Little Falls transcript. [volume] (Little Falls, Morrison County, Minn.) 1876-1894, 1879-04-03
ROSE CLAVERING.

My guest.room has too white bed
For wayside DUST said.
ROSE CLAvERING.
Or a Leap For Lite.
AN ADVENTURE IN THE BLACK HILLS.
"And where does this fair lily of the
Black Hills resides Dick?"
"'About an hours gallop from our camp
here, leftinint. She is with her father
queer old stick by the name of Claver
ing. He keeps by himself, and am
Altered he will yet come to harm. The
cursed Sioux are about, and Rose would
be fine prize for some daring brave. It
is said that the old man has dug piles of
gold. He may have made his pile, or
may not, but his darter she's purifier
than prairie flower bending afore the
mornin' breeze when sparklin' with dew"
"Bravo, my old scout! You have poetry
and the love of the beautiful in your
soul if you have never seen the inside of
a schoolhouse.''
cts leetle book larnin' have picked
up, leftinint. But the works of nature
and the handiwork Of God love-" and
the old man removed bis slouch hat for
a moment, exposing his gray locks, as he
allowed the Liz bit breeze to fan his broad
brow.
"Dick, what do you say if we gallop
down to the camping spot of your friend.
You have excited my curiosity regarding
this mysterious beauty. l will tell the
10 DIR
and he is fully competent to manage
fifty men. We have been stationed here
in .he hills for over six weeks. l am
tired, and must have little recreation"
"You may git M 're than you bargain
for. There's Injun signs about, and
there's no tellin' what moment you may
run into Sioux camp among these infer
nal hills"
swell, we'll take our chances. We are
both we'll armed"
A sharp gallop of an hour brought the
army officer aud lis companion to the
banks of small stream, and riding up to
group of statcl y trees, the scout reined
up with sharp cry of establishment and
alarm.
The tent of the solitary miner had dis.
appeared. NaSght remained but smok-
ing ruins, and the unmistakable evidence
Of desperate struggle having taken
place.
Dismounting, the scout carefully went
over the ground, while tie officer watched
him with face expressive of sternness
and desire Tor vengence.
"There's only nine of 'em. But bark,
there was groan. fit should be Rose?'
and rushing toward ciump OF grass, the
scout beheld the tai, gaunt form of a
miner, from whose gaping wounds the
lfe-blood was rapidly oozing. "Claver-
ing, POOR fellowl has it come to this2
was Altered of it, and my words have
come true.'
MY time is short. I would speak of
my daughter. The Sioux have captured
her. The young chief of war party
tore her from my arms and dealt me my
death blow. But. who is that with you?
my eyes arc growing dina
ut is Lieutenant Paul WEIGH, of the
cavalry"
"Your hand, sir. Men of your profess
sion are gentlemen. once occupied the
position of one myself. I have pack
age in my breast pocket that will explain
all. If you recover my daughter give it
to her, otherwise burn it as it is. It can
interest no third party"
Ho was rapidly growing weaker, the
eye was fixed, and the hoarse voice fall
tered:
"Chase the Sioux, recover poor Rose.
She is LADY, he muttered, then with IN
effort he reused himself. II have gold
for Acknowledgment rock, cross, full
moon, shadow-dig"-and with a rattle,
terrible gasp, and the stout heart
ceased to beat
Possessing himself of the package, the
officer briefly penclled the vague and un-
satisfactory words Of the dying man on
the back. 1t might have been the wan
behring's of mind unsettled by the near
approach of death, but he was determin-
opportunity should occur.
Nov for work. Dick. Well bury poor
Clavering, then follow on tie trail of
these red fiends, and Rose shall either
be rescued or avenged"
Mounting their horses the two sadly
turned away, sallying forth upon the
dark and silent prairie.
Suddenly the scout halted, and his
hand pressed the arm OF his superior with
nervous clutch.
"Look there, lieutenant. Do you know
what that means3"
Just under the horizon faint glow of
light was perceptible, above which hung
black threatening cloud, which rapid
ly spread over the heavens. Gradually
the stars disappeared, while herds of
wild mustangs, bufaloes and deer swept
furiously By.
Then it was the lieutenant realized the
the danger he was in. The Sioux had
fired the dry grass from three different
points, and with gigantic leaps the bill
lowy flames were rolling, Kissing and
roaring toward them.
But old Dick had not been idle. he
was too old and experienced an Indian
fighter to be ortdone in this peculiar
warfare Of the frontier.
Leaping from his horse, he struck
light and set fire to the prairie in his
turn. Rapidly the flames spread, dart
ing onward, sweeping everything in its
path. Leading their horses forward the
two men followed close upon the track
of the counter fire, while every moment
the number Of hale-frantic animals in.
creased.
Stretching far away in front and be-
hind them, the terrible crescent rapidly
closed in upon the men. The glowing
pillows Of writhing flame roared and
laundering in their ears, smothering the
cries of tbs poor animals, who persisted
by hundreds.
The air became very hot, and the ed.
dying volumes of smoke made it sll but
impossible for the two to breathe.
Their horses became almost unmanage-
able; they were obliged to cover their
own heads, as we'll as their beasts, with
blankets. It was an awful moment of
agonizing darkness, with the terrible
heat blisteiing the exposed portions Of
their skin.
The earth shook beneath the mighty
tramp of an immense herd of buffalo, as
they burst suddenly forth from the sur
rounding smoke. A mualed, indistinct