy rejoined the veteran, as be
stopped to pat the hound that jumped up
whimpering to receive his masters caress.
ale that rides the line to the headquar-
tiers of the ella now, has only to thank his
own folly if his scalp dries in some pesky
wigwam on the prairie. But there I'm
wasting words. A. wiltul lad, like half
broke mustang, amt easy to hold back.
Anyway, Master Harry Lyndham, wish
you well out of the ugly scrape you have
got into"
Colonel Burton was by no means the
only friend who strove to dissuade me from
my project ;but my word was pledged, my
complete the preparations for my hurried
and perilous Journey ], Harry Lyndham,
one of the many young Englishmon whom
the hopes of growing rich had drawn to
the far west of America, was then a resi-
dent of Tucson City, and clerk in the
employment of Curtis Brothers. The firm
consisted of two old and somewhat eccen.
trio men-old bachelor brothers-whose
names were known and respected through
all that wild region that comprises Arizona,
Montana, and northern counties OF Texas.
Mine were no sedentary duties, and
was more often in the saddle than at the
desk: for Messrs. Curtis were Spectators
| and general jobbers, dealing in maize,
wine and hides; in tobacco, quicksilver,
cunpowder and 'notious;" and, above all
| live cattle, the great staple of the far South
west
1t was not hire alone, that | toiled as |
did. My great stimulus was that | was in
love with pretty, charming Rosamond
| Gray, the daughter Of old Mr.. Gray, the
banker at Cristobel, a town lying to the
eastward of the Mimbres, and famous as a
market for the agricultural products OF the
vast districts bordering on Mexico. In one
sense | was happy, for my love was re-
turned but in another | had met with
what was almost repulse, since MIR. and
Mrs. Gray, although entertaining no per-
sonal objection to me as son-in-law, were
unwilling to bestow their daughter on any
but wealthy sutton.
SECT rich, Mr.. Lyndham," the banker had
said, good naturally, land see no reason
WHY Rosamond and you should not be hap
py according to your own fancy. But
neither her mother nor | can sanction an
unconditional engagement.
And now to explain the present position
of the firm, and the reason for my under
taking journey fraught, according to the
rugged old militia colonels dictum, will
| almost certain disaster. Curtis Brothers
who, by long course of judlcious specu
lations, had raised themselves from poverty
to afiluence, had at that time speculation
on hand of unusual importance. They had
made, chiefly in Texas, very large pur
chases of horned cattle, sheep and swine
destined to feed the swarming population o.
the sterile mining districts. where provi.
sons, and meat in special, commanded
high prices. The investment seemed The
more likely to ce profitable, since the twin
plaques OF New Mexico, drought and 10
Gusts, had occasioned a notable mortality
among the cattle of Arizona and the ad
joining territories.
All these calculations seemed likely II
be upset by the sudden outbreak OF tina
smouldering Indian war which never comes
to an end in that dangerous region. Tit
Apaches, the irreclaimable foes of all white
men, were on the war path, leagued, al
was reported, with sundry other tribes
the Kiowas, the Navajces, and the dreaded
Comanches and already hideous tales o.
Indian cruelty and massacre reached u
from many lonely homestead within
reach of the spoiler. The troops had beer
hastily withdrawn the caravans about t
traverse the prairie had halted for lack o
an escort and it was thought rash to ven
ture more than few miles beyond the cul
tivated country Yet the day was at hant
when the great herds of oxen and droves o
swine, already purchased, would be waiting
at Cristobel for the completion of the bar
gain, and my employers weicswell awar
that unless the cattle could be paid for II
hard dollsrs, fatal blow would be dealt 4
the credit af the firm. Messrs. Curtis ha
strained every nerve to collect the read
money necessary, and the funds were forth
coming but the entire scheme bid fair t
be frustrated by the abrupt closing OF tn
route consequent on the war. No man, o
party of armed men could have been ftte
, 10 attempt the conveyance Of The cas-
! across the plains, now haunted by the saw
age enemy, when | astonished my employ
ers by volunteering TO be the messenger
"You shall not have TO repent 1t, Harry
my boy !" said the elder OF the two broth
ers, as he wrung my hand in his own horn
one. "You've stood manfully by US at TIL
pinch, and we'd be mean enoughto trampl
on you e we didn't show gratitude littl
more substantially than by a few fa
a.. words. We never yet did raise clerk