The Carbon advocate. [volume] (Lehighton, Pa.) 1872-1924, 1883-03-31
THE FRONTIER WAIF.
BY ALFRED BALCH.

"The bloody villains" muttered San
dy McGovern to himself, as he sat on
his horse surveying the scene of desola-
tion and death; "the bloody, murderin'
scoundrelsl'
In front of little knoll on which
Sandy had reined his horse in was a con-
fused heap of broken wagons. Here
and there dead horse, already partially
stripped by the cayotes, and scattered
up and down the line of wagons the
bodies of men who evidently died fight
ing. 1t did not need the hideous red
patches on top of the skulls, where the
scalps had ieen torn off, to tell the old
drontiersman that he saw before him all
that was left of an emigrant train that
had been surprised by Indians. To his
experienced eyes, the slight signs which
would have escaped man new TO the
plains, told him that the massacre had
taken place, at the most, but two days
before.
AS he rode slowly along he suddenly
heard n faint sound. With his nerves
strung by the scene which lay before
him, the frontiersman, whose senses
were always alert, found his attention at
tracted at once, and stopping his horse
he listened intently. In about a minute
he heard 1t again, and noticed that it
came from one of the wagons. Dis
mounting and walking to the place he
listened once more. In another minute
he heard it again. TWAS something like
faint cry,and it seemed 20 be smothered
in some way. Sandy stood close by the
wagon, his hands resting upon the foot
board in front. Agein he heard it, and
this time more plainly than before
Fairly leaplng to the footboard he opened
the long box in front, the top of which
forms in prairie schooner the driver,
seat, and saw lying in it little child.
The big frontiersman lifted the baby
for it was scarcely more-out of III
strange resung-place as tenderly as I
mother. He saw that the child was very
weak from its long fast, and, placing i
gently on his blankets, he began t.
search for something fit for 1t TO eat
Finding bag of -four, he made, with
little sugar, a kind of thin cruel, heating
it over a fire he had hastily kindled
Taking the bapy in his arms, he fed i
slowly and cautiously. With infinite pa
thence the big-b bearded man went through
this strange task, until, after some time
he had the satisfaction of seeing the lit
tie one refuse to swallow any more
Then sitting on the tongue Of the wagon
with the dead lying all around him
Sandy rocked the baby in his arms unit
it went to sleep.
Placing itin his blankets and covering
it up carefully, be examined the box il
which he had found it. In tho bottom
was rough horse blanket. Thrown ovel
the edge was piece of rope. placed Sc
as to prevent the lid shutting tight
Alongside OF the child he found half of {
bracelet, evidently cheap. imitation
one, which looked as though it had beer
torn of from the other half At the low,
er end of the box there was confused
heap of baby clothes, thrust in hastily
All these things Sandy took. He found
even the water in the spring beside which
the train had camped, to give his newly,
discovered treasure bath, which seem
ed to do it greal of good.
For one week Sandy STAYED there
spending his whole time looking aitei
the baby. He saw the child grow strong
and bright, aid he found that the feed
ing. Washing and dressing of the kid,
as be had already christened it, sourc,
of ever-increasing delight. At the enc
of that time, having the broken bracele
, carefully slowed away in his saddle-bags
) Sandy mounted his horse, aud, takinI
5 the "kid" in bis arms left the scene @
!, the massacre never to see it again.
= What wonderful change sixteen year
D make in men and women. The gloss
!. brown hair may have become thin i
it that time and on the once smooth fac
time may print more than one hu
wrinkls telling Of TIE deep furrows |