The Wellington enterprise. [volume] (Wellington, Ohio) 1867-188?, 1881-05-05

W0v0 W00rO' er nor rODo u 9eeu-
Little brooks bring laughter.
Every joyous scent and sound
Risee swift to greet her;
Even tho dun, insensate ground
Shares the fragrance all around
Good Words.
A BRAVE ACT.
Not long stree the Copspanion pub
nshed an account Of the bravery and
tAct Of certain army officer in the
West whose duty It became to oust .
noted desperate who had opened a bar
near his station. and whose Tree whisky
was demoralixing the troops.
The incident was worthy of remem-
brance, proving as 1t did that men OF
sterling qualities are not wanting
among those who command our skele-
ton army. and the following sketch may
very properly be given as a companion
piece to the one above referred to. II
Il strictly true.
Among the many frontier army posts
Is one known as Camp McDermitt, in
from Winnemucca to Boise City, and
distant some eighty miles from the line
Of the Central Pacific Railroad. 1t Is
near the mouth OF little ravine In the
very heart of the Winnemucca hunting
grounds, and the Indians of that tribe,
governed by q chieftain of the same
name, made their headquarters at the
time OF this occurrence within . mile OF
camp upon q small stream.
Peace reigned. and the red men. with
their squaws and pappOoses, were 40
customed to make tri-weekly visits to
the camp for the purpose OF receiving
from the quartermaster the rations al
lowed them by Uncle Sam Of bread and
meat.
The usual force at the post was about
sixty men, and in 1869, q single COM
pany of cavalry, commanded by one
Captain Wagner, was in occupation of
McDermitt. The other officers Of the
company were Lieutenant N, .
young man, aud the surgeon. af-A
Winnemucca, Chief OF the Indians.
was the father of q daughter who pos
sessed wonderful beauty and q fine
mind. Desiring to fit her for aposition
in civilized rather than savage life, the
sachem had sent her to San Francisco.
where she had received o thorough ed
ucation. Returning to her father, he
had obtained for her. through the as
sistance of his many friends among the
whites, the position of interpretress at
McDeyniitt. In 1869. she was stationed
at that post in quarters of her own, q
well-dressed, handsome woman of about
twenty-five years Of age. receiving q
monthly salary of forty dollars in gold.
With all the arts Of her willy nature the
girl sought to win the affections of the
only bachelor officer in camp, whom
we will call Lieutenant Memo, and
within two months the young fellow
openly avowed his intention of making
Sarah Winnemucca his wife. His Cap
taio, as became him, argued against this
strange mesalliance, but finding Memo
thoroughly In earnest, and waiting only
for some passing minister to tie the
nuptial knot he dropped the matter.
and would have given 1t no further
thought hnd not his attention been
shortly thereafter called to 1t in new
and startling way.
While tho lovers yet awaited the
coming OF q minister. the wife of the
sutler. whose store was Just without
the limits OF camp. informed Captain
Wagner that she had discovered plot
among the Winnemuccas to murder the
garrison, sack the post, announce
Sarah Winnemucca as their Queen, and
begin war OF determination against the
whites throughout all the plain coun-
try-and Lieutenant Memo, carried
away by his infatuation for the Indian
girl. had agreed to join the savages. '0
So monstrous was the story that at
first the Captain refused to believe it,
but in hurried. frightened whispers the
suffers wife told him that she had over
heard the plan discussed by the Lieu
tenant with some warriors beneath the
QfnPo- -uindnxxx tho ou0nsnnp hnfrvo nd
ut LAST the officer was forced to admit
that the danger actually existed.
when will this plan. be put into ex-
ecutiong' asked Wagner.
"To-night, at moonriser' returned
the other. 81 dared not 60 to your
quarters. sir. to tell you OF it but had
to wait until you came here. The
Lieutenant is on duty, you know. He
will call in the sentinel. house the
guard, spike the howitzer and then the
Indians will comer'
To-night!-and It was already dusk!
The Commanders voice was steady
as he remarked, "Very we'll. We win
be ready for them. Show no signs of
fear. but keep within doors after dark,
and be ready to fy, il necessary. Speak
to no one of what you have told me-"
Then. unconcernedly smoking, he
left the store aud proceeded towards
camp. - ~ M 88f
Supper was over. and some Of the
men were lounging about the parade
ground as the Captain entered. Quietly
calling . trusty Corporal to his side. he
said:
AFTER guard is placed. and Just be-
fore moonrise, which Is at eleven, take
four men with their arms, and go to the
stables. Close the doors, and remain
until morning. Open to no one but my.
self. Do not communicate your duty to
any except those whom you take with
you" AtI1I
The man touched his hat, and moved
away. This was to prevent the false
Lieutenant from stealing the horses,
should he choose to attempt 1t, instead
OF capturing them. Then the Captain
passed ON to his own quarters. 49,
The hours fied-nine, ten, eleven. In
fifteen minutes the moon would rise.
The suffers wife was right. The
sentinel wns "off duty" and the guard
all within doors. Not a living creature
was to be seen. and the cold starlight
fell upon as solitary q group of adobe
buildings as II the post had been desert
ed for years. .-t ~ ~
Suddenly, however. . single figure
appeared. In full uniform, with sword
and pistol-holster at his waist, Cartain
Wagner emerged from his door, and,
silently crossing the parade-ground.
turned with rapid tread down the
stage road toward the Winnemucca
camp.
The distance was short. and. just as
the first rays Of the rising moon tinged
with spectral white the dark carpet OF
sage brush that covered all the plain,
the officer found himself upon slight
smlnsnos overlooking the tespes huts