The Lamoille news. (Hyde Park, Vt.) 1877-1881, 1877-09-19
A FAMOUS Scout.
The Mas Who Led Gibbon Into the Hiding
Place OF the Nez Perces.

Place OF the Nez Perces.
The dispatches from Helena, Montana,
received last week report that among
Gibbons wounded was the famous scout,
Beidler-X., for short-knOwn far and
wide as the most daring scout in the
mountains. 1t was he who piloted Con-
ners in the freezing cold of Utah win
ter up the Bear River valley to the en-
campment of the Snakes, and enabled
him to gain his remarkable victory over
the savages. 1t was he who tracked the
Piegans into the Teton mountains and
marked out the route which Bakers
column pursued when he surprised
Longhorse's band in the gray dawn OF a
winters morning and literally swept
them from the face of the earth. He
followed Gibbon last year to the Yellow
stone, and tracked for him a pathway
across the Big Horn mountains mp to
the scene of the Custer massacre. When
the battle ground had been reached, and
scattered around it lay the bodies OF the
slain-when all the particulars of the
dreadful slaughter had been gathered
$50 far, as they were to be obtained from
that savage waste of desolation and muir
der), messenger was sought to carry
the news to Fort Ellis. 1t must be
understood that this was terrible
undertaking. The mountains literally
swarmed with hostile Sioux. There were
ninety-nine chances out of a hundred
that the messenger would never reach
his destination. 1t was an even chance
that he would be killed and scalped be-
fore he got out of sight of the command.
But still, the necessity of sending the
message was imperative. To order any
one to take it was like signing his death
warrant, and even the brave Gibbon
shrank from this. He called up half
dozen men and proposed to them the
undertaking. The bravest of them
shrank from the trial. "Boys," said
Gibbon, 81 can't order you ON this des,
perate hazard, for believe in my soul
it is almost certain death, and yet must
do my duty and send the message. II
none of the scouts will go 1 will send my
nephew" The person indicated was O
brave young officer just from West
Point, and this was his first experience
in warfare. What chance had he? Sit.
ting a few PAGES apart from the group
of officers and men was Beidler, cleaning
his gun and polishing his equipments
Il stout, heavy-built man of forty years
of age. Hard service had rendered rug
ged his set, determined face, and ex
posufe had grizzled his beard and hair
But there was frank and manly look il
the full, black eyes and about the finely
curved mouth touch of tenderness
His voice was sweet as a woman's. Evel
the rugged nature of this desperate ser
vice had not destroyed the symmetry o
his hands, which were clean and taper a
girls. But in the slender fingers dwell
the strength of giant-a deadly han,
for his foes, but cordial and kind O
charity for all upon whom he looked il
friendship. As Gibbon ceased speakin,
the frontiersman's voice rose clear an,
distinct
"Never mind, general, I'll carry you
message! !"
Gibbon turned toward him in surprise
"What, you, X-Why, man,
couldn't ask you to do such thing b.
sides, you are our pilot"
eyes, know, but I don't mind til
venture. Anyway, I'll carry the me-
sage"
You know better than 1 do, X, th,
it's a deadly venture. 1 wouldn't hay
dared to ask you"
cts all right, general. Get yol
letter ready and let me have it at dark
Then, rising to his feet, he limpt
away, for X. Beidler was lame. An L
dian bullet in one of the wild forays
the border had shattered his hip, al
although the wound had long since heg
ed it had left him lame for life. Ty
hours later, when the shadows of
mountain twilight were falling thick al
dusky over the valley he cautiously 70,
down the canyon of the Little Horn al
disappeared from view. About the inc
dents OF that desperate ride of 400 mil
of his hair breadth escapes-of h
desperate adventures, it would be il
possible in the limits of an article iii
this to give anything like an adequa
description. 1t will suffice to saw tn
the message was carried, and when Il
writer saw him two weeks later preparil
for his return trip down the Yellowston
he seemed as careless and talked as II
concernedly about it as one might spe
of trip to Boonville or st. Louis. Al
yet he had just performed deed viii
the boldest frontiersman would ha
shrunk from in dismay. When not
duty as scout, lie can generally
found around Helena at night inva
ably in newspaper Offices reading the {
changes and listening eagerly to t
news of the great outside world, viii
he has not seen for twenty years alwa
genial and kindly, and taking a faith
interest in the pilgrims" as the ne
corners are called in the mountains,
Sedalio (Mo.) Bagoo.
A Discriminating Cat.