The Monitor. [volume] (Woodstown, N.J.) 1884-1892, 1884-12-12
THE SECONDS SEEMED HOURS.
One Night In Camp, with indians
AuppOsed 20 be NiGIi.


supposed 10 be Nigh.
We were encamped for the night near a
small creek, with some low, stunted I'M
derbrush along its banks Pasturage for
our stock was SO scarce that we had to
drive our oxen some three-f9urths of a mile
to get feed sufficient for them. Three of
US We're detailed to guard them for the
first half Of the night, being one of the
three
| did not much like my part of the job
The idea seemed to run in my head that
there We're Indians not far off, and | could
not divest my mind of it.
My fellow-sentinels seemed to make
light of my fears, and tried to laugh me out
of them. But they did not succeed. For
my part | resolved to keep strict watch
on anything that might transpire.
AT dusk we had our suppers eaten, and
seeing that our guns and pistols were in
good condition for service, We repaired to
our respective stations, having the stock
surrounded i'll a space sufficient for them
to feed upon for the night, some fifteen or
twenty acres in extent.
The place assigned to me was covered
with very rank grass, so that in sitting
down | was completely concealed from any
eyes that might be watching.
The night was dark, except when the
young moon shone out between passing
clouds. had got tired of pacing back
ward and forward. and seated myself upon
a small gopher hill. A passing breeze
rustling the grass aroused me from a doze
| had fallen into.
Springing to my feet and peering eau
tiously around, my eyes We're riyeted upon
an object that caused my heart to thump
and my hair to nearly raise my hat off my
head, for facing me, not thirty PAGES dis
tant, was an lndian-yes, surely. verita-
BILE Indian, standing in half-bent position.
with his right elbow at right angles with
his body and apparently his gun leyeled at
me.
In less time than ! can relate it | had my
gun to my shoulder, but before | could fire
a dark cloud obscured the bright moon
light, and dared not pull the trigger for
fear of missing him, and, lest he might not
miss me, | squatted quietly down.
In a few seconds, that seemed hours to
me, the moon shone out bright again.
Then cautiously rising, until | could see
him plainly in the same position, | took a
,loa,lIvr aiu, aud tiPad
At the crack of the gun down he fell.
Surely / have killed him, thought, and
sat down to await the denouement, which
speedily came.
The firing had aroused the camp and
soon they came, ready for the fray. Ex-
planning the cause to them, we all went
forward to see the slain Indian where
he lay. and oh. horror of horrors! | had
shot one of the ends off the bow of an OK
yoke that had been left standing up TO
mark the spot where the balance of the
yokes were we had taken off from the
oxen.
/ was perfectly dumbfounded, and l
never heard such screaming and laughing
as was INDUCED in at my expense. / rap
idly lost faith in suspicious of Indians, and
never heard the last of i. as long as we
were together They would not put me on
guard again, they said, for fear | might
shoot all their yokes to pieces; and even
now, at this distant day, | have to indulge
in a hearty laugh whenever | think of the
ti,n. Tint l-illed the nY-vnl1