The Princeton union. [volume] (Princeton, Minn.) 1876-1976, 1881-03-24

- vs. 4
Slowly, silently, the gray arms Of
dawn waved aside the curtains from
the awakening world. Shrill notes
aroused the hen-roosts from caves,
bushes, and grass blades, the sleet of
the night before dripped into dis
couraged little pools. On the hill-|
tops the flaming spears of morning
tipped the beaded pine-boughs with
rosy diamonds then the royal light Of |
day broke over them all, in danger
and out Of it. Little children, cling
ing to their mothers and longing for
heaven as place where there we're
no Indians, weary editors, polishing
off sangninary items, determined
spirits bound on vengeance, women
in fearful uneasiness, all the cheering
and cherries phases Of life on the
border.
The men at the rancho, while
attending their horses, were startled
by the apparition Of mounted
crowd which they at first took for
Indians, then for desperadoes, but
soon recognized as more terrible than
either, the frontiersmen in anger.
Riding up to the gate, their leader
demanded in no gentle fashion, the
meaning Of this occupation and the
personality of the intruders. His
manners did not suit his hearers.
"Cuss words = came reader than
explanations, weapons were cooked;
one unguarded movement would have
been the signal for a bloody contest.
The women looked down from the
windows, some of them sending up
silent prayers. One Of the campers
stepped calmly forward. The softest-
spoken, quietest man in the party, he
greeted the grizzled and scowling
giant before him with a depreciating
smile.
"Sir,'' he apologized, sswe are will
ing to pay for all we have consumed
eco to blank with your dashed
money! We don't want it. Where's
the girl p
"The girlr' repeated the puzzled
mild man, Il assure that we would
never have intruded but for the fact
that lady with us had a sick child
| and
"What's that to us?' Where's
Miss Kent, I say?''
"Excuse me, sir, but there was no
person here when we came. Was
there, boys o.
"Not living thing was the
answer. Some Of the party inclined
to the belief that the opposite forces
were MOrmons on the track Of a run.
away.
Sands looked up at the windows,
down at the ground, over the white
tops of the wagons.
s'Look here!'' he said; s.this
things enough to make a man swear
his salvation away. We hear the
Indians was coming, an cleared.
Miss Kent, somehow, got missed. and
was left behind. Here we come
under the constitution Of the United
States, to send them redskins to eter.
nal blaZes and fetch back the girl.
We find white men using other folks
things, making 'emselves at home,
and not so much as a trace,,of Miss
Kent. Your story's queer, to say
the least. Now we ain t to be bought
nor yet scared off. Tell us where the
girl is, or give up your shoOtin' irons
and go with us to town. That settles
it,
eco to-, old man!'' shouted 9
voice, contemptuously. 'sWhat dc
you take us for?''
The women turned white; there
was an instant of breathless silence
Neither party wanted to give up
neither cared to open fire, and eacf
Suddenly a little girl at the window
gave a cry, and pointed. There wa:
} Mandy Kent running toward them
her hair flying, her whole face radiant
Near the croud she faltered, till sht
! got good view of Captain Sands
} She ran up beside his horse, ant
caught her old friends large, rough
, hand. 81 am so glad to see you'll! sh,
: cried; so glad. Where is mammal
The women craned their necks, Thu
t men edged forward or leaned over tn,
} fence, the very mules projected thei1
= ears, and the true situation flashed
: upon every mind. simultaneously al
a immense chorus of laughter awok
g the echoes. The mule brayed emul
r ously, and even the ponies whinnie'
n little as the excitable riders almos
a rolled from their backs in transport
8 of merriment. The worse the scar
e had been the greater the revulsion o
d feeling, and Mandy laughed with tn
e rest.
e Well, in the language of chivalry
; Glory laid aside his helmet, an
&. Peace took the floor.
II ':Come in and take breakfast wit
$ u.s. said the most defiant camper
u well give you what is left! TIL
y invitation was accepted, and owe
!, coffee, fried bacon, and hot biscui
e the late warriors exchanged friendl
explanations. The women question:
e Mandy curiously, and mentally crit
n cised the fashion of her earrings. A
q the discomfort was soothed ava,
/ The scare. it seems, had arisen frol
le a silly youth excitement at sight {
n the herd of ponies when his ears wei
T. full of Indian rumors.
{. The troubles along the border d
s; creased with the cold weather, b,
!! Mrs. Kent beg your pardon, ma an
er / mean the late Mrs. Kent-no long,
n keeps a stopping place, though ST
II has not lost that kindly feeling towa1
IS, the miners noticeable in most
Re mountain women. One, however,
.~J II