Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1882-08-16
Captain Stanley's Body-Guard.

Captain Stanley's Body Guard.
dwell, yes" said my host, Captain Stan
lev, as brave a soldier as ever drew a sabre,
Il have seen some hard times since | have
been out here, and so have we all. A man
in our profession can't pass five years of his
life on the plains without getting some hard
knocks, tell you."
We had just finished late supper, and
having drawn our chairs about the wide fire
place, had filled our pipes preparatory to in
dulging in social smoke. There were a
dozen of us in the room, all except myself
wearing Uncle Sans "honored blue" l
was at that time correspondent for an east
ern paper, and had been ordered to the from
tier to "write up" the campaign which
General Crook was about to undertake
against the Cheyennes who had broken
away from their reservation. Finding that
a detachment led by Captain Stanley, the
commander of old Fort Frazier, was expected
to bear the brunt of the work, Joined my
fortunes with il, accompanied it on peril.
GUS scout of fourteen hundred miles, and we
had but Just returned to the fort. We had
got back, too, just in time to escape
what western men call blizzard" And
what is that 2 1t is an old-fashioned New
England snow storm dozen times intensi.
fed. The wind blows as if it would sweep
everything before it, the cold is so piercing
that one shivers over the hottest fire, and
the air is filled, not with snow, but with
sharp needles of ice, which seem to threaten
destruction to every living thing exposed
to its fury. We were all snugly housed, our
aded horses were munching their barley in
their warm stables, the sentries were stand
ing grim and silent in their boxes, and those
of us who were fortunate enough to have nc
duty to call us out into the storm, spread
our hands over the cheerful wood fire and
congratulated ourselves on the safe ending
of our tedious journey.
| said there were dozen of us in the
room but / must not forget to mention
Captain Stanley's body-guard, four magnif.
cent Scotch deerhounds, which lay stretched
out in front of the fire. They were large
shaggy animals, with immense bone and
muscle, and bore on their bodies numerous
evidences of the battles through which they
had passed. They were terrible fighters
and the ease with which they could overtake
and pull down an antelope was surprising
They accompanied us on the scout, and
could not imagine why it was that they
were treated with so much kindness an6
consideration by every member of the com
mand. On this particular night | was tc
find out.
How the wind blows p exclaimed a
young lieutenant from his seat in the chin
ney corner. al declare, it will take the
stockade up by the roots"
"Yes, it is wild night; and | hadn't
been on the plains as long as you have
Taal h N,,, al l.,
to the lieutenant, before | was called upon
to face Just such storm as this without
shelter of any kind, except what was to be
found in the hills, and under circumstances
that were calculated to freeze the blood in
| stepped. Those hours of horror turned my
an old man before my time. | cannot re
call them without shuddering."
The captain pulled vigorously at his
well-blackened brier root for few minutes
and after making sure that it was wei
| lighted, continued:
al always was fond of horses, dogs and
guns, and | can scarcely remember the time
when | did not own some of the very best
| My pointers could not be beaten, my pony
would take fence almost as well as any oi
my fathers thoroughbreds, and my little
| fowling piece was sure death to any birc
that got up within any reasonable distance
| When left home to go to West Point il
almost broke my heart to part from my
pets but my uncle, who was an arden
sportsman, assured me that if | would pass
creditable examination at the end of my
school term, he would present me with {
pack of dogs that would more than take tn,
place of the one left behind my father,
| veteran of the Mexican war and great ad
mirer of the cavalry, told me that if woulc
fit myself to enter that branch of the ser
vice, he would give me the finest horse il
his stable, and my mother said she woulC
give me another Encouraged by these
promises and ambitious to distinguish my
self in my chosen profession, worked hare
and stood among the first five at the end o.
the course. Here are the dogs my uncl,
| gave me-" said the captain, his stern face
softeping as he gazed almost lovingly at the
splendid animals before him, "and tn,
horses-well, one was killed during fgh
on the Sweetwater, and the other-pool
Gipsey She was my mothers gift.
As soon as | received my commission
was ordered to report to the commanding
officer of Fort Scott for duty. The officer
were all lovers of the chase and at the sigh
of my horses and hounds they received IN,
with open arms. In company with tn,
neighboring ranchmen, we hunted almos
constantly there was little scouting to b,
done, for the Indians were quietly settlet
on their reservation, and when winter cam,
and the first snow covered the ground, tn,
sport We had in coursiug antelope wa
simply magnificent.
"Early one morning, while | was return
ing to the post with freshly killed antelope
slung across my saddle, noticed that my
eyes burned and that the surface of the snow
from which the bright rays of the sun were
reflected with almost dazzling brilliancy
seemed to be covered with floating specks
Now and then something that looked like &
chain danced across the range of my vision
and this would be followed by multitudes o.
miniature pin-wheels and sky-rockets.
knew that the glare of the sun on the snow
had affected my eyes, but thought nothing
of it, for | was foolish enough to believe
that it would wear off in time,
"When | reached the fort found there
was runner from the Red Eagle agency
who had brought information which ren
dered IL necessary that a courier should bt
sent with dispatches TO Fort Morris. The
dispatches were ready and the colonel was
| waiting Tor me. changed norses, received
my instructions and set out at once with my
Henry rifle slung at my back and my hound:
trotting along before me. For two or three
days had noticed suspicious bank Of
clouds hanging in the northern horizon, and
the colonel had warned me to make haste
for storm was brewing. Acting upon his
advice pushed ahead as rapidly as possible
shading my burning eyes with my hand, and
now and then calling to my dogs, which
seemed inclined to turn about and give bat
tie to pack of gaunt and hungry wolves
that was following behind me. / saw with
no little uneasiness that although the south
wind was blowing strongly, that threatening
bank of clouds in the north was rising rap.
idly against it. The Arctic King was com
ing in his might, and knew that the storm
would overtake me long before could reach