Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1883-12-19
AMONG The BLACK HILLS.
BY AGEMIsCA ST. CLAIRE.

Tt was the next year after Clusters de-
feat and tragic death that my brother
Charles took it into his foolish old head
to try his fortunes III the Black Hills,
which at that time sent their gllttering,
dangerous invitation throughout the
world, like the ar-famed diamond fields
Of Africa.
[ was thirty-seven- confirmed old
maid-and since my sister-in-law's death
had presided over my brothers house
hold TO the best OF my ability.
Besides CHARLES and myself the family
consisted of his daughter Nellie, a win
some lass of fifteen, and as he was we'll
TODD In the world there was not the
least excuse for going on such wild
goose chase.
And SO | told him; but, bless you, l
might as well have talked TO that rock
over yonder! The Persons always were
a set race, and Charles was worse than
any of the rest.
Go he would and go he did, and Mel
lie and | went with him, although we
did so against the Mortified entreatie5 of
Our friends IN Maine.
lit was rough-of course we expected
$hat-and we soon made that rude log
hut put on such homelike look that it
became the resort of the better class of
miners in the place.
shall describe none of them, how
ever, except Fayette Lee. Fate, the
other fellows called him, and such he
became to us when we knew him bet
ter.
I liked the boy from the first. He
was still, earnest, kind and obliging.
Like ourselves, he had come to seek his
fortune In that dangerous, hostile land,
and like ourselves he looked forward to
a peaceful home III the east, when his
"pile " should have been made.
Nellie liked him also, and soon saw
that the girlish affection would event
ually deepen into maidenly love.
But when / spoke to Charles alb out it
he only laughed and said, ''What was
to be would be-" and he was glad it
wasn't to be any worse; for, you see, he
Liked the lad, too.
So I rested content in the days that
Acknowledgement to watch the young
couple as they cantered through the set
Element side by side.
Lee, on his magnificent black Bayard
and which he would not willingly part
with), made a splendid contrast, IN dis
dark, glorious manhood, to our small,
glrlish Nellie, seated on her little, snowy
pony, SprIte.
SO I Watched the love deepening In
those young hearts while thought, re-
gretfulIy. of another brigh love-dream
among the far-away New England hills,
and prayed for a happier ending
60 theirs, as I shed silent tears,
thinking Of the green messy grave by
the bank of the sparkling Penobscor,
where slept the fond lover of my youth.
The horse also grew to know aud love
each other, and were never so well
content as when feeding among the lux
urious wild grasses side by side, and al
any time, and from any place, loud,
shriII neigh from one would call the
other to its side.
One other friend should be mentioned
with these two. for TO them he belonged
Bravo, my pure bloodhound, without
whose faithful watchfulness l would
never have passed single night In thai
remote region.
One day Nellie mounted her little
pony, and sauntered down a gentle rise
to the mouth OF the ravine, where hung
crimson and yellow autumn leaves that
seemed reckoning her with their bright
beauty.
For days we had heard nothing of In.
dams, and believed them far away.
I sat by the window, watching the
glimmering of her light steed and long,
golden curls, when L saw her start--wi,I
q wild cry of alarm, and whirl her pony
toward the settlement; but swift as she
was, another was swifter than she. for a
that instant came a sbrill, blood-curdline
war whoop-the terrible war-whoop O
the cruel Sioux-snd a single Indian
mounted on a magnificent black horse
the very counterpart OF Fsyette's, issued
from the mouth Of the ravine, aud hal
rising II his saddle, swept the long, ciE
cling rings Of lGssO around his feather
bedeeked bead, and launched then
straight at Nelie's pony.
Another instant and the moose had
settled around Sprite's snowy neck
With shrill neigh of terror the pony
unw1llingly turned and followed his cap
tor down the steep declivity at break
neck speed to the plain beneath.
In an instant his plan was apparent IL
me. Had he returned TO the ravine TIT
miners would have overtaken him, en-
numbered by his captive and impedeC
by the rough stony ground as he would
have been.
By making circuit of Custer Hill, as
we called it, Re would have at least ter
mics Che start Of them and be safe in tht