Northern tribune. [volume] (Cheboygan, Mich.) 1875-1885, 1883-02-10
NORTHERN TRIBUNE.
SATURDAY. FEBRUARY 10. 1883.
FOUNDIN WAGON BOX.

horse surveying the scene of desOlatiOn
and death; 1.-The bloody murderin' scOun-
drelsp'
In front of the little knoll on which
Sandy had refined his horse in cOnfus-
cd heap of broken wagons. Here and
there dead horse, already partially
stripped bp the cayOtes, and scattered up
and down the line of wagons the bodies
of men who had evidently died fighting.
1t did not need red patches on top of the
skulls, where the scalps had been torn
off, to tell the old frOntiersman that he
saw before him all that was left of an
emigrant train that had been surprised
by Indians. The arrows in the mems
bodies, the wantOn destruction of the
wagons, told the tale but too plainly.
Sandy lifted his horses rein, and the
trained animal picked his way down the
little descent to where the fight had
been. Here the signs" were palmer
than ever, and as Sandy rode slowly
along the line where the unayailing bat
tie had been fought, his mind was filled
with regret that he, in company with
score of scout fighters like himself, had
not been there. Mingled with this was
a feeling of desire for vengeance. To
his experienced eyes, the slight sigEs
which would have escaped man new
TO the plains, told him that the massacre
had taken place, at the most, but two
days before. The most horrible, yet the
surest proof. was the fact that the cay
Otes had not had time to finish their work
Of eating the dead. AS he rode slowly
along he suddenly heard faint sound.
The silence of the desert is so intense
that one becomes accustomed to it, and
noise, however slight, attracts the
attention instantly. With his nerves
strung by the scene which lay before
him, the frOnteirsman, whose senses
were always alert, found his attention
attracted at once, and stopping his
horse, he listened intently. In about
minute he heard it again, and noticed
that 1t came from one of the wagons.
DismOunting aud walking to the place,
he listened once more. In another min
ute he heard it again. 1t was some
thing like faint cry, and it seemed to
be smOthered ia some way. Sandy stood
close by the wagon, his hand resting up
on the fOOtb0ard in front. Again he
heard it, and this time more plainly
than before. Fairly leaping to the foot
board, he opened the leng box in front,
the top of which forms in prairie
schooner the drivers seat, and saw lying
in it little child.
The big frontiersman lifted the baby
for 1t was scarcely mOre-Out of its
strange resting place as tenderly as a
mother. He saw that the child was very
weak from its long fast, and placing it
gently on his blankets, he began
search for something fit for it TO eat.
Finding bag of flour, he made. with a
little sugar, kind of thin Cruel, heat
ing it over FIRE a he had hastily kindled.
Taking the baby in his arms, he fed it
slowly and cautiously. With infinite
patience the big, bearded man went
through his strange task, until, after
some time, he had the satisfaction of
seeing the little one refuse to swallow
of the wagon, with the dead lying all
around him, Sandy rocked the baby ia
his arms until it went to Sleep
Placing it In his blankets and cover
ing it up carefully, he examined the box
in which he found it. In the bottom
was rough horse blanket. Thrown
there to prevent the lid shutting tight.
Alongside of the child he found half of
a bracelet, evidently cheap imitation
one, which looked as though it had been
torn off from the other half. At the
lower end of the box there was a cOnfus-
ed heap of baby clothes, thrust in has.
tily. All of these things Sandy took
He found even the water in the spring
besides which the train had camped, to
give his newly discovered treasure q |
bath, which seemed to do the little one |
great deal of good.
For one week Sandy stayed there, |
spending his whole time looking after
the baby. He saw the child grow strong
and bright, and he found that the feed |
ing, washing and dressing "kid," as he |
had already christened it, a source of
ever increasing delight. At the end of
that time, having the broken bracelet |
carefully slowed away in his saddle |
bags, Sandy mounted his horse, and,
taking the "kid" in his arms, left the |
scene Of the massacre never to- see it
again. stssN tsf8H
What wonderful change 16 years make
in men and women. The glossy brown |
hair may have become thin in that time, |
and on the once smooth face time may |
print more than one fine wrinkle telling |
of the deep burrows to come. Sixteen |
years have somewhat whitened Sandy |
McGOvern's hair, and his figure is more
pOrtly than it was when he rode away |
from the scene of the desert massacre.
And 16 years have transformed the "kid"
into a tall stalwart lad of Is, full of
health and strength. Robert McGOvern,
as Sandy had called the baby he found
in the old wagon box. looked magnifi-
Gently as he rode up to the house, cross.
ing the little stream in one easy leap OF |
his horse. For the 16 years had brought
wealth to SOndy with the gray hairs. 1t
really seemed as If everything he touch
ed prOspered after he rescued the baby: