River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1878-02-07
The Raid of the Comanches.

4 nC hatu VI tht 1OhtahthNs<
a. Fred Hart, who was the eldest son of a
country clergyman, and preparing for
college at Whitford Boys Academy, wa
known at that classical institution as a
"dig" because he dug" into his books
and studied hard. His room mate, Neal
| Howe, an orphan, dependent upon his
| own exertions. was styled a digger" and
as both lads were both dark, d was but
a step for those upper story boys to call
them Digger Indians!'
| This term was gradually extended to
| include all the boys in the second story,
| for they were all hard students. The
''Diggtrs" retaliated mildly by styling
| their upper story neighbers, Ca nanches."
The Camanches perpetrated ali sorts OF
school boy atrocities on the Diggers, but,
above all things else, they burned for a
| pillow-fght. In vain they challenged
The Diggers to combat. Those lawabid-
| ing savages declined, though aware of
thereby falling into contempt on charge
of cowardice.
Unmistakable indications were soon APP
parent that the Camanches nleditated an
attack
The north wing was intended to be fire
proof. and each story was separated from
the main building by iron doors which
usually were fastened back by staples
| The Camanches reasoned that these doors
might be as effectually used in shutting off
teachers as fire; and the staples in both
the second and third stories were one day
withdrawn so that these doors could be
easily closed.
Scouting parties reported that the Ca
manches were getting ready the war paint
Il, e., the burnt cortland one ferocious
savage had intimated that they should
space neither age nor sex.
A council was Immediately held in
Fred Harris room, and Fred unanimous
ly chosen chief.
"If they're determined on pillowfght
they shall have it," resolutely remarked
that warrior.
The Diggers proposed using their own
pillows as reserve arms only, and the next
| day any number of this tribe might have
been seen securing the village in efforts
to buy up old pillows.
"All's fair on the defensive" said Chief
Fred and each Digger ripped open one
end of his pillow, poured little mucll-
age, and then basted it up, in accordance
with the liberal views boys always enter
tain concerning " basting."
| At little after nine o'clock, when the
| lights had been extinguished, and teach
er made the nightly rounds, Camanche
| scout quietly closed and bolted the iron
doors and relighted the hal. lamps. Then,
with bair-starting warwhoops, the savagcs
began dropping down through the trap
door, which opened from one hall to
another in the capacity of fire escapes.
| The Diggers, peacefully studying IN
their rooms, were summarily ordered into
the hall to battle Every man protested,
| but the Camanches refused 10 parley.
Then, Selling their weapons, the assailed
| marched forth to the field of carnage.
| Thwack! went the blows of the Cam
anches.
| Thwack! the Diggers.
| Thwack! the Camanches.
Thwack! the Diggers.
A stir among the Camanches and then
a wild affray.
Crack crack go the Digger's hastings.
Crack feathere fly over the heads and
| into the eyes OF the Camanches, and there
many Of them stick. The Camanches
realize the disadvantages of unpr0voked
assault with no rules Of warfare agreed
upon beforehand.
| Here and there Camanche drops his
arms and flies TO the farther end of the
hall, only to tumble unavailingly at the
| fastenipgs Of tie iron door. while VIC
tisFious Digger h, labors him with the
weapon he has iusl cast aside.
| All at once there IS deserted in the
! lin light Of the hall the books and never
-be-mistaken striped pantaloons OF Cap
siaiu Hale swinging through the trap
| door.
Captain Hale is drill st rgeant and pro
lessor of gymnastics. He has seen years
of army service, and is thoroughly imbued
with the military spirit. The boys were
| more afraid OF him than of the president
and entire board of trustees, AS afraid as
they would be of old Nick, himself, in
boots and striped pantaloons.
In flash every Digger had disappeared
| into his own room and locked the door
after him, and the Camanches are left
alone. gasping among their feathers, the
captain in their midst.
| There is moment of bewilderment
followed by wild stampede toward the
iron door, but the Captain has cut off the
retreat.
| "Young gentlemen you will remain and
clear up the hall. Williams, 90 to the
coal-cellar and bring up the two-bushel
| basket
| Williams Is 'nobbest" of hird-story
boys, bravest of Camanche warriors, but
| Williams doesn't dare refuse to go for
that basket. During his absence his fell
low savages express strong Coubts as to
his ever re-appearing upon the battle field,
but he does return, like Regulus to his
barrel of spikes.
The Captain has borrowed a number Of
brooms and dust-pans from the Diggers
who, to man, had retired and been snor-
ing sweetly.
'Now, gentlemen, clear up these feath-
ers p orders the Captain, as if he was cry
ing, Forward, marchm
Clearing up those feathers was tedious
and trying process. Any one who has
ever chased a worn out but still lively
/ feather up and down a long hall can i'm
agine the scene with hundreds of them
| flying about.
| They're the meanest lot of feathers
pretty much all fuzz,n said one exhausted
| brave.
When the last handful had been crowd
ed into the basket, Williams attempted
opening the door.
mo; you're TO make your exit the same
way you made your ingress, announced
the Captain.
Williams stared blankly at the trap
| door.
Dropping down through trap door
and going up through the same with 10
| visible means of support but the floor are
naturally different exercises.
You're fertile in expeoients; can't you
| devise some good way of getting
out?" coolly asked the Captain.
1--WE might stand on each others
shoulders, . suggested one small savage,
/ IL. Ii kls