The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1879-09-04
gan to plead piteously for water, and

gan to plead piteously for water, and
there was none to give.
1t was at call of this kind from the
man who had kicked him from his place
at the campfire a few days previous
that Davis left his post to come forward
and ask if no water was to be had. He
was told that there was not; that the
nearest water was a small pond at the
foot of the ridge, just within the sur
rounding circle of Sioux. "I'll get
some.'' Not man of the party spoke.
Every body realized that something he
role was about to be done. Good God!
TO 60 to the pond was to go to almost
certain death. And yet no one babe
him stay / think every one was inn
pressed with the fact that it would be
useless.
We crept back to our posts in silence.
Even the wounded ceased their means.
We watched the tall figure striding
straight through the shadows till it was
lost in the gloom. Then came an in
terval of silence-awful, appalling
broken at last by shot and wild
chorus of yells. In. a, moment all the
demons of the prairie seemed let loose.
Shot followed shot the bowls had some
thing exultant in them.
Through the gloom there came a
shadow tall figure running with a
bucket in his hand Following close be-
hind myriad of dusky forms, with
| cleaning knives and dubbed guns.
Then our work began. A. continuous
sheet of fire belched from the wagons
turned the bowling Sioux back OH their
! t., 81
gered into the triangle with bucket
half filled with water in his hand. The
man from Kentucky left his post to grasp
his hand in a grip that woulgg have
crushed weaker bones.
"Mr. Davis he said, ':yersa man as
this party is proud of The bronzed
men, crouching behind the wagons,
turned in their places to smile assent.
But the hero who had run that gauntlet
of fire simply placed the bucket beside
the man who had kicked him, and quiet
ly went back to his post.
The Sioux, eXasperated by their de-
feat, kept up a desultory fire through the
long grass. just before dawn they
charged again. But the Winchester
alone killed three braves before the wag-
ons were reached, and it was converted
into club welded by giant. When
the morning came the Sioux were found
watching our movements from a safe
distance over the prairie. Evidently the
fight was costing them too dear.
1t was determined by the party, il
, view of the probability Of the Sioux be
: ing reinforced during the day, to beat ;
/ retreat The man from Kentucky har
messed Mr.. Davis mules with his owl
, hands But when he came to hand thu
l reins to- their powder-grimmed owner, j
was found that he was in no condition t.
} receive them He had been wounded il
| half dozen places, and the slow hem
+ orrhage had robbed him Of his strength
v We lifted him tenderly into the wag
L on and began our march. The Siou,
x circled about us, but kept well out o
r range. By midday they had disappear
= ed 1t was at about this time that tn
: man from Kentucky, who had been in
S tently watching his patient for som
i time, brought his wagon to a suddel
+ halt. Gathering about him., we foun
It Davis with his eyes turned to the SIX
and grayish hue stealing over his face
v A minute after he reached his hand on
4 to grasp the Kentuckian's, and SO joul
# neyed out into the infinite solitude.
d We rode on in silence. When tn
It shadows of the evening came we dug
J. rude grave in the prairie, and burie
:. Davis out of sight. The man from Ker
l. lucky framed his epitaph when he SAID
n g He didn't seem of much account 9
% first, but he doomed up powerful tt
d ward the last. "-NeU York Sun.