The Bolivar bulletin. [volume] (Bolivar, Hardeman County, Tenn.) 1865-1888, 1879-08-28

armed But / should have excepted /
Davis, who not only was unarmed, but /
from his general character was deemed |
quite capable of groveling in the dust at I
such time. In the hurry of the mo-
ment he had been lost sight of and now, |
when he slipped forward to possess him |
self Of the dead mans gnn, the man |
from Kentucky told him with an oath to |
drop it, or give it to some one who would
use it. Davis did not drop it, however,
but took his station at the rear end of
one of the wagons. In a moment more
the spirally decreasing circle of savages
broke suddenly and swept in a wild
charge toward the train. And as we
turned toward the point of attack to see
two of the advancing warriors drop to
the quick report of DaYis's rifle, l think
surprise and establishment would have
rendered us incapable of resistance, had
not the Indians swerved from their
course and began circling again, as they
did.
But the man who had turned the at
tack never stirred from his post. His
slOuching aspect seemed somehow to be
shaken off, as he stood there erect and
firm as Il rock. His infirm under lip
closed up like a steel-trap into hard,
decided look. The man from Kentucky
looked at him moment, and went back
to his post with a muttered, "WelI, III
be blanked!' The guide, tying his
wounded arm in a sling, said he'd
g Give it up" The whole party breath
ed freer.
But the whistling of bullets and the
yells of the Sioux continued. In short
time the canvas tops of the wagons look
ed ike gigantic sleeves. The circles of
the savages widened only TO contract
again. Whenever a reckless brave APP
preached within fair range, the sharp
crack of the Winchester from the rear of
the wagon sent ball into his painted
body. There was no random firing from
that rifle : every shot brought its man.
The repeated charges of the Sioux grew
less frequent from the fact of the loss of
two or three of their number under the
deadly aim of those pale blue eyes. 1t
was after the fifth or sixth charge of this
kind that the man from Kentucky ex-
pressed the unanimous sentiment of the
party when he said:
Hadn't yer better get farther under
cover, Davis? It's purity open thar"
But Davis shook his head without chang
ing position.
The evening wore slowly away. The
minutes went by to an accompaniment
were lying dead beside the wagons. The
spokes of the wheels and the beds of the
vehicles were riddled and splintered
with bullets. Charge after charge had
been repulsed. Three men were lying
badly wounded inside the triangle. The
victims of the deadly Winchester formed
a struggling line almost from its muzzle
to the circle of discounted but not de-
feated Sioux beyond. Its owner had
hardly spoken a word in all the time,
but had stood there like statute of
Fate. Night came on, and a low moon
wrapped the landscape in dusky crayOns.
The savages retained their circular
guard, prepared to renew the attack on
the morrow Shadowy forms crept
warily through the tall grass, and drag
ged away the dead. The wounded be-
gan to plead piteously for water, and
there was none to give.
1t was at a 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'n get
some.'' Not man of the party spoke.
Every body realized that something he
role was about to be done. Good Godi
To 90 to the pond was to go to almost
certain death. And vet no one babe
him stay. L think every one was i'm
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 a shot and a 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 q
shadow tail figure running with a
bucket in his hand. Following close be
hind a myriad of duslly 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 on their
trail. In a moment more Davis stag
gered into the triangle with bucket
half filled with water in his hand. The
man from Kentucky left his post toPrasp
his hand in a grip that would have
crushed weaker bones.
q Mr. Davis he said, eyer n 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 a club welded by a giant. When
the morning came the Sioux were found
watching our movements from safe
distance over the prairie. Evidently the
fight was costing them too dear.
1t was determined by the party, in
view of the probability of the Sioux be-
ing reinforced during the day, to beat a
retreat. The man from Kentucky har-
messed Mr.. Davis mules with his own
hands But when he came to hand the
reins to their pOwder-grimmed owner, it
was found that he was in no condition to
receive them. He had been wounded in
half dozen places, and the slow hem
orrhage had robbed him of his strength.
We lifted him tenderly into the wag
on and began our march. The Sioux
circled about us, but kept well out of
range BY midday they had disappear
ed. It was at about this time that the
man from Kentucky, who had been in
tently watching his patient for some
time, brought his wagon to a sudden
halt Gathering about him, we found
Davis with his eyes turned to the sky
and a grayish hue stealing over his face.
A minute after he reached his hand out
to grasp the Kentuckian-s. and so Jour